Frequently Asked Questions
What is the #1 or best thing I MUST do to get the best images/gender determination?
Yes, we meant to capitalize “MUST” because it is so important for you to be drinking your physician’s daily consumption of water (typically half your body weight in ounces, per day) throughout your pregnancy, especially 1-2 weeks prior to your session in order to get good vivid images and accurate gender determination. Ultrasound is a very natural process and although we discuss other conditions that may affect the quality of your images on this page, one thing is for sure is that by not drinking your water goal will result in less than vivid images. Regardless of great images, physicians recommend that you drink this water for proper lung development for your baby. This is very important. There is nothing more frustrating to our sonographers when they know they could have gotten get good images for a mother if only she had been drinking their water goal. So please drink your water goal for your baby and for your images.
Also, you know your baby better than anyone, so if you know of a food, drink or activity that gets your baby moving, feel free to do them just before your travels to our facility, but this is not mandatory and please do not over do it.
See the difference it WILL make if you drink your physician’s recommended daily consumption of water WEEKS prior to your session?
Do you do perform diagnostic ultrasounds?
No, we do not. We only perform “elective” limited medical ultrasound abdominally.
ow many people are allowed in the studio while performing the session?
You can comfortably have 6 people total in your party. Children are allowed and counted as a guest and must have another adult present to strictly supervise them while you are being scanned.
Is ultrasound safe?
This is probably the most important question to ask. Baby’s First Images is an AAUIF Accredited ultrasound facility member. AAUIF is an association of ultrasound facilities operating at the industry’s highest standards and protocols (please click on AAUIF Seal for further information). All facility guidelines and protocols are performed by a real Diagnostic Medical Sonographer having graduated from an Allied Health Accredited School and working in the current medical community also. Another way to answer this question is to read the official statement of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine:
“No confirmed biological effects on patients or instrument operators caused by exposure at intensities typical of present diagnostic ultrasound equipment have ever been reported.”
A.I.U.M. website, 2003.
Does your facility use “certified ultrasound techs” or real Diagnostic Ultrasound Sonographers?
Apart of our AAUIF accreditation requires every session be performed by a real Diagnostic Medical Sonographer have graduated from an allied health accredited school qualifying them as RDMS registered or registry eligible. If you don’t have your session done here, you should ask if “your specific session” will be performed by one.
**Please be aware that the term “certified ultrasound technologist/technician” is being abused by some organizations who train anyone off the street through their non-medical short course “Certification Program” and then use the term “certified ultrasound technologist” to describe their staff’s credentials. Our staff are real Diagnostic Medical Sonographers and are hired directly from the medical industry to assure the highest quality of care since 2003. To be sure, check for the gold AAUIF seal.
What is the difference between 2D, 3D and 4D LIVE?
2D, 3D and 4D are modalities/technology on the ultrasound system that produce various images. 2D technology is the “black/white” technology used primarily for gender determination and to listen to the baby’s heartbeat. 3D produces color still shot pictures. 4D LIVE is 3D in movement or video so if your baby is sucking his/her thumb, crying, yawning, stretching, etc. you will see his/her movements and gestures in the color video. In order to capture and play back your baby’s 4D movement, you will need to make sure you have chosen to record your session to a DVD video disk. 2D and 3D images are typically saved to a CD disk where as 4D video must be saved to a DVD disk.
How early can you determine gender?
Every mother wants to come in as early as possible to find out the gender of their baby. We want to provide every mother the most reliable service possible for this experience. We do gender determination as early as 14 weeks and up to full term on all of our packages (twins should wait until 16 weeks). Gender determination is always done in 2D B&W technology for reliability purposes, however it can be requested in color 3D/4D if you purchase the Quick Peek or Complete packages. Additionally, we do gender determination (if requested) for every package we offer and at every revisit to give our mothers that extra peace of mind. Although many mothers want to capture the early stages of development in 3D/4D, if you want more developed images of your baby in 3D/4D you might consider doing the Gender Package at the early stages and come back to do a 3D/4D session between 24-34 weeks when your baby is in the later stages of development. (See the Developmental Chart).
