How did you handle the 'long road' to the 12-week scan?
The early stages of pregnancy should be an exciting time, but for many those weeks are filled with anxiety instead...
Finding out you're pregnant - especially if you've been trying for some time - is such exciting news.
But all too often, it seems, excitement turns to nervousness as you worry about whether everything will be OK with the growing foetus inside you.
When we asked our mums in our Facebook community if they felt particularly anxious before their 12-week scan, 84% of the 189 mums who responded said yes.
A mum on our forum said that "waiting for the 12-week scan point feels like the longest 7 - 8 weeks of my life... it's all I can think about whilst trying not to! I also want to get excited and tell the world but know it's still so early."
And we have to say - when we asked our mums over on Facebook if they felt the same, lots of them agreed.
"I didn't relax until both my children were born and in my arms - and even now I probably won't relax for the rest of my life, but it's the most amazing gift to have and I never take that for granted," Ali D told us.
And Nichola H had a very similar experience. "I had an early scan but still couldn't relax at all," she said.
"I think a did a test a week for the whole 12 weeks. I just couldn't believe all my dreams had come true.
"Didn't feel real until I saw my beautiful baby girl on screen x."
Many of our mums mentioned they'd had a miscarriage or several before getting pregnant again, which, understandably, weighed on their minds.
"The first 12 weeks in my previous pregnancies and my current one I was the same - couldn't enjoy it until I knew everything was ok on the scan. This was due to having a miscarriage nearly 6 years ago," Katie L told us.
And things certainly changed for Abbie C after she miscarried.
She said: "I was fine in my first pregnancy but then I had 2 miscarriages, panicked with my second son, had a miscarriage last July and I've just had my 12 week scan...
"If I hadn't already miscarried I'd have been fine because I know tons of women who never have to experience miscarriage but have 3 or 4 children x."
Wow - it really does seems as though so many mums go through this anxiety, not only up until their 12-week scan but way beyond until the baby's born.
But then, maybe it's all just preparing us for the road to being a parent in general? As Aimee B puts it:
“Tbh I felt it was the start of what it feels like to be a parent; you always worry about something! Once we had it confirmed that baby was there and well, a week or so later, worry sets in about the 20 week scan.
"Then after that you worry about pre-eclampsia and labour etc. Then you worry about SIDS and not letting any harm come to baby... and so it continues!"
And she offers what we think it some pretty good advice:
"The best thing to do is just be aware of how best to look after yourself and baby, do your best and try to put the worries to the back of your mind as you can't control some things.
"It is terrifying but you get through it and the best memories shine through the fears."
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Authors
Tara is mum to 1 daughter, Bodhi Rae, and has worked as Content Editor and Social Media Producer at MadeForMums since 2015
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