Seeing Beak on the “hospital’s tv”

Last Updated on 26 September 2019 by Colette

Today, at 28+1, I took Ben with me to a growth scan.  We had taken him to Chloe’s 12 week scan but he was obviously much younger then. I purposely avoided taking him to earlier scans this time just in case there was a problem, he would have been much more aware.  As the silver lining to the bp / protein-urea / previous gestational diabetes we have two extra growth scans with this pregnancy.

I asked Ben yesterday if he would like to come and see Beak with me “on the hospital’s tv” (a reference to There’s a House Inside My Mummy) and he was so excited at the prospect.  We chatted about how I would lie down on a bed and the lady would put special gel on my tummy and use a clever stick to rub on my tummy which would put Beak’s picture on the tv.  I explained that it would be black and white (as I was worried he would expect to be able to see baby as clearly as if it were Cbeebies!) and he joked that it would be like a cow.

When we were taken into the scan room Ben sat down on Granny’s knee and we explained that the sonographer needed to to do her jobs first but then would turn the tv round to show him everything.  He was very cute and kept whispering – goodness knows where he found this shy bone from as I never knew he had one!  He said “it’s not black and white” which confused me for a moment but then realised he had thought the clever stick would be black and white rather than the image on the screen!!  The sonographer was lovely and really took the time to show Ben things he would recognise such as fingers, toes and Beak’s face.  My mum was particularly taken by how clear the view of all the facial features were (scans are obviously considerably better now then when Mum was expecting me!)  She also showed us the heartbeat and a full bladder explaining that baby needed a wee (Ben relayed this back to Ange as “and I saw the bit where the wee comes out from” making her think he knew what flavour Beak is!) The particular highlight for me was when Ben asked if Beak would be wearing any clothes when they came out – I was laughing so much I couldn’t keep still for the songographer to carry on with the scan!

This is one little man who really can’t wait to meet his new baby in November!