"Disappointed that we can't see our baby without being rushed"

Hi there,

We were booked into the maternity scanning dept in Aberdeen to have our 20 week scan.

On arrival, we had issues parking - which isn't unheard of, but meant even though we arrived 40 mins early to enable to get parked, I had to be ditched whilst husband parked miles away and then ran to the appt. This coupled with when I arrived (as I got married in March and changed my name), they didn't have me registered and struggled to find my appt, just wasn't useful.

However, these are minor details to the actual appt on the day. These were the issues relating to the appt:

- They were late by over an hour and didn't inform us when we made our presence known. Of course, I being the mother had to have a bladder slightly full for this appt and just as I had given up and about to go to the bathroom, I got called in.

- Before we walked in, the scanning person apologised to the next couple sitting outside and said they'd try to be as quick as possible to make up time (there was no apology to us however but had us feeling the scanner would rush our appt or at least we weren't as urgent as the next ones?).

- When we got into the room, was asked to lay down and then was promptly told things would be explained after the scanner had spoken to a colleague (we weren't offered a choice with whether this was OK that a fellow colleague which seemed to be a trainee was there, nor were we OK with whatever "training" seemed to be going on, considering this was our appt to see our first child at 20 weeks). We are quite relaxed with trainees being present, just it shouldn't deter from our appt or the importance of it.

- During the scan, due to now having a full bladder for waiting over 1.5 hours, I was asked to go to the bathroom (after advising it was uncomfortable a few times due to this I was then allowed to go as they couldn't see baby properly. To say I was busting was an understatement and being pushed there for approx half hour already, was seriously uncomfortable). I was in the bathroom approx three minutes and the scanning person was waiting for me as I came out, as if to hurry me up (sorry, but my bladder was really full to the point that they couldn't get a true measurement! So it takes time to empty....)

- The measurements were taken without really speaking to us but talking to the trainee, so I start interjecting with questions, which seems to be met with some annoyance but I thought, tough, I only get to see this once so I'm going to ask! I didn't even get the chance to ask about something they had seen on the 12 week scan to check.

- What was really disappointing, as they took four pics for us to take away - none of them clear and none of them as good as some of the pics we had seen during the scanning appt (they were clear of thumbs up moments, legs and arms in the air) and they weren't as clear as the ones at the 12 weeks scan. I don't know why the pics were taken at the end, as the previous scanning appt was during depending on how baby was sitting and that staff member at the 12 week scan seemed to be able to review and print pics with ease. I understand this appt baby is bigger and moving more, but it didn't take two seconds to capture...

- To be honest, this 20 week scan left us disappointed as we felt rushed in and out, given really quick answers as if this wasn't anything to fuss over but this is our first child. It wasn't as good as our 12 weeks scan as the 12 week scanning person was genuinely interested and excited for us and to be honest, we'd have rather had that staff member again. We felt sorry for the next couple also as no doubt they were rushed...to be honest, I would rather have the scan again and be happy with the pics, but neither of us felt we could ask for them to be patient until baby had moved again. As it is, the photos are not great from the 20 week scan and I mentioned this to my midwife who I saw a week later. The midwife said there was no chance of having our scan again, so again - just feel completely disheartened this could happen to someone when it is an exciting time and chance to see your baby.

- I was asked to load my comments on here, in the hope that this doesn't happen to anyone else - which I hope it doesn't. Late or not with appts, we would have expected to be given a courteous appt, with time and effort made to ensure we were OK with what was discussed (20 weeks scan are supposed to be more in depth, but less opportunity to ask questions isn't helpful). The scanning staff member at the 12 week scan was completely relaxed and open to questions, whereas the 20 week scanner seem to be pushed, hashed for time and just wanted us out as fast as possible. They did show us the important bits, but under some quickness. So disappointing, it's actually put us off having to go back again to that dept as you cannot choose your scanning person!

I hope there are some lessons to be learned from this and feedback goes back to the dept if not the specific staff member! Just disappointed we cannot have the scan again and see our baby properly without being rushed....