Guest blog: What to Keep in Mind before Your 3D/4D/HD Imaging Ultrasounds
It has always been a joy for a woman to know she is pregnant. Not so long ago, pregnant woman had to wait nine months to know about the health of the child or whether it was a girl or boy.
Today nothing is left to chance. With the huge advancement in technology and with the help of a 3D/4D and now live 5D scans parents can not only watch the progress of their child all through the pregnancy but also every minute detail of the baby’s features of the growing foetus in High Definition.
Great images of the baby in the womb can depend on the amount of body fat and amniotic fluid surrounding the baby the person operating the machine moves a probe over the surface of the mother’s tummy to show the baby at different angles. So to get the best images it is worthwhile bearing the following in mind.
Who is doing the ultrasound!
Go to a centre that doesn’t do any medical scanning but specializes in parental scanning only. These centres are much more focused on making sure that parents not only get the best images possible but they really enjoy the experience too.
When is the right time to do an Ultrasound?
Any time during your pregnancy is a good time to see the baby. It really comes down to what you expect to see.
A foetus is visible from the tummy at any point after the 7th week. So if all that is needed is a scan to see a heartbeat and to check the growth of the baby 7-13 weeks is a good time to see.
Gender is visible with 100% accuracy from the 14th week and many centres will show you the little one in 3D/4D or live 5D (if they have it). Of course the baby is tiny, still has no fat and can look a little like a moving skeleton but still very cute.
From 21 weeks the facial features are sharpening and are clearly seen in the photos. The absolute best time to have a 3D/4D/5D live scan is as close to 25 weeks as you can. The babies are fully developed by the and the frame is covered in fat which makes the baby look like a baby and less like a skeleton. From that point onward the baby adds fat and gets bigger. The bigger the baby the more detailed the image. But don’t forget as the baby gets bigger it takes up more room in the womb and is harder to move. So everyday over 30 weeks is a bigger risk in the quality of the images.
Drink a lot of liquids
Water is the best choice of liquids. It takes a long time for water to turn into amniotic fluid so, increase your intake of water much before the date of your ultrasound.
This is quite an easy job but helps in improving the clearness of the amniotic fluids which is like a window screen to view the photos of your baby. So if the amniotic fluid is clearer then the photos of your baby too will be clearer. It is not necessary for your bladder to be full for the ultrasound so go regularly to the washroom and drink water.
Eat before the 4D/HD imaging ultrasound
It would be best if you had a light/small meal like a salad, sandwich, or some noodles say about 45 minutes before your 3D/4D ultrasound, which will motivate your baby to move around some more.
A glass of juice should do
Half an hour before your 4D appointment, have a glass of fresh fruit juice or a Coke. If you have diabetes a glass of water filled with ice will make your baby move around more. Juices are more advisable as the sugar in the juices have a lasting effect.
Wear something loose
A 4D ultrasound should normally take around 15 to 30 minutes. So wear something loose that will not cause you any discomfort as the band of your pants will have to be pulled much lower than your hips during the ultrasound.
Having all said and done, this moment is priceless so enjoy it.