DO NOT BOOK YOUR GENDER APPOINTMENT DAYS BEFORE YOUR REVEAL PARTY!!! Let’s face it, even though we do everything possible to determine gender on your initial visit, sometimes baby’s do not cooperate and we have to invite you back for a free gender check. So plan on scheduling your reveal party at least 8 days after your ultrasound appointment just in case your baby is being stubborn. You only get 1 free gender check and we suggest waiting at least a week if your baby does not cooperate in order to give your baby a chance to get into a better position so you can see how this could ruin the reveal party if booked near your initial ultrasound session.
What if you can’t determine gender?
It’s very rare we cannot tell what you are having during your initial visit. If for some reason the position of the baby forbids us the ability to determine its gender during your session, we will invite you back for 1 additional Gender Check at no additional cost (as long as you are at least 14 weeks at your initial appointment). This applies to all packages unless packages states otherwise. (No images or video are supplied at this FREE Gender Check session.)
What if I do “not” want to know the sex of my baby?
No problem. We have many mothers who come to have this amazing 3D/4D ultrasound service performed without determining gender and still keeping it a surprise for the birthday. You can even come in for the Sneak View package if you want a peace of mind session without gender determination or 3D/4D. For those moms that want to come in for gender determination but do not want to know now rather at a later date or for a gender reveal party, ask one of your staff members when you arrive to your appointment for a “Secret Envelope.”
When is the best time for a 3D/4D ultrasound?
The best time for an “3D/4D” ultrasound session is completely a matter of the mothers opinion, but the most popular time is between 26 and 32 weeks. However, many moms want to capture various stages of development as early as 14 weeks and all the way up to full term. You have to ask yourself:
“What stage or stages do you want to capture?”
Use this chart below to choose but many moms want to see various stages. There is always “give and take” at each stage of development, but they are all beautiful. That’s why many families come more than once.
***The most important factor you have to remember is that if you don’t drink lots of water the week prior to your appointment, you will not get good 3D/4D images.
Other tips:
- Keep in mind, all babies love to cuddle and most of the time have their hands near their face or even sucking their thumbs, rubbing eyes, etc.
- Drink the amount of water your physician recommends (typically half your body weight in ounces per day) weeks prior to your session or you will not get vivid images.
- All moms can come in as early as 14 weeks for gender determination.
- TWINS – Mom’s with Twins should come in before 27 weeks for full development images and 16-18 weeks to attempt to get them together. However, mom’s still come up to full term.
- Heavier set or more full figured mothers should come in around 28-36 weeks for 3D/4D ( gender 14 weeks and out).
Other Notes: Keep in mind we do sessions from 14 weeks to full term. Many mom’s do gender determination in the early stages (16-22) and then come back for 3D/4D around 22-36 weeks and up to full term. Twins should come in around 17 weeks or so in attempt to get them together and before 28 weeks. Because you see different things at different stages (and all repeat sessions receive 10-20% off), many mothers visit 2 – 4 times to capture the different stages of development. All sessions are done abdominally, not transvaginally.
Can you guarantee that I will receive specific images?
No, we cannot guarantee “specific” images, nor can any sonographer or company for that matter. What you see on our website are images taken directly from our clients and are exemplary when you drink your physician’s daily recommended consumption of water. However, the most important factor is the position of the baby. Other critical factors include the amount of amniotic fluid (drink lots of water!) and the amount of maternal tissue between the probe and the baby. The bottom line is that each mother and baby are unique and so is each session. In order to get the “Best” images, water consumptions is the single most important contribution, but if your baby does not cooperate you can take advantage of our REDO offer.
What if my baby does not cooperate?
Baby’s First Images REDO Offer: If you are not completely happy with the images your baby gives you, 1 REDO option may be offered to you where we will invite you back for a whole new session for a mere $25 sitting fee.
- (You must choose this option at the time of your initial session before you print off any pictures and before you leave our facility. Once the images from original session have left our facility, then a REDO is no longer an option..
Having Twins?
If you are having twins, there are a few things you need to know.
- First off, because you are having 2 babies, we have to scan for 2 babies. So, for Gender Determination or Sneak View services, there is an additional $25 fee to scan both babies.
- If you are wanting 3D/4D services, then there are no additional fees, however you MUST have the Complete Package performed to allow for ample amount of time for both babies.
- Mom’s with Twins should come in before 27 weeks for full development images and 16-18 weeks to attempt to get images of them together. However, mom’s carrying twins still come up to full term.
Do I need a note from my doctor?
No, however you must provide your physician’s/midwife’s/doctor’s contact information when booking a session with Baby’s First Images. In no way should you substitute this service with your primary care. We respect that your physician is your primary care giver and 100% decision maker of your pregnancy.
