full bladder for ultrasounds??

I'm 13 weeks pregnant with triplets and have had ultrasounds every other week since week 7.  My doctor has never told me anything about having a full bladder for the u/s.  In fact, they have me give a urine sample each time I check in for appointments.  Do most of you  have to have full bladders?  What kind of difference does that make?

[pixijal]

Because your not actually doing an anatomy screening, they are probably only looking for a heart rate at this point, and GENERAL measurements OR, all of your u/s have been transvaginal, which does not require a full bladder.
When the bladder is full, it pushes the uterus up, and allows a better pic of the lower part of the baby.  Usually, during an anatomy screen, they will get the requirements of certain body parts completed, and then you may empty your bladder for the remainder of the u/s.  When the bladder is emptied, the baby drops further into the pelvis.  

So, yes, sometimes it is required, and some u/s do not.
Your 20 week u/s will require a full bladder.

[tina1111]

When I had vaginal u/s was w/completely empty bladder. With abdominal u/s they had me hold it and needed full.

[specialteacher]

I have had 3 u/s sounds.  2 were transvaginal and 1 was the 4D.  I did not have a full bladder for any of them.

[Lollye]

I went for my 10 week u/s yesterday.  It was my 1st abdominal u/s and they told me there is no need to emply my bladder, but if I needed to go, just go.  Tech told me it doesn't matter at this point.  They are not looking at anatomical structures, they just want to see if the baby is developing and if there is heartbeat.

[chellybeans]

i think it depends on the technology they are using too. i never have a full bladder and have had one every month for my twins. both vaginal and abdominal. they stopped vaginal after ten weeks because they were too big for that.

[shesherm]

I had to have a full bladder for my u/s with last pg...I thought I was dying I guess I have a really small bladder ...they let me go a little 3 times before to relieve the pressure and then after u/s I had to empty for trans vaginal and she said it was still full....LOL I told DH I will only drink half the water this time :O)

[rubyolivia]

Having a full bladder DOES make things clearer (at least for me it did). Early on, it isn't as necessary to have such a full bladder unless they are doing an anatomy scan, like an above poster said. But drink up....you may be able to see more! :) I gulped down a bottle of water an hour before my u/s at 14 weeks and low and behold the doc told me he was a boy that day!!!!

[taysmommy]

i didnt have a full bladder for any of my u/s and they saw the baby perfectly fine in all,

[shamanda]

Would having a full bladder help them be able to see the sexes of the babies sooner?  I'm dying to know what they are!

[AnnieBrooke]

My high-risk doctor never had me do the bladder thing for an ultrasound.  It was perfectly OK with them if I peed beforehand.

[lovefamily]

When I went for my big 4 month u/s I had to have a full bladder.  I could barely move because I had to go so bad.  The tech got me on the table and took several measurements.  She said she could see my bladder was really full.  Then she said as soon as she was done with this part of the u/s I could empty my bladder and she would continue it.  I can't remember what it was, but there was something that they check and measure on the baby and for them to be able to see it clearly the bladder must be full.  Once that is done, the bladder does not have to be full for the rest of the u/s.

[Darkestlight]

On my 7wk U/S they told me to have a full bladder. Then when i got there they told me to empty it cause it was too full and they couldn't see anything. Crazy ain't it?? lol