At six and a half months
pregnant, I am heading off to
my local 3D ultrasound
office.
Steven and I never planned
on having children and so
this is a really big deal for our
families. They had all but
written us off when it came to
giving them a new baby.
Alas, just four months after
our wedding, with a bit too
much alcohol in my blood,
we had a slip up. It really is
true, what they say, it only
takes once.
Anyway, back to the subject
at hand.
We are all geared up for our
3D ultrasound. Since the 3D
technology is relatively new,
the ultrasound is not covered
by insurance. An expecting
mother must also still receive
her regular 2D ultrasounds
for diagnostic proposes.
Some of the reasons that 3D
ultrasounds are not the normal
process for fetal diagnosis
are: One, the equipment is
very expensive; two, the clarity
of the ultrasound can vary
greatly from woman to
woman; and three, because
the 3D ultrasound relies
greatly on the presence of
amniotic fluid to increase
clarity, it is not very useful in
the early stages of pregnancy
These 3D ultrasounds are a
“just for fun” experience.
Though, as the technology
continues to progress, I am
sure that they will eventually
make their way in to mainstream
medicine.
For right now, the ultrasounds
are just a great experience
for the expecting family.
I know that I will feel a lot
better after seeing that my little
boy is, for sure, a little boy.
With the 3D we will be able to
more certainly tell the sex of
the baby, distinguishing easily
between the genitals and
the umbilical cord.
The clinic that we are going
to allows the expecting mother
and father to invite guests
in to the exam room to view
the ultrasound. They will also
supply us with a DVD of the
ultrasound for those family
members and friends who
could make it to the live
show.
They, of course, will also
provide us with a few printed
still shots from the ultrasound
and a CD of those
images.
I guess it is a sign of the
times. We are too impatient to
wait until birth to see our
baby’s face. It is only nine
months after all, but we jump
at the chance to know the sex
and to see his face.
I guess for me, some one
who has not been preparing
for this day her whole life, it
is a way to increase the bond
with and prepare for my new
baby.
For my husband, who has
been to all but one of my prenatal
appointments, a 3D
ultrasound is a great way for
him to start a real bonding
with his son.
It is harder for men because
they can only feel the baby
from the outside in. Women
get to experience the feeling
of our baby growing and
moving and becoming a new
life. Men can only empathize
with it.