Do I need to hold my bladder before my session?
Yes, if you are 14 weeks or less. No, if you are further along than 14 weeks. It is vital that you drink the amount your physician has recommended (usually 64-80 oz. of water or non-caffeinated clear fluids per day) during you pregnancy and especially 1-2 weeks prior to your session with us in order to get vivid images of your baby. As a matter of fact, you probably will not get very vivid images if you do not.
Do you take “measurements” or can you tell me the weight of my baby?
Yes, we do estimate fetal weight measurements and can give you an idea of how far along your are as an add-on service. Prices will be listed on our Packages page and you will have to order this service with the receptionist when you arrive to your appointment. You will not be able to book this add-on online.
Does the location of my placenta affect the quality of my images?
Not necessarily, but it can. We have many mothers who come in with anterior placenta location and we are able to get them good images of their baby. However, the position of the baby’s face is key here and regardless if the placenta is anterior (or posterior, fundal locations), sometimes the baby wants to bury his/her face into the placenta which results in less vivid images. Every baby, every mother and every session is unique and so will yours. In this case our Sonographers are trained and have skills to attempt to get your baby to move and scan from the side and around the placenta to get you the best images possible. A full face shot may not always be possible and some placenta may naturally be seen in the images.
When do I get the contents of my package?
Your images and video will be emailed to you immediately proceeding your session. We also have a real photo lab onsite so we are able to produce your pictures at the time of your session.
What forms of payment do you accept?
Keep in mind that when you book your appointment you will be required to secure your appointment with a credit card for our 48 hour cancellation/no-show/change policy. But when you arrive you will pay for your appointment with cash, Visa, Master Card, Discover credit cards and debit cards. ***Also note that we do not accept Medicaid, Medicare or Insurance, although submitting your receipt to your insurance company may be worth inquiring.
Do you have a discount for repeat visits?
It depends on the current pricing and promotions. We will specify within each package if it qualifies for a Repeat Discount, but all repeat discounts are for current pregnancy.
**Some packages may be listed as no discounts allowed. Please see package descriptions for details.
How long are your “specials/discounts” going to run?
We do not have a designated stop date for our specials. However, you get locked in at the current published special price on our website the moment you book your appointment using our online appointment system. Clients are only entitled to 1 coupon/discount per session. All discounts/coupons are applied when you arrive to pay.
How long does each session last?
It depends on what session you choose so check out each package for details. Keep in mind that we have a 5 minute gap in all our packages so that we can have time to finalize your images/videos. We will also spend additional time with you going through your images, print out the ones you want and pay for the services.
Are the 10-15 minute packages enough time to capture “a lot” of images of my baby?
The 10-15 minute package is not designed to capture “a lot” of images. Rather it is designed for those mothers who are not interested in a full session package and just want a picture or two of their baby to cherish a lifetime. it is truly “Quick Peek” package. The difference in the standard full session package is that is lasts 25-30 minutes and allows us additional time to work and obtain a host of images and poses allowing you to pick from the best images for your prints at the end. 10-15 minutes is very quick so make sure this is enough time for your objective.
Why do you say “Up to…” and “5-10” minutes, “10-15” minutes, “25-30” minutes?
The reason why we say this is because we need some time to finalize your disks after we scan you and this can take up to 5 minutes to do. So typically, we scan you “up to” around the first number or so and use the last five minutes or so to finalize your images/video.
How do I book an appointment?
It’s easy to book your appointment. Simply go to Services and follow the screens which will direct you. Once you know the package you want to have performed, click on the “Book Appointment” button next to that package and book your appointment using our Online Appointment System. By booking your appointment online, you have 24/7 control of you appointment, status and options without having to call in for assistance. If you have questions before you need to book your appointment, the fastest way to get a question answered is to click on the orange “Questions” Button located at the bottom of every page throughout the website. You can also call the telephone numbers listed on the Locations page of this site.
How do I cancel an appointment?
Click on the “Client login” button at the top of any page on this site. It will take you to the Online Appointment system. Simply log in at the top right side of the page and it will list your appointment at the bottom right of screen with the cancel option. You can also find an “easy link” and instructions in any of the emails that were sent to you. Remember, all cancellations/changes have to be made 48 hours prior to your session to avoid the $50 sitting fee. Sorry, no exceptions!!!