4d scans?

[Lavitabellissima]

Are they worth it? and when is the best time to do them?

Also I am having twins, has anyone else had experience of a 4d scan for twins?

Thanks

Anyone?

I have one booked for Saturday .

I'm also expecting twins, and the scan place recommended 24 - 27 weeks as the best time. I'll try to remember to come back and update you once we've been ....

We have one booked for 27 weeks which is in 3 and a bit weeks time. We had a sex scan at the same place at 20 weeks and the scanner switched it into 4D for a bit. It was AMAZING. So completely different from the 2D scans because it looks like a real baby. We could see his features and everything. I cannot wait for the next one when we will get a DVD etc and get to see him for a longer period of time.

So from my short experience so far, I would recommend it.

im 39 weeks today and really wanted one but never got round to it. should i still have one?

Jenny I'm 38 weeks and my mum is trying to convince me to have one...I've told her she has had to wait this long to see the baby so a few more weeks shouldn't be too hard

aha ;)
it feels like ive been pregnant Forever! have you got any stretch marks?

Thanks ladies, I would also be interested to know about affordable scans. I had my first scan at the Birth Co on Harley St and the 4d twin scans there are £250, I really want one but it is expensive

Luckily (?) I only have stretchmarks on my bum which is wierd as OH swears it hasn't got any bigger....

I couldn't find any 4d scans that cost less than £250 but on the "Underage and Pregnant" programme last night they mentioned getting one done for £35 but didn't mention the name of the company doing them.

I personally wouldn't. There are some (as yet I think unproven) safety concerns, but which put me off. (I have had all my 2d scans, so am not anti scanning). JMO

I might be being really dense here, but what on earth is a 4D scan? Isn't time the fourth dimension? I've seen pictures of 3D scans (never had one, though), so what can a fourth dimension add?

where did you see the safety concerns? And what are they?
A lot of people say there are unproven safety concerns with normal scans, yet we still all get them throughout pg.

I'm having a 4d scan at the birth company in Harley Street at the weekend. With a sonographer it costs 220. I can't wait! I'll let you know what it was like afterwards if that helps, SB

I have seen safety concerns which have said that ultrasound waves shouldn't be used too often as they don't know the risks. I imagine that this is because they are unable to test how safe it is as it is unethical to do tests on pregnant women, therefore they are not able to prove anything.

I had a 4d scan with my last pregnancy. It was amazing and I'd love to have one again this time if we can afford to. I had mine with babybond which are up and down the country. Just google Babybond and it will probably tell you of a branch in your area.

I had one at 26 weeks and it was an amazing experience and well worth the money.

it was a really relaxed and pleasant event and it was so wonderful to see the 4d images. pregnancy can be so boring at that stage when all the important scans are over, i remember it really gave me a lift. They tinted it in a very nice clay type colour too, if that makes sense.

and the dvd was great too.

DD is 18 months now, and I'm looking forward to showing her the dvd and pics when she's older.

I agree. It gave me a real lift too! I was feeling really down in the dumps one day and DP rang me from work and told me he'd booked a scan. Was so lovely!

Thanks ladies, I have a scan every 2 weeks anyway so I don't think 1 more would make much of a difference.

SB I'd love to hear how you get on, thanks . When I book my reassurance scan I paid sonographer price and got Dr Gibb anyway!

Foureyes, yes time is the 4th dimension, so a 4d scan is the same as a 3d scan, BUT with the added dimension of movement, not just static images

catherinewho and jenny95, I think I read somewhere that the recommended cut off point for getting them done was 32 weeks or something like that. I guess they get too big and squished in there to get a decent picture.

They actually scare me slightly. A bit too alien-like for me!!

PickleSarnie i guess i won't be getting one then..so how far gone are you?

I don't like them - my friend and sister both had one and I thought the babies looked like something from a really bad Roswell film!

And I'm glad you asked foureyes - I had been wondering too.

I had one done and took my 89 year old grandmother to watch. It is amazing. You get a DVD and really good 'colour' photos. I was about 25 weeks (too early really but timed it to co-incide with grandma's visit). I can still see the likeness between the photos and DS now at 5 months.

The health risks are comparable with using a microwave, mobile phone, lap top etc whilst pregnant ie some twit will always scaremonger about something. And just to add, grandma was a radiographer and therefore really keen to see the scan and was just as interested in the equipment as the baby. She was doing x-rays back in the 40's without a lead apron and when pregnant, and all 3 DC's were fine. So what damage exactly is a soundwave suppose do?!

LOL at the alien comment. It's true!

jenny95, I'm almost 32 weeks. I actually was considering getting one earlier but I cant get over the freakiness of them, even though I think it would be a cool thing to show them when they're older.

vmcd er, no, we don't still ALL get them. Some people opt out.

vmcd28 - but I could see movements on the 2D scans I had! OK, so the photos I took away don't move, but a recording of the scan would do, if the NHS offered them (and I'm not sad that they don't). Getting a DVD doesn't make a scan 4D; getting to see what your child would look like aged 16 would be 4D. I'm not a scientist, by the way. I'm just a common-or-garden pedant.