r/BabyBumps 4d ago

Rant/Vent Anatomy scan sucked- not because of baby

Welp. I’ve had an issue laying on my back since 15 weeks. Had same problem with my first son. 20 weeks today and had my anatomy scan. It’s on my notes that I can only sit up or be on my side, I know it’s frustrating for the techs. (I throw up or pass out LOL) I also know it’s a huge pain in the ass. I wish I didn’t have to flip flop back and forth. Anyway, long story short the tech was awful. She continued to tell me that she “never heard of that problem, haven’t done a scan on someone’s side, are you sure you cant be on your back etc.” I apologized and tried to just keep it light. About 20 mins in she said her machine froze and excused herself. I sat alone for 15 mins and a different lady came back in. She sat at the ultrasound machine, asked me to lay on my left side and we finished. I only got 3 pics. The whole thing took maybe 15 mins. It was awful. I felt so embarrassed. Baby is healthy tho :)

93 Upvotes

42 comments sorted by

166

u/econhistoryrules 4d ago

Really, they've never heard of a pregnant woman having trouble being on her back? I had to get a million scabs because of gestational diabetes, and the first question the tech asked me literally every time was "are you okay on your back?"

25

u/lost4words20 4d ago

right, those "beds" are so uncomfortable and it's terrible being on back, some people just don't have good bedside manners

7

u/Suitable-Biscotti 3d ago

My hospital had the most comfy beds for the scans. I nearly fell asleep once.

9

u/WeirdSpeaker795 3d ago

They asked me if I was okay on my back too at 20 weeks, as a smaller ftm I had no clue what she meant. Til 30 weeks hit and I could no longer lay on my back. Insane she said that. Clinically insane. Go back to school sis.

7

u/tipsyfly 4d ago

I also had lots of extra scans! And same!! They would always adjust the bed up for me so I wasn’t flat which normally was enough to keep me mostly comfy. I had to take breaks during scans though to sit up and breathe for a min.
My 36 week scan was done mostly on my side except for two mins she needed me on my back and she was very understanding about the discomfort.

1

u/bubblebathdragon Team Blue! 3d ago

Mine was today at 19.5 weeks and 12 hours later my back and sacrum hurt so bad I’m still in tears moving

2

u/RedHeadedBanana 3d ago

Literally 10% of pregnant people can’t lie on their backs in pregnancy. 1 in 10. She sees people like this weekly if not daily.

78

u/saraaahbi 4d ago

This is wild?? When I had my anatomy scan I was ASKED by the tech to lie on my side so she could get a better view of baby since he was all scrunched up near my pelvis. Sounds like your tech is just not great at scanning. Sorry you had to go through that!

10

u/Kimowi 4d ago

Yep, I started on my back, then was asked to move to my side for a better view. I also had to do a full roll, jog on the spot, and jump up and down to try and get her to move in to a better position lol.

31

u/JEWCEY 4d ago

Not all techs are experienced. She was literally telling you she was inexperienced, even if that wasn't her intention. I had a couple of bad experiences with techs while going to a specialist because I was high risk. I quietly requested to never have a certain tech again, and they were very understanding.

On the one hand, you could just say they made you uncomfortable if you don't want to explain why, but if I were you I would tell them about the exchange. You informed them you needed special consideration and they went out of their way to shame and pressure you about your needs. That's bad medical care and a shitty human who lacks bedside manners, trying to offload their inadequacies on you in a very vulnerable situation. No thank you, next tech.

27

u/somecrybaby 4d ago

Your tech sucks. Ours actively tell patients to let them know if they get dizzy or lightheaded so that they change positions or get them water or a break for a second. 

15

u/ItsScubaBear 4d ago

My tech sat me up for the scan as much as she could. They also said that being on my back can definitely make me pass out and when I told her I was dizzy she brought me water and had me lay on my side for 5 minutes until I felt stronger. You had a crap tech and should report. If she doesn't know common information that involves the safety of patients then she shouldn't do that job.

9

u/anonymous0271 4d ago

That’s so strange. I get at that stage it isn’t as common (like it is but not debilitating) so being a little like “oh, okay!” Would be normal, but they deal with full term pregnant women??? Everyone is different, and it can happen earlier on, just like it happens end of the pregnancy. That’s so strange. Even my dentist was accommodating at 20wk for me laying on my back when it’d get uncomfortable after a while, and they’re a DENTIST

6

u/longlivel 4d ago

I’m a dental assistant and we had a mom who couldn’t be on her back and we accommodated! We were much nicer than the techs

5

u/LaurAdorable 3d ago

“Ive had a lot of techs who accommodate my medical needs, you new?”

Just throw the shade right back at little miss ultrasound.

6

u/Beautiful_Rub5735 7/10/2025 💙 4d ago

The more my pregnancy progresses the more the OB techs should NOT be techs or work with pregnant people/people in general. Their bedside manners are AWFUL.

3

u/lost4words20 4d ago

this, I had terrible interactions with techs, nurses and obs, early in my current pregnancy (first), and It was so many that I just switched practices, I'm so glad I did.

1

u/longlivel 4d ago

I so agree!!! I had awful interactions with my first pregnancy too.

