You just made an appointment for an elective ultrasound and you are soooooo excited to see your baby! You tell all your friends and family, announce your appointment date and time to all your Facebook friends, and gloat about the pictures and videos to come! During all the excitement and anxiousness, sometimes it’s easy to forget a few important things you need to do to prepare for the appointment. Whether you are coming in for a gender determination ultrasound, or just to get some great shots of your baby’s face, here are some tips we recommend to prepare for the appointment:
1. Plan your appointment date/time around when your baby is most active
When a baby is awake and moving, it makes the ultrasound more interesting. You will have a better chance of catching those super cute facial expressions, the baby opening their eyes (yes they do that in the womb too!), and it will make it easier to get the baby to put hands or feet down if they are blocking the face or gender.
2. Stay EXTRA hydrated the week leading up to the appointment
The recommended daily fluid intake when pregnant is 64-84 ounces. It is important to drink at least this amount, if not more, to make sure there is sufficient fluid in the amniotic sac. This will help with the clarity of the photos.
3. Eat or drink something with sugar right before your appointment
Sometimes this will help make sure baby is active and moving during the ultrasound.
4. Don’t wear a dress for the appointment
Since the ultrasound will be transabdominal (over the stomach), if you wear a dress that has to be pulled up you will be leaving your entire bottom half exposed (don’t worry though, we can supply a blanket for extra coverage).
5. Empty your bladder before the appointment
While it is extremely important to stay hydrated the days leading up to the appointment, you do not need to have a full bladder for the scan itself. Infact, it’s actually better if you use the restroom before hand and can sometimes free up room, to get better photos of the baby.
6. Bring proof of prenatal care
At Mother Nurture Ultrasound and most other elective facilities, we require that you show proof you are under the care of a doctor or midwife for the pregnancy. You can bring in a picture from a past ultrasound, an appointment reminder, or an actual letter from your doctor.
7. Invite friends and family
At Mother Nurture Ultrasound we have a huge room to accommodate all your guests. We can comfortably seat up to 10 but allow you to bring as many as you’d like. Children of all ages are welcome as well. For friends and family who couldn’t attend we provide a live streaming service for an additional $12.95 which allows someone to watch your ultrasound live from a computer or phone anywhere in the world!
8. BE EXCITED!
You’re about to get to see what your baby looks like and watch it move inside of you, that’s exciting! Your ultrasound will be a pre-birth bonding experience you will never forget!
Mother Nurture Ultrasound
803 39th Ave SW, Suite D
Puyallup, WA 98373
phone: 253-777-6263
website: www.MotherNurtureUltrasound.com
