Although private 4D ultrasounds of your baby have not always been available, regular 2D ultrasounds have been routinely used in prenatal care since the end of the 20th century and has enabled mothers to catch a glimpse of their developing baby in the womb utilizing primarily 2-dimensional (2D) black and white ultrasound.
Today, parents are not limited to what their medical provider offers and can opt for a private scan where baby can also be viewed 3-dimensionally with amazing detail by utilizing 4D and now 5D ultrasound technology.
Private ultrasound opportunities have enabled expecting parents to have a ”window on the womb” to better visualize baby’s features and activities but also offers other benefits which can provide mom with peace of mind and enhance her overall pregnancy experience.
(Read about the differences between 2D, 3D, 4D, and HD Live (5D) ultrasounds here!)
Disclaimer: This is intended for educational purposes only, not medical advice. Please seek medical advice from your medical provider.
Early Gender Determination
It can seem like an eternity waiting for half your pregnancy to elapse before having your baby’s gender determined at your routine medical ultrasound.
Thanks to 4D baby ultrasound technology, we can accurately determine your baby’s gender as early as 14 -15 weeks of gestation giving you more time to plan for the arrival of your little bundle – and the more time the better when it comes to getting those gender reveal party plans underway, designing the nursery motif or stalking the baby’s wardrobe with gender specific duds.
Despite early gender reveals being a routine elective option, there are several factors that can impact the ability to clearly visualize a baby’s gender by ultrasound including fetal age, baby position, placental location, as well as maternal size to name a few.
While placental location and maternal size can’t be controlled, fetal position change can be encouraged using various techniques such as a sugary snack/drink (assuming there is no history of diabetes), changes in mom’s bladder distention and having mom move about.
Generally, the older a baby gets, the easier it is to visualize the genetalia by ultrasound.
In fact, our Pink or Blue gender package is available right up until delivery!
Our Baby in Sight technologists have an impeccable history of accurate gender determination and know all the tricks to get your little one in an optimal imaging position.
On the rare occasion that baby is being particularly shy, you can return free of charge for a repeat scan within two weeks of the initial gender ultrasound appointment.
Determine the Baby’s Positioning
Another benefit of receiving a private ultrasound is that you can determine your baby’s positioning as you get closer to the end of your pregnancy.
According to Public Health Scotland, “most babies are born head first with their faces looking down, their back against your stomach and their chin tucked in on their chest.”
This position is called occipito anterior presentation, and it is the ideal position for a vaginal birth.
The occiput or cephalic posterior position is when the baby is head down but facing the abdomen and their back against your back (also nicknamed sunny-side-up).
A breech presentation is when the buttocks leads first and the head is at the top of mom’s belly and a transverse baby position occurs when the baby lies across the womb from side to side.
Your baby will drop down lower in your uterus and move into position for birth in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Knowing your baby is head down and in an optimal birthing position can provide huge peace of mind as the big day approaches.
Share Ultrasound with Family Members
Having an ultrasound of your little one can be an emotional and exciting experience that you naturally want to share with close family members.
Most medical offices limit the amount of baby viewing time for expectant parents to a quick peek at the end of the scan if time permits and including additional family members or friends is usually out of the question.
On the other hand, the majority of 4D baby ultrasound studios have the option of including others in the experience enabling real-time viewing of baby with unimaginable clarity that the whole family will cherish.
Check-In on Baby Between Medical Ultrasounds
Depending on your specific medical provider, you may only receive a couple of ultrasounds throughout your pregnancy.
According to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, it is recommended that all women receive two ultrasounds during their pregnancy: one “dating” ultrasound between 11 and 14 weeks, and one “anatomical” ultrasound between 18 and 20 weeks.
The dating ultrasound will help your medical provider know exactly how far along you are based on the size of the baby.
The anatomical ultrasound (often referred to as the anatomy scan) is conducted during the second trimester to check baby’s development, organs and body parts, and rule out visible congenital defects.
This ultrasound is traditionally when most parents discover the gender of their growing baby if they didn’t already determine the gender with a private 4D gender reveal ultrasound.
Many parents may feel two standard, 2D ultrasounds, don’t provide enough baby-viewing time for a 40-week pregnancy.
If you would prefer to check in on your baby more than what your medical provider is offering you, then a private/elective 4D/5D (HD Live) ultrasound at Baby in Sight is worth considering for peace of mind.
Increase Connection With Baby
Having the opportunity to see your baby more often throughout your pregnancy can help increase your emotional connection with the baby.
According to this article, a number of studies have found that ultrasound scans can increase the mother’s (or parents’) attachment to their baby during pregnancy and can encourage positive parent-infant interactions.
You can soak up every moment of your baby smiling, frowning, yawning, and thumb-sucking and feel at peace knowing your little one appears comfortable and content in their temporary home.
Seeing your baby in 4D/HD Live (5D) real-time ultrasound can be a truly fulfilling experience and help make your journey to parenthood feel much more real.
A Glimpse of What Baby’s Life is Like in the Womb
As a mom-to-be you experience baby’s movements more intimately than anyone else.
Many expectant moms have shared that seeing their baby’s movements in 4D/5D while simultaneously feeling it is a surreal experience and helps them to better understand their little one’s world – that periodic rhythmic bounce is a case of baby hiccups, that regular, rounded bulge is the baby’s bottom pushing outwards, or that persistent, uncomfortable pressure in the ribs are the tiny feet.
Although your partner or family members may never understand exactly what it feels like to have a growing baby moving and grooving inside your body, they will have the opportunity to better understand your experience by observing baby’s activities through a 4D/5D ultrasound experience.
Ultrasound Keepsakes
Many medical offices have strict rules about taking photos and recordings during ultrasounds.
If you’re lucky, you may receive a couple of black and white printed pictures of your baby following your medical ultrasound in contrast to a private 4D ultrasound experience which affords you many additional keepsake options.
For example, Baby in Sight 3D offers high-resolution 3D/HD-Live prints, digital storage of 3D/4D ultrasound pictures and video as well as the Heartbeat Plush Toy which captures baby’s doppler heart sound in a plushy of your choice.
These one-of-a-kind, special keepsakes can be cherished for years to come by not only parents but baby too – of course much later in life!
Baby in Sight offers a range of baby ultrasound packages, specials, and add-ons that will meet everyone’s personal needs, tastes, and, best of all, budgets!
Book your appointment with Baby in Sight today!