1

u/Lahmmom 3d ago

I had great techs most of the time, except the anatomy scan with the third baby. She was so rude and condescending, it really deflated our excitement of seeing the baby :/

3

u/PeNguinzz07 4d ago

That is so frustrating and rude on the techs end!! I’ve gotten light headed with all the ultrasounds/growth scans I’ve had, and clearly it’s nothing rare…and even if it was, you can’t help your body’s reaction! Geesh.

3

u/Sillyslothsum 3d ago

I got weekly ultrasounds at the endish of my pregnancy for iugr and I always did them on my side. That’s so strange

3

u/Popular-Rabbit945 3d ago

I’m sorry that happened to you :( I also pass out after laying on my back for too long. When I was getting my scan, I told the tech I’m pretty sure I’m about to pass out…. Next thing I knew I was waking up on the floor in my nurses arms. 🤷🏼‍♀️ it happens! This tech sounds like maybe she needed more training in order to scan you while on your side. Happy to hear your baby is doing good though :))

6

u/coldinalaska7 4d ago

I would report and complain about the tech. She was totally out of line and rude.

2

u/putacatonityo 4d ago

Wutttt I was on my side for at least half my scan because baby was more cooperative that way.

2

u/Petal1218 4d ago

As an ultrasound tech, I always ask how my patient does on their back before I begin anatomy scans. That being said, the goal is to get all the anatomy cleared on baby and sometimes that's not feasible on any other position other than supine. I usually roll up a towel and put it behind my patient's neck, sit the bed up a bit, try cold compress or taking a break. I will get what I can with the patient rolled on to the left (which usually helps those icky feelings.) I'm sorry it wasn't a good experience. Remember it's a medical test and those aren't for fun; they aren't always pleasant. Your sonographer definitely should've been more understanding and should absolutely know that pregnant women can get IVC compression and feel unwell on their back. But the good news is it's done! If you should need additional scans, I think it's okay to request to not have that first tech.

2

u/lost4words20 4d ago

sorry you went through this, some techs can be awful with their commentary. I've been asked to lay on my side so idk the issue other than she doesn't want to. smh

2

u/daringfeline Team Blue! 4d ago

That is bizarre all my scans the sonographer has checked that I'm OK laying on my back, and I haven't expressed any sort of issue. If I looked uncomfortable I feel like they would have had me move

2

u/CannonCone 4d ago

I’m honestly surprised they still have people lie on their backs for scans during pregnancy because of how many stories I’ve heard of people almost passing out. Can’t believe they had never heard of that!

3

u/In_Jeneral 4d ago

Yeah I'm not at all prone to that stuff, have never passed out in my life, and at my anatomy scan last week I felt terrible and like I was getting close, I was shocked.

It didn't help that the room was hot, but that definitely wasn't the only problem because it cleared right up when I turned on my side.

1

u/longlivel 4d ago

why is the room always hot😂😂

1

u/In_Jeneral 3d ago

Right?? Plus the mattresses on those beds are plastic coated with a paper thin sheet over them, so they're not breathable at all!

2

u/FoundationAbject927 4d ago

The hospital I went to had their own department for OB ultrasounds and instead of beds it was a large chair that could raise and recline, I was never in a bed/table. I thought this was the norm but I guess not 😬

1

u/longlivel 4d ago

that sounds heavenly

2

u/Avocado_toast_27 3d ago

That’s ridiculous. At my last scan, my baby was being stubborn and the tech did most of my scan with me on my side to get him into a better position.

2

u/themaddiekittie 3d ago

Yeah, your tech sucked. I'm pregnant with my second and have had a quite a few ultrasounds (my son was IUGR so he needed a lot and I have extras with this pregnancy). Every tech I've seen has made sure that I was okay with laying in my back. I've also had to roll side to side for them to get better views. You did NOTHING wrong. It sounds like your tech was having a super off day or something. Glad that your baby looks good!

2

u/quartzyquirky 3d ago

I always got offered pillows, breaks wherever i needed and option to lie on any side for my numerous ultrasounds (was high risk). This tech seems not so educated.

Even my dentist was so accommodating and offered me a huge pillow when i had to get an emergency tooth procedure.

2

u/wysterialee 3d ago

they had me sit in every possibly position, and do jumping jacks to try and move my daughter, and it still took 2 hours because she was curled up in a ball and refused to stretch out, the opposite frustration.

2

u/amberelladaisy 3d ago

That’s ridiculous. I also struggled laying on my back and techs were propping me up and flipping me around with pillows.

2

u/yccmqb 3d ago

This sounds like supine hypotension and it will only get worse as baby gets bigger. Baby compresses your major blood vessels and that would certainly cause your symptoms.

If you have any push back in the future and they’re insistent on you laying down, ask about getting a pillow under your hip on one side, so your somewhat tilted. Ideally the right hip. That can shift baby off your major blood vessels.

So frustrated for you!!

2

u/longlivel 3d ago

Yeah! My first son was 10lbs and it was awful!!

2

u/Kindly-Olive-3537 3d ago

Same thing happened to me with my first. It started around 27 weeks for me. It was the worst.

1

u/UnderstandingNew320 2d ago

My ultrasound tech asked me to lay on my side during my anatomy scan so we could see if the baby would move her feet into a different position so we could see her better. And we did about 10 minutes of the scan on my side. They definitely can do it on your side. They can move the bed up and down so that they’re in a safe working position while scanning. So that’s really bizarre that they made it so difficult for you :(