What type of ultrasound is a dating ultrasound?

As I had a full bladder at 8 weeks they did it through my tummy with no problems

If you don't have a full bladder or are overweight its likely they'll try vaginally first but you can always ask them to try through your tummy first and then if they can't find it to then do it vaginally

I know many many women who have had scans around 6 weeks onwards and they were all done through the tummy

Dating scans can be either or. They do a vaginal ultrasound usually before 10 weeks I believe, so if they think you're sooner than that it'll most likely be a vaginal ultrasound because one over the stomach won't be able to see the baby yet. Dating scans can be either or, it doesn't effect vaginal or transvaginal, how far along you are does. It could be either or really. I've never gotten a vaginal ultrasound so I can't really say if they are painful or not

They can do either. Both types of ultrasounds can date a pregnancy and neither hurt. Vaginal ultrasounds are just uncomfortable but not painful

Usually it's both abdominal and vaginal.

As for if it hurts, that's subjective. The transducer is like an oversized tampon and it doesn't go in all the way - just enough to see your uterus and ovaries. Some women think it hurts and some don't. Some women only feel a discomfort when it's inserted.

It depends on how far along you think you are. If you are under 10 weeks, they usually do the vaginal. If you are further along, they usually do the normal outside one. The vaginal shouldn't hurt. They put lubricant on it enough that you shouldn't feel horrible, but because you have to have a full bladder it might be a little uncomfortable.