Booking in for a 3/4D scan....but when?

[Shanti]

Hi girls

I'm getting my 12 week scan and 19 week scan's done with just the usual scanning procedures, nothing like 3D or anything..... but on top of these standard scans, i'd love to get some really special 3D/4D scans done of our baby at some stage in the pregnancy.... and made into a DVD with music.....

When is the 'advised' time to do this? It's really just a 'special' scan where we get to see bubs again and really to get some great pics in utero!

Should we book this in for 28 weeks? 32 weeks? What did you do??

Also, i'm on the Gold Coast, anyone know of a great place near me that does it?? I understand it's going to cost a fair bit but it's worth it.

TIA

[BeautifulMadness]

i had one done @ 12weks wish i hadnt but it was a routine scan but i reckopn 28 would be fine....i paid $180 to have one done

[Jakabella]

The place I am looking at in Melbourne said that between 25 weeks and 34 weeks is the best but I know ppl who have had them earlier than that as well.

[Antheia]

I reckon around 27-28 weeks is good. Bub will have enough fat on him/her so will make for a better picture and s/he wouldnt be engaged yet so you can still see his/her face. I had one at 28 weeks and one at 32 weeks. By 32 weeks bub was already engaged and you couldnt see much of his head but the 28 week one was perfect. The video even shows him blowing bubbles, its so cute.

[LuckyStar]

Ren,

I live north of Brissie and I have booked my 3D-4D scan for mid September already. I am having my 18-20 week scan at 21 weeks at a place in South Brissie. I will be having regular 2D morph scan and 3d/4D images done in same visit. You get a DVD, a 'book' of photos and a consulation afterwards (of results). This place has a great website which will show you images at certain stages in pregnancy, tells you what to expect and the cost. If you call they will tell you the medicare rebate and gap. Is $295 before medicare rebate. There is a special form that GP needs to fill in order to get the scan. I have reached the safety net so will not be much out of pocket (no more than regular scan if not yet reached safety-net). PM me if you are interested in more info.

Hope this helps.

[Olive]

are you certain your 20 week one isnt 3D??? where i go its in 3D fior the 20 week scan! same as what is was for DD

[Snoopea]

Hi I had my 4d/3d scan done last saturday, I was 24 weeks the shots are amazing, so far I've loaded 3 shots into gallery, it'll give you an idea of what a 24 week scan looks like. My sister in law had hers done at 27 weeks and her shots are the same, it depends mainly on the type of shots. I got told to book in later for good facial shots and earlier for good body shots. Hope this helps!
Best of Luck,
Snoopea

[Shellbelle]

I had mine done at about 34wks. Was amazing, he had such a chubby face, and you could see his profile so clear!!! They tried to do some at my 20wk scan, but he was faceplanting my placenta!! Mine was free, not sure about on the coast? We have an x-ray centre that is all bulk billing. GL!!

[Indadhanu]

They reckon betweeh 26 and 32 weeks is the best time. Bub is fully formed and is big enough to actually looks like a baby and after then theres not much room left so the picture doesn't come out as good, plus if you've got a prepared bub he/she might even be head down and the pic can be really hard to get.

[Alyssas_Mum]

I had mine at 20wks and got a cute photo but she looks very skinny, the lady said if i came back at 28-30 weeks she would be a fatter and still have enough room in my tummy to see most of her. The later you go the less you'll get to see. Good luck

[2CheekyMonkeys]

around 32weeks cause they have more fat deposits on their faces and the pics turn out better. you can go to the website so+gi and there is heaps of info and pics on there. that is the u/sound place i got my DD scanned at, its in brissy at southbank but the info would still be the same for wherever you go. there are FAQ's etc. i cant remember the price, i think it was around 300 but got most of it back from medicare. had to have a referral from GP though. if you go just for getting the cool photos you gotta pay full price. (but most GPs will give you a referral for a health and well being scan anyway- mine did). actually they found a small hole in her heart at this scan which they didnt pick up at the other scans so it was good for us.

[Visitor7]

I had a 4d scan done at 28 weeks, pic is in my gallery. My mum works for Qld xray & she said there's one on the Gold Coast. Not sure where though.

[~breeze~]

I had mine done at 30 weeks, I've put a couple in my gallery I think.

Showed his face really well but he kept his arm along one side of his face the whole time we were there, little bugger! But we still got a good look at his face & even his hair too!!

I suggest between 27-32 weeks so bubs has some fat deposits but not too cramped yet.

Good luck!

[Shanti]

Wow! thanks everyone! I suppose I should look at a place somewhere to book soon then! Sounds like 3D/4D scans are very popular so i don't want to miss out....
I'm actually not sure if the 19week scan will be in 3D or not.... i just presumed it would be a regular scan? I think i'll ring them and ask..... i suppose some machines have the
3D aswell don't they? so they can switch over to 3D half way through the session??
I'll ring them today.

I'm thinking i'll book the scan for anywhere between 28-30 weeks.

When does bub start engaging?

[[M]umma[M]ia]

im getting mine done on the 10th august at a place called early image in melbourne. ill be nearly 29 weeks. i cant wait !!

[Alyssas_Mum]

Renstar, When they do the 18-20 week scan they do it normally and they'll only switch over if you ask them too. We got a couple of pics but found it was prob a waste of money for the 20wk scan, better off doing what Hollye is doing and going back at 28-32 weeks and getting a nice one done when bubs will have more fat, you get to have song in the background too depending on where you go. Would love to go again at 30weeks but dont think we'll be able to afford it again
Good luck

[Visitor7]

When does bub start engaging?

First babies generally started engaging early 30 weeks, however some don't engage until labour.
When I had the 28 week scan with Emily, although she wasn't engaged, she was buried pretty far down already at that stage, and it did make it difficult to get a good pic of her face.
With the 20 week scan, like alyssa's mum said, towards the end when they've finished all their checks & measurements, they'll usually switch over to a 3d scan to get you a pic.

[satya]

I would say 28 weeks would be good. I had 8 scans during my pregnancy and the best 3D pics were taken earlier than that. The very best pic we got was at 12 weeks but it was on very advanced equipment. My scans after 30 weeks didn't show a lot of detail due to where the fluid was. I had a scan at 32 weeks and couldn't see the face at all due to position. I also had one at 34 weeks and got a good 3D pic of half of the face. I would have been very disappointed if I'd been paying for 3D but like all my scans they were done purely for medical purposes therefore they were at the regular cost.