Feeling a Little Nervous after my Level 2

I was sooo excited for my Level 2 sonogram today. I couldn't wait for the weekend to be over so that it would be time for the sono!

The sono tech was really not that nice. She wasn't mean but didn't really explain to me what I was seeing. Every now and then she would say "there's a leg" or "that's the hand", etc. I just felt uncomfortable the whole time. At the end she said that we need to come back in a week or so because she couldn't get a good picture of the baby's heart. She said she thinks it's fine but they have to get a picture of it. Then I asked her if everything else looked okay and she said that she's not the doctor but that we would know by now if something was wrong????

I'm assuming that if something was wrong she would have called in a doctor, etc. but that just made me feel nervous on top of the fact that we need to come back because she couldn't see the heart. I just feel really worried and disappointed - I guess it just didn't go how I thought it would :(

Re: Feeling a Little Nervous after my Level 2

It can be very stressful since the ultrasound techs can't say much. But like you said, she probably would have called in the doctor if she had a major concern. I wouldn't worry about too much about having to go back in a week. I just went through this, had my Level 2 last week and because the babies legs were over it's head, they were unable to get views of the brain. I was asked to come back in this morning, and it was just to pictures that they weren't able to get last time. So it wasn't because of a problem, but truly because they were unable to get the shots they needed. I also had not the most personable ultrasound tech. She didn't show me much either. Try not to worry!

Re: Feeling a Little Nervous after my Level 2

I swear that sounds like my Sono tech. She's horrible. She's not friendly and hardly talks to us when we are there. I have yet to hear her even mention a body part. She told us nothing. I've only gotten 2 sono pics and last week when I asked for one, she basically blew me off and said she didnt have time!

I totally know how you feel. I've had a terrible experience with my Sono tech as well. And as far as something being wrong, she acts the same way! She basically leaves it on the doctor!!! Don't worry though. If there was a problem, they definitely would have called you right away. I had a low lying placenta at 22 weeks and they called me the day after the sono!!! Im sure if it was something serious you would have been called.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience. If you don't mind me asking what practice do you go to? I'm curious since this seems just like my Sono tech.

Re: Feeling a Little Nervous after my Level 2

It just sounds like her bedside manner is not that great. You are right, if something was wrong she would have gotten the Dr. right away. That's what happened with me when my cervix was shortening at 25 weeks. I saw the Dr. then had the sono but then she told me to go into the Dr.'s office and wait for her and then that's when they told me. And sometimes these babies are so scrunched up in there that certain organs aren't easily viewable and they have to try again another time. That's completely normal too! Don't worry about it too much. Maybe next time you could request another sono tech?

Re: Feeling a Little Nervous after my Level 2

She just had some bad bedside manner. Some techs are the best and others need to be kicked in the teeth.

You're right, if something was REALLY a cause for concern, then they would have called the doctor in, to do more scanning and go over things.

As a tech, she really isn't supposed to say much when people say "is everything okay?" because she's right, she's NOT a doctor. Some take this to heart and won't say a word and others are more confident and will say what they think.

Don't freak out too much! I'm sure everything is good, and your baby is fine.

Re: Feeling a Little Nervous after my Level 2

It just sounds like she isn't really personable (which, IMO, you have to be personable in any profession dealing with pregnant women!). Sono techs are not allowed to legally say if something is wrong, but if she said the doctor didn't see anything wrong and just needs a better picture, then I'm sure she's telling the truth! My sono tech had to get a better picture of my 's kidneys after my appointment, but it was just because the doctor wanted a very clear picture on file...and my doctor said everything cleared out perfect for me!

Re: Feeling a Little Nervous after my Level 2

Yeah - it just stinks when you are so excited/happy about something and the "professional" is so crabby! I was really freaked out when I first left but am now feeling a little better :)

I see Dr. Hanauer and the Sono Tech was from Madonna.

Re: Feeling a Little Nervous after my Level 2

Don't ever feel like you can't ask questions! If she's not telling you anything, ask her "Can you explain to me exactly what I'm seeing?" That's your baby she's looking at, you have every right to ask what's going on!

Re: Feeling a Little Nervous after my Level 2

I see Dr. H too. With both pregnancies I had to come back (with Madonna) to get better pictures of the heart.

With this pregnancy, my first sono tech was awful. I never had her before, but her bedside manner left a lot be desired. When I went back to do the heart pics again, I had someone different who was wonderful. She was very informative and made sure to state that a dr. would confirm, but she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. I thanked her many times for making me feel better.

Re: Feeling a Little Nervous after my Level 2

My preference is actually for the sono tech to not say a word about what they see... etc.. I had an experience where the sono tech told me that everything looked absolutely perfect. 30 minutes later, I had a doctor in the room telling me there were serious complications. I'm not at all trying to scare you ... just saying that you can't always trusts the sono tech anyway and I would only put any stock into what the actual doctor tells you. Personally ... and this is just based on MY experience...... I wish the sono techs were required to not say anything at all.

I'm sorry your level 2 experience wasn't as fun as you thought it would be, but I personally wouldn't read into what she was saying. It's possible she had a situation with a patient like ME where she said everything was fine and then it wasn't .. so she was afraid to say anything to you even if she really DID believe there was no reason to worry!

Re: Feeling a Little Nervous after my Level 2

If she had seen something wrong, she would've been abrupt and ripped off some pictures that she printed not to give to you and told you to wait for the doctor in his office unexpectedly right after the ultrasound.

It was an extremely scary experience when she saw something she thought was wrong. But she kept it to herself as she's supposed to and let the doctor talk to us about it.

But that 10 minute wait for the doctor in his office was excruciating. We had no idea what was going on or why we were waiting to see the doctor.

Techs just can't make diagnoses. If she told you everything was fine, you'd feel relieved, but what if something were wrong? If she told you something were wrong, but was wrong about it, you'd be hysterical over nothing.

She did the right thing. I'm sorry it was a bad experience for you. Think of the next chance to go back for the heart pictures as a bonus opportunity to see your LO.

In our case, the sono tech saw an unexplained white spot on our daughter's heart at the anatomy scan. It's considered a soft marker for a chromosomal abnormality. The doctor told us it could be a marker, or it could be a strong heart muscle, but that he wanted us to see the specialist for a detailed Level II scan. So we went a week later to the specialist who said that the spot did not meet the criteria for concern and she didn't even recommend we get an amnio. She said the problem is that new sono machines are "so good" they pick up potential problems that don't even exist.

Our DD is perfectly healthy, thank goodness. But it was a very scary week between those appointments. But if you had your sono done at your doctor's office and the tech thought something was wrong, they wouldn't have let you leave without having you talk to the doctor.

Re: Feeling a Little Nervous after my Level 2

I know plenty of people that needed to go back for pictures of the heart b/c the baby wasn't cooperating. I think it's a pretty common occurence. They have to get pictures of all 4 chambers of the heart and if the baby is too active, they can't get the shots they need.