Private ultrasounds?

Knottie1458416769 · April 2016

I recall reading someone else's post that they got to pay out of pocket for extra ultrasounds at private clinics?

I was was sad that graduating to a normal ob/gyn meant appointments every month or so. I want to see our baby more frequently! Especially since I don't have a lot of symptoms, so want to make sure bebe doing ok every week.

So who has successfully squeezed in extra ultrasounds and how did you do it? Private clinic? (A Google search for private ultrasounds in my location only turns up 3D services.)

TheBorg7of9 · April 2016

The 3D services are what you are looking for. I did one private ultrasound for each of my other pregnancies. It was kind of fun and cost about $100.

manabearursa · April 2016

The 3d places in my area also do 2D. I don't know how true it is but my OB told me the 3d were too strong for the baby before 26 weeks.

NatashaSprout · April 2016

We are doing one in a few weeks. DH missed the first one and no guarantee he will be at the next one so we thought it would be fun to experience it together.

talkthewholetime · April 2016

We are doing one at 16 weeks to determine gender- we did it last time too.

Going every week is going to rack up the cost crazy fast. And your doctor will probably advise against it. Just going off my last BMB & friends, 3-4 ultrasounds total is the usual - dating, 12, 20'weeks and maybe a positioning / size one at the end.

Youll know know the baby's doing ok when you can feel them move soon!

DunkinDecaf · April 2016

We did one with my last pregnancy and it was so much fun. I just wanted to get a good 3D picture of her little fetus face, and we did! She was even smiling. It was adorable.
I definitely wouldn't go every week though. That would be bonkers pricey. I think an ultrasound every couple months is plenty.

Hedgessm · April 2016

I suggest a Doppler to put your mind at ease. Several ultrasounds will get pricey and doc would probably advise against it. I will say, however, that doing one 4D one just for you to stare at your baby is totally worth it.

Allisong124 · April 2016

I asked my midwife about the 3d ultrasounds. Her advice was to limit the exposure with ultrasounds.

asreinholm · April 2016

A weekly ultrasound is absurd. One or two scans is recommended for a low risk pregnancy. Doctors don't know the long term effects of scans because they aren't willing to put a fetus at risk of potential harm to study the effects. I would suggest buying a Doppler to help ease your mind and remember, it won't be long and you'll be able to feel baby moving.

Knottie1458416769 · April 2016

@asreinholm we started with weekly ultrasounds at the fertility center so I kind of miss that dynamic. At home Doppler sounds nice, DH is vetoing that idea bc he doesn't want to find out what happens if we can't find a hb (ignorance = mild anxiety and anticipation, bad with technology and can't find hb = full on panic mode)

LikeICantEven · April 2016

I got one done to find out the sex as my AS wasn't until 21 weeks for some reason. I called a boutique that did them and they mentioned if I allowed a college student to be present during the scan that I'd only have to pay $60! It ended up working out awesomely because they spent about 40 minutes on me, switching back from 2D to 3D and explaining a lot to the student. I got a ton of pictures, video, all that. It was awesome. I would do again this time if I had to wait super long for the AS, otherwise I'll just wait.

It's worth calling around and asking if they run any specials. Also, check their FB page as sometimes they'll have discounts run daily (Especially with Mother's Day coming up) or a coupon, etc.

Justpeachier13 · April 2016

I'm totally going whenever I want to see baby in between OB scans. It's only $29 at the private scan place we went to. I haven't seen any science to suggest that ultrasounds are bad for baby so if anyone has that please share.

mrsjlang · April 2016

@HomeyDontPlayThat - that sounds like an awesome arrangement! Those students have to learn somehow, right?

I don't think we can even do "private" ultrasounds here for a cost. Although, I'm not sure that I would want to personally. Not just because of whatever costs there might be, but for whatever reason I seem to be okay waiting. Maybe that will change closer to due date. I can understand why some of you lovely ladies like having this option, especially those with PGAL.

muybueno · April 2016

I did one with each of my boys. I love having that 3D image in their baby books. It was about $75, if I recall.

BooksForMe23 · April 2016

My anatomy scan is not until 24 weeks, so I'm definitely doing one to find out gender. Costs about $100 where I Iive.

KilgraveMadeMeDoIt · April 2016

We're planning to do a 3D ultrasound in the third trimester to show our kids and friends back home (they live stream it for you) but beyond that, no, I don't think we'll be going for any extras. I'm awfully tempted to get one around 16 weeks just to see if we can tell the sex, but the private place here apparently won't do a quick sex determination scan until 18w. I have my anatomy scan at 20w on the dot so I can't justify the $100 just to not wait for two more weeks.

Edit: Ugh. I just called around to the private ultrasound places here to see if it'd be possible to have a scan to determine the sex at 16w. Nope. They won't do them until at least 18w and you have to have had your anatomy scan - and met with your doctor for the results - first. I'm not meeting with my OB until four days after the scan and I don't know if I'll even have the scan results at that point (this hospital apparently won't tell you the sex at the appointment. It goes in the report and the OB tells you.). Then I'm going to be out of the province for a month. I might not learn the baby's sex until I get back to Ontario at almost 26w. I'm going to go insane with curiosity.

DunkinDecaf · April 2016

@KilgraveMadeMeDoIt that's a bummer but it makes sense to me. It would be pretty horrible to find some obvious anatomical abnormality at a private u/s place instead of in a medical facility. The boutique place we went to last time also required we bring our anatomy scan u/s pictures with us in order to be seen.

Roxell · April 2016

@KilgraveMadeMeDoIt @SRose109
That's how it is here to, you have to have had an u/s with your Dr first. I kinda wish I would have said I don't know when my LMP was so they would have done a dating u/s. I would have felt super guilty though. Just gonna have to be patient and wait til July to see this LO.

