FAQ

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Absolutely not! Women seeking an elective prenatal ultrasound with Pix and Wiggles, LLC must already be receiving treatment with a healthcare provider for prenatal care and have already undergone a diagnostic medical ultrasound ordered by their provider to confirm due date, screen for fetal anomalies, and to look for other pregnancy related issues. 

A 2D ultrasound is the most common form of ultrasound you will see performed in a medical setting. 2D ultrasound creates a black and white image. 

A 3D ultrasound is a three-dimensional image of your baby. You will be able to see your baby’s facial features.  

A 4D ultrasound is the 3D image of the baby in real time. Similar to a movie. You may be able to see things like the baby smiling or yawning. 

HD Lives takes your traditional 4D Ultrasound and uses a new rendering software and lighting software to allow us to have a much more realistic image of the baby. 3D/4D has a more orange skin tone and the HD LIVE has a pinkish (realistic) skin tone. 

It depends on what you are looking to see. Many mothers like coming in twice. Early on to see the baby as a whole and then again later in the pregnancy to see a more detailed face. The ideal time frame is between 26-32 weeks. Baby will have a fuller face and you’ll be able to see facial features easier at this stage. After 35 weeks, it can be tricky. Baby starts to descend into the pelvis and as a result makes it harder to capture a clear image or video of the baby. While it’s not impossible, conditions have to be just right. 

Yes, in most cases. However, we can’t guarantee the baby will cooperate during the scan. Baby’s position, gestational age, mother’s body habitus are all factors that affect the ability to determine gender. 

***We recommend you do not come on the same day as your gender reveal party. This will give us an opportunity to bring you back if needed. One free rescan will be offered within 2 weeks. 

Yes!! You are encouraged to bring family and friends. We want your loved ones to share this special experience with you. We can accommodate up to 6 people comfortably. Children are always welcome! We have a special play area for them, but we encourage you to bring snacks, tablets, small toys, ect. to keep them entertained, as they can lose interest quickly! 

Yes! The MOST important thing you can do is drink at least 64 oz. of water daily for a minimum of one week. 

*** Most babies get sleepy after a meal, so try not to eat at least 2 hours prior to your appointment. However, not all babies do, so just pay attention to your baby’s cues. You are welcome to bring snacks! We will have cold water available if needed as well. 

In the first trimester, yes. Try to finish drinking at least 32 oz. of water 1 hour prior to your appointment. After 14 weeks, you do not need to have a full bladder. 

3D and 4D ultrasounds are just as safe as 2D scans since there is no form of radiation. While not considered a true risk, the rise in temperature caused by the sound waves that are used to create an image of the baby concern some parents. The rise in temperature depends on the duration of the scan and the acoustic power of the ultrasound device. However, research shows that the elevation in temperature is safe and within acceptable range. The temperature rises around 1.5 degrees and it is actually quite rare that this temperature is ever reached.

For the baby to be harmed, the temperature would have to be much higher and it is virtually impossible to reach those temperatures.

So yes, these ultrasounds are safe. The lack of radiation is a major key to this fact.

When we listen to a baby's heartbeat, we are using pulse wave doppler, which on ultrasound is just a little bit stronger output power than M-mode, which we use in the first trimester. Since the first trimester is such a vital stage in development, it's best to wait until the 2nd trimester to avoid any potential risks. During the first trimester we use M-mode, which stands for “motion” mode. The ultrasound beam picks up all the movement across the length of the beam of the sound waves and creates little waveforms when motion is detected. We then can measure the distance between the two waveforms. This gives us the amount of beats per minute. 

Usually, but not always. Sometimes, if the baby is looking face down, towards your spine, it may be difficult to see the baby's face. Other factors that can influence the images are gestational age, amount of amniotic fluid, placental location, and maternal body habitus. However, I will make every attempt at trying to obtain the best possible images I can based on these factors,