Pregnancy is such a wonderfully intimate and exciting time. You have a unique opportunity to grow a wonderful new, little life and eventually feel her moving inside of you as the weeks go on.
Your doctor will typically provide two ultrasounds over the course of this forty-week journey: the dating scan between eight and twelve weeks, and the anatomy scan at twenty weeks. These 2D scans can offer such increased elation and peace of mind, but there is something absolutely breathtaking about a 3D ultrasound of your developing bundle of joy.
When to Get a 3D Ultrasound
When you found out you were expecting a little one, your baby was probably smaller than a seed. By the time you got your first 2D dating ultrasound, your baby was most likely smaller than a strawberry. A banana would be the fruit equivalent of your baby’s size by the time you got your anatomy scan at twenty weeks.
As your baby grows in size, the ultrasound image becomes clearer and clearer, going from a little blob to a bona fide baby. In the same way, the longer you wait to get a 3D ultrasound, the more detailed and striking your baby will appear in the picture.
So when is the best time for a 3D ultrasound that your family will always treasure? The ideal time is between 27-32 weeks, but here’s a breakdown of what a 3D ultrasound will capture at different stages:
The Earliest Time: 3D Ultrasounds During the Second Half of the Trimester (Between 20-27 Weeks)
During this seven-week span, 3D ultrasounds can begin providing an accurate look at your precious baby. Your baby’s eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and chin are reaching their final stages of development, which provides parents with a first glimpse of what their little love will look like in less than twenty weeks. Because baby has quite a bit of growing left to do, she might appear slenderer than you expect a baby to; remember they don’t start to fill out with that quintessential baby fat we all love to fawn over until the third trimester.
The Ideal Time: 3D Ultrasounds During the First Half of the Third Trimester (Between 27-32 Weeks)
Although their warm womb has become a little snugger at this point in the pregnancy, their facial features have just about reached their final stages in development, so a 3D ultrasound at this point is optimum. Baby fat is starting to help baby fill out and look like the chubby little baby you’ll meet in a few weeks, and for most babies, their eyes are opened up again by this point!
Even though you might not get to see every inch of your baby due to the confinement of the space, what you will see will be much more accurate and adorable than any other point in pregnancy.
The Latest Time: 3D Ultrasounds During the Second Half of the Third Trimester (Between 33-36 Weeks)
If you choose to get a 3D ultrasound at this point in your pregnancy, it will be the first true test of whether you’ve got an obliging little one on your hands. These final weeks in pregnancy are when your baby’s picture is going to be as close to what you will get to see shortly as possible.
With that being said, it is often a challenge to capture certain facets of your baby (including her face, depending on her position) because they are preparing for the descent and running out of room! While you’ll definitely get a gorgeous picture if the stars align, it’s usually best not to wait until this point in the pregnancy unless absolutely necessary, or unless it is recommended by your obstetrician or gynecologist.
Contact us today to schedule your appointment for 3D ultrasound imaging that provides a 3 dimensional image of your growing baby! 4D ultrasounds are also available.
