The twelve week dating scan...

A friend very kindly offered to come over and look after the younger two (Sam and her son were at school) while I picked J up from work and we went for the scan. I dropped a pretty big hint as to the reason for the appointment but didn't actually tell her in so many words...

Driving to J's office I idly wondered if my dates were wrong, the seatbelt felt just a little too tight, the steering wheel a little too close, perhaps I was 16 weeks pregnant and not just 12, that wasn't impossible, my period that month (sorry if TMI) had been a light one. My big concern was that this would mean it was too late for a nuchal scan and at 40 it seemed to make sense to have a nuchal scan. Though the procedure for this on the island included taking the bloods to the airport to have them couriered to the UK which was a little daunting.

Anyway I picked J up and we drove to the Medical Specialist group. Fortunately we didn't have to wait long. Waiting for early scans with a full bladder is never fun and sonographers are routinely overworked and run late. Here though the demand is lower and it's the actual consultant that does the dating scan.

We went into the office and answered questions for a bit. He asked about whether we'd want a nuchal scan (privately) or the quad bloods (offered free) and we said that we were hoping for his advice on this.
We filled in about half the form and then he said "Shall we do the scan, and check that all's well in there before we do the rest?"

I climbed onto the bed, had the gel applied and he turned on the machinery. The screen was up by my head so I had to incline my head slightly forward and right to see it. J stood at the foot of the bed with a clear view, the consultant sat to my right, scanner in hand, computer keyboard between him and the screen.
He put the probe (is that what it's called?) on my tummy and instantly we saw the baby.
"Ah yes" he said, moving it around, "There's the heart, beating away well, these are the hands which tell us you are over 10 weeks or we wouldn't be seeing them, and look you can make out the white dots which are developing into fingers."
It was the clearest scan I've ever seen, a brand new machine.
"I'll just start getting the measurements" he said and I tore my brimming eyes (I was hormonal, it makes me fluffy!) from the screen to look at J, as I did so, and as the consultant moved toward his keyboard, his hand slipped.
"Ooops, sorry! And that's your bowel! Oh no, oh, hang on, no that's not right..." I was beside myself, what was showing up on my thus far healthy scan? I couldn't look.
J though had had the best view, and a strange look was taking over his face.

"That's not your bowel," said the consultant  "That's another baby..."