Preparations for mothers before a 3D ultrasound

Thanks to recent advances in technology, 

3D ultrasound images are now clearer and more lifelike than ever before!

BUT… before you get your hopes up that you’ll get those perfect, full face 3D ultrasound pictures, it’s important for you to know:

No two pregnancies are alike.
Every baby scans differently, and not every ultrasound session produces textbook perfect images.

The quality of your 3D ultrasound photos depends on MANY different factors.

Every baby scans differently, depending on gestational age, baby's position, placenta, mothers body type & amount of amniotic fluid. 

We will always do our very best to get you the best images possible, and we use the best, most advanced ultrasound technology available.

To ensure you are well hydrated, be sure to drink the recommended 8-10 glasses of water per day in the weeks prior to your ultrasound appointment.

Please Note:

This is not something that you can cram in the night before your appointment.

Drinking an abundant amount of water the day of / the day before your ultrasound will do absolutely nothing to help improve the quality of your pictures.

To ensure clear photos, you must increase your water intake DAILY for at least a week. 

To get good images, there must be plenty of amniotic fluid around the baby’s face.

This refers to how many weeks you are. Typically we get great 

3D Ultrasound images all the way up to the end of your pregnancy. However, because babies do tend to run out of the womb as the weeks pass we always encourage moms to visit us for a 3D/4D Ultrasound around 27-31 weeks. At this time baby is nice and filled out but not too squished in there.

However, if you’re looking at our website and you are beyond 32 weeks, we can usually still get great images! 35 weeks and beyond is a gamble if we will be able to get images. If you would still like to, we will certainly try! 

If your goal is to get the best 3D face pictures possible, you must be sure to schedule your ultrasound at the right time.

Coming too late may yield unpredictable results, as baby begins to run out of room and it becomes more difficult to get clear pictures.

For good 3D/4D images, it is ideal for baby to be positioned with the head down low, near your cervix.

If baby is breech, it will be harder to obtain good face pictures. Breech babies are often sitting ‘folded in half’, with the feet and hands blocking the face.

Baby should also be facing upwards towards your stomach.

If baby is facing completely down, looking towards your spine, it would be impossible to get images.

There are several other factors that affect the quality of 3D ultrasound images, including how cooperative the baby is (i.e. if baby has hands & feet up in front of the face), the location of the umbilical cord, the body type & fat content of the expectant mother, the presence of other conditions such as uterine fibroids, IUGR, etc.

What have you noticed about your babys activity pattern. Is your baby more active in the evenings or in the morning time? You may want to schedule your ultrasound around the time of day baby tends to be more active if possible. 

Ideally, your baby should be awake and active during your 3D ultrasound.

When baby is moving around and making different facial expressions, you will have a more enjoyable experience & get better 3D pictures.

If baby is asleep throughout your scan, it may be difficult to get good images, especially if baby is snuggled up with the face pressed against the placenta.

Having a light meal or snack before the appointment can help ensure the baby is active during the ultrasound, which may lead to better images.

Even if it’s just a quick snack on your drive over to the studio. This helps your blood sugar levels rise so it helps to wake The baby up a bit. 

To get baby moving, you should drink something cold and sugary 15-20 minutes before your appointment time. We recommend apple juice for best results.

Please remember if you are a mom who has gestational diabetes we do not encourage you to consume any of your diet restrictions (eg. sugary foods and drinks) in order to make baby more active for the ultrasound. Remember to always follow your doctors dietary recommendations.