KilgraveMadeMeDoIt · April 2016

I'm just so annoyed by it. Others are finding out already and I might end up having to wait until I'm almost in the third trimester. When I was pregnant with our second, the hospital in my home province refused to disclose the sex at all (they've changed since. I find that policy to be really paternalistic because they're essentially saying they don't trust you with your own medical information and I made a stink about it.) and the one private place in the area wouldn't do it until 26+ weeks and had no openings until my 30th week so we drove to a place three hours away to find out because I'm really, really impatient.

Knottie1458416769 · April 2016

@Justpeachier13 to clarify are you referring to a private 3D place or like a second ob doc? I share your sentiments but placed I've inquired said they don't want to interfere w my regular ob office and wouldn't let me come whenever bummer

Justpeachier13 · April 2016

It's a boutique. They do scans as early as 8 weeks for $29. In in San Diego. In order to be seen they asked that I being proof of pregnancy--a scan photo or booklet from OB--but they didn't even ask for it once I was there. It was so much better than the doctors office. I laid on a very comfy bed, the room was pitch black, and the screen was huge projection screen, music, and 6 photos. She probably spent about 15 mins with us. It was much more comfortable and enjoyable. It was fun! I won't go every week, but they're even open on Saturdays so if I do have a scare or anything it's comforting to know I can go there to see the baby.

Des321 · April 2016

I'm really sad that there's no private ultrasound clinics in my state, apparently they're illegal now? Not sure if that's true but I read it somewhere. I really want a 3d ultrasound just once!

atcwag · May 2016

Justpeachier13 said:

I'm totally going whenever I want to see baby in between OB scans. It's only $29 at the private scan place we went to. I haven't seen any science to suggest that ultrasounds are bad for baby so if anyone has that please share.

I work in medicine, so taking information from a .com site isn't my thing, but this has some links to good information.
https://kellybroganmd.com/utrasound-risks-perils-of-peeking-into-the-womb/
With that said, my OB practice does a quick US (instead of Doppler) every appointment. It's nice, but overkill IMO...but also not bothersome enough to me to think about switching practices.

KilgraveMadeMeDoIt · May 2016

atcwag said:

Just.... don't quote Kelly Brogan. Really. She's never met a form of quackery or hysterical naturalistic fallacy pearl-clutching she won't cling to with both hands. I feel dirty having even clicked on her page (which is basically a very long gish gallop.)

kittiesandcoffee · May 2016

I'm on military insurance so I only get two u/s, one at 10 weeks (already happened) and one at TWENTY weeks. I really don't want to wait those extra five weeks before finding out the gender so DH and I are paying to go to a place called "Baby's Close Up". It's out in town and they do gender determination and the package I'm getting will come with a heartbeat bear (a bear with a recording of LO's heartbeat inside that plays when squeezed). It is going to be worth every penny. https://www.babyscloseup.com/

Oakleypoozles · May 2016

I have mixed feelings about the private keepsake / level 1 diagnostic ultrasound places. I was excited this time around when I got a positive test. I scheduled around the time I believed for pregnancy verification at a place called Ultrasona. I had it done on a Friday evening. They were able to see a gestational sac in my uterus where it belonged but no yolk sac or fetal pole etc... So the tech was actually really nice and also very knowledgeable and honestly the experience was wonderful. Such a nice atmosphere etc... but then on Monday my midwives office called me frantically and told me to stop EVERYTHING that I was doing and IMMEDIATELY go to the ER that they were informed I might be having an ectopic pregnancy. That damned Ultrasona place sent a "report" to my midwives office that said and I quote "Strongly Suspicious of an ectopic pregnancy" and rather than telling me or calling me they waited until MONDAY to contact my midwives and then only sent this "report" rather than even the pictures so they could make a judgement call on their own. I frantically went to the ER an hour away paid my deductible and was there all day at the risk of getting sick for the radiologist to tell me there was ABSOLUTELY no reason to believe it was an ectopic pregnancy... they said nothing was there to suggest that at all. I did contact Ultrasona about this and they stand behind everything they did to the T. They said that they didn't believe I would die in those 3 days if it was ectopic and that they reported per their policy. We have now seen baby and know that everything is fine and again the radiologist at the hospital said it was complete hogwash and totally ridiculous and that he does not suggest going to places like that for reasons exactly like this.

So anyway, I have mixed feelings about those places now. As nice as it is to see your baby those places are really not qualified to be taking ultrasounds and they have the ability to cause fear and a great cost to you. So proceed with caution. I'm still very conflicted about the whole thing honestly. I would still love to go back and get my 4d ultrasound and gender reveal and all that stuff but now I'm concerned about what kinda call I will get after.

Knottie1458416769 · May 2016

Thanks for the suggestions so far! We had our last ultrasound at 9 weeks and there are a few more weeks to go before our NT ultrasound near the end of the month. I keep worrying what if something happens/happened - I want to see baby and make sure baby's growing on track, but can't find a clinic here in San Francisco that would let me just drop by

(they're all worried about hurting my OB's feelings, well hello what about mine, I won't tell if you won't....)

Oakleypoozles · May 2016

Knottie1458416769 said:

Thanks for the suggestions so far! We had our last ultrasound at 9 weeks and there are a few more weeks to go before our NT ultrasound near the end of the month. I keep worrying what if something happens/happened - I want to see baby and make sure baby's growing on track, but can't find a clinic here in San Francisco that would let me just drop by (they're all worried about hurting my OB's feelings, well hello what about mine, I won't tell if you won't....)

How far is Danville? This looks like the right idea https://adorablebaby3d.com/ ?

AdmiralKitty · May 2016

There's one in Millbrae also. Just yelp it. Haven't been myself but I looked at their website.

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