4-D Ultrasound

Getting a Sneak Peek at Baby

If you just can't wait to see your baby, you're not alone. Women across the Triangle aren't waiting until birth to fall in love with those adorable little noses and the perfect little toes. They're having non-medically necessary ultrasounds.

These ultrasounds are not paid for by insurance and they aren't used to diagnose the health of the pregnancy. They are purely for the enjoyment of moms. They use state of the art ultrasound technology - called 4D - to give moms a highly detailed view of their baby's outer appearance. In 4D ultrasounds, moms are able to see baby sucking his thumb, blinking, even yawning.

There's another reason moms come. "Many of our customers want to know the sex of the baby," says Joy Shaker of Peek A Boo Baby in Raleigh. "Unlike many medically ordered ultrasounds, we have the time to roll mom this way and that to get baby in a position to see the gender. If the baby is in a position that I am unable to determine the gender, mom can return for another look free of charge."

Unlike the medically ordered ultrasound, you can bring as many people as you like - so your mom, sisters, etc are all welcome. You'll leave with a video, a CD and a handful of glossy pictures of your little one. Expect to spend between $175 to $250 on an ultrasound package.

Forty weeks is a long time to wait to see your new little one. More and more, moms are getting a sneak peek of their little one. The newest 4D ultrasound allows moms, dads, grandparents and siblings to see the newest member of the family, even before her birthday.

What's it like?

Many moms wonder why they would pay for an additional ultrasound, until they have a scheduled ultrasound with their OBGYN. Often, the procedure feels rushed, the technician can't spend the time it takes to determine baby's gender, and the photos are very hard to understand. The 4D experience is quite different. Mom is typically in a comfortable chair and has a monitor just for her. Dad and the family sit on a sofa and watch another monitor. "It's a very relaxing, emotional experience," says Christie Woodard of Durham's Prenatal Peek. "Mom has her feet up and is relaxed. We have lots of time. So if baby isn't in a great position to see the gender, we have the time to walk around, move, eat--whatever it takes to stimulate a little movement in the baby." Tears are often shed, as parents see their little one sucking their thumb, yawning, or stretching in utero. With the latest technology available at places like Prenatal Peek and Ultrasona the baby looks, well, just like a baby. Features are easily distinguishable and parents can even see movement. "The images can be incredibly realistic. Parents frequently tell us that they see family resemblance in the baby's facial features," says Titania Roberson of UltraSona in Cary.