3D/4D Ultrasound
Sharing the First Glimpse
"I want to thank all of you for all that you have done. You were so understanding of our situation with my husband, Shaun, deploying the next day! I am so happy he was able to be with me when we found out that we were having a boy. I am also going to be forever grateful to all of you for doing a 3D/4D ultrasound two months later and having my husband see it all the way from Afghanistan! This experience really made the pregnancy more real by being able to see such amazing and clear images of our baby! I would suggest to every pregnant friend I have to definitely get one done, it is a memory I will never forget! ”
This is most assuredly the “age of technology”. What better use of this technology than to bring separated families together with the first peek at the newest member? Many 3D/4D ultrasound centers are now able to “stream” the image to any part of the world through the Internet as it is occurring in their facility. Being pregnant can sometimes be stressful, especially if the mother-to-be is going through the whole process alone. The wife whose husband is overseas defending our country, the daughter whose parents live in another state, or the sister whose sibling is too far away to share in the joy – these are the women who need and appreciate being able to share their first real glimpse of their unborn child.
It has been proven that the emotional benefits of being able to see the unborn child through the science of ultrasound are extensive. The bond between mother and child grows even stronger for expectant mothers who have been able to take advantage of one of the many 3D/4D ultrasound centers throughout the country. Imagine that same emotional bond between the absentee father, grandparents or siblings with the mother-to-be and the new baby. Through use of e-mail families can send still pictures, even videos, of the new baby, but imagine the thrill of actually seeing the unborn child as it is being scanned, along with the new mother. So many of our servicemen, or servicewomen, are halfway around the world from their loved ones, feeling disjointed from their families -- especially if there is a new baby on the way. Fathers cannot join in on the excitement of the first doctor’s visit, hearing the heartbeat or seeing the gender. Grandmothers and grandfathers who live in a different part of the country have to travel great distances or wait for information over the phone or e-mail. What a joy to see the baby sucking his or her thumb and sometimes even looking like he or she is waving! In some instances there is also audio. So, not only can the fetus be seen, but also the heartbeat itself can be heard.
Of course, the priority in shopping for a 3D/4D ultrasound center should always be safety and professionalism. Choose a center in which the scans are performed by certified, licensed technicians with a friendly, courteous staff and a comfortable atmosphere. And of course, if sharing this once-in-a-lifetime experience with faraway friends and family is important to you, ask if the center provides a “streaming” service.