Manufactured by GE Healthcare, HD Live is the most advanced 4D ultrasound technology currently on the market. With its improved frame rate and enhanced colour palette, this equipment allows sonographers to capture clearer, crisper images than ever before, which is great news for expectant parents who want a more detailed glimpse of their unborn baby.

 

The images below should give you a good impression of the difference between HD Live technology and standard 3D/4D ultrasound equipment.

 

 

We at First Encounters were extremely impressed when we first witnessed what HD Live technology was capable of, and so we are very pleased to announce that HD Live scans are now available at our ultrasound clinic in  Cardiff. All of our 4D scans now use HD Live technology as standard.

 

Click here to compare our 4D scan packages and book your high-definition ultrasound experience online.

 

Here at First Encounters Ultrasound, we're proud to offer families a superior scan experience using genuine HD Live technology from GE Healthcare. The machine we use for HD Live scans is the GE Voluson E6.

 

We've seen a lot of other scan providers claiming to provide HD Live scans, but more often than not, these claims prove misleading upon closer inspection. Some providers who purport to use HD Live equipment actually carry out scans using a GE Voluson i, the machine we used to use before our clinics upgraded to the Voluson E6!

 

Before you book an HD Live scan, be sure to ask the provider what equipment they use to perform the scan. If it's not the genuine article, we strongly recommend that you look elsewhere - otherwise, you may end up feeling very disappointed with the quality of your scan footage!

 

Here in the UK, an expectant mother generally won't get to see her unborn child until she attends her NHS dating scan, which tends to takes place at the end of the first trimester (i.e. roughly 12-13 weeks into the pregnancy). However, if you feel you require some reassurance prior to that point, you may want to consider booking an early pregnancy scan with First Encounters Ultrasound.

The earlyAssure™ experience is a 2D ultrasound scan that's geared towards dating, viability, and your own reassurance. We will ensure that your pregnancy is viable and estimate a due date based on a crown-to-rump measurement; we will also check yolk sac positioning.

Here are some reasons why you may wish to get an early pregnancy scan:

 

Recently, many worrying stories of unregulated ultrasound scan providers have come to our attention. There's a growing practice of misinformation and cutting corners that can cause customers to be sold a service that does not meet industry standards and, in the worst cases, can even cause mother and child to be put at risk. For this reason, we feel that it is vitally important for us to share this information with our readers, in order to allow expectant parents to make an informed decision when planning a private ultrasound scan.

 

While all 3D/4D ultrasound companies may seem quite similar at first glance, you may find on closer inspection that the provider you've chosen isn't being entirely honest about the services they offer. Here are some of the issues we've spotted most frequently here at First Encounters:

We've spotted many scan providers who claim to offer well-known services when in fact they do not use the equipment required to provide that service. One example of this is HD Live ultrasound, which can only truly be delivered using genuine HD Live equipment. We use an HD Live machine to conduct scans at our clinic in Cardiff, whereas at our Bristol clinic uses a GE Voluson I. Many providers will advertise that they offer 'HD Live' scanning, when in fact, they use other, inferior equipment to perform their scans.

In England, it has been mandatory for ultrasound providers to register with the CQC (Care Quality Commission) since 2010, yet some providers still attempt to avoid this requirement by claiming that their scans are 'for entertainment purposes only'. Those operating without regulation will often employ staff who have not been trained to a professional standard, and will use equipment that has not been properly tested - all without being subject to any independent inspections. To comply with English law and provide the highest level of service possible, First Encounters Bristol is approved, registered and regulated by the CQC, and is subject to regular checks to validate the quality of our services.

As we've already touched upon, we strive to use the most up-to-date ultrasound equipment at our facilities. All of our equipment is purchased directly from the manufacturer, who gives us the knowledge required to set up and use these products properly. We also ensure that this equipment is inspected and serviced on a regular basis, in order to confirm that it is safe for use at all times.

If you are concerned about a company's credentials as a responsible scan provider, here are a few things you can look out for:

• Are they registered with the correct regulatory bodies? Is there evidence of this on their website?
• Do they mention that their practice is for 'entertainment only' or 'non-diagnostic'? These could be warning signals that the practice is unregulated.
• Does their equipment/staff register measure up with the services advertised?
• Are their prices significantly lower than those other practices? If a price or deal seems too good to be true, it probably is!

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While we're sure you're already aware of how unpredictable and ever-changing each individual pregnancy can be, it always comes as a great help to prepare for the birth as much as possible. By creating a birth plan with your midwife or chosen health professional, you will be able to map out the details of your birth experience as you would like it to develop, while also preparing for any eventualities beyond your control. 

If you're unsure about what to include in your birth plan, or wondering how you can put these instructions in place, simply follow the advice outlined below:

Although a birth plan is not an essential requirement for expectant mothers, it certainly acts as a useful reference for the midwives and doctors who will be looking after you, while also providing a great way to prepare for your labour in advance of your due date. 

While certain aspects will be affected by factors such as previous pregnancies and other medical history, the main aim of the birth plan is to give you as much control over the details of your labour as possible. From where you would like to give birth to your choice of pain relief, your plan should contain all of your preferences for the birth of your child, based on your own inclinations combined with the advice of your midwife. While it is vitally important that the plan should reflect your individual wishes, you should also remember the importance of flexibility, as you may need to adjust your plan to deal with unexpected circumstances once you have gone into labour. Your midwife will, of course, strive to follow the original plan as much as possible, but it is important to realize that not all your preferences will be achievable if circumstances change.

Before setting out a birth plan, you should seek out advice from medical professionals and other mothers in order to get a better idea of the pattern you would like your birth to follow. This will go hand-in-hand with your hospital appointments throughout your pregnancy, as well as your participation in local antenatal classes, which should give you countless opportunities to seek advice and assess your options. As you gather your information, you can note it down for reference when you come to setting out your finalised plans.

Once you have gathered sufficient information regarding the services available to you (along with identifying any possible constraints), you should then discuss these with your chosen birth partner. This will give them a chance to add any of their own suggestions, while also allowing them to gain a better understanding of how they can support your throughout the birth.

When the time comes to put pen to paper and make your birth plan, here are the key things you should include in your specifications:

If you've been advised to book a planned caesarean due to a medical condition or previous pregnancy, you will still be able to have a degree of control over your birth. You will still be able to choose the type of pain relief you would like to receive, although this will relate to the choice of anaesthetic and how it is administered. You will also be able to include your birthing partner in your plans, although they will have to follow the guidelines set out by the hospital. 

As well as selecting the medical details for your caesarian, you will also be able to decide on the ambience of the room, along with how much of the birth you would like to witness. This could include the amount of sound in the room, as well as your choice of if and when you would like the screen to be lowered during the birth. 

When putting your birth plan together, ensure that the opinion of your trusted medical professional is valued above all else. For assistance in creating your plan, ask your doctor or midwife for help, and use the information you have gathered during the course of your pregnancy. 

Here at First Encounters, we offer a complimentary pregnancy report with all of our scans, which can provide you with essential details about the health and position of your baby, in order to help you plan more efficiently for the birth. If you would like an additional glimpse at your little one before the birth, or would like to gain more information to help you plan for their arrival, take a look at our range of scan packages here.

 

We've come to realise that many women are unsure about monitoring their baby's movements, and so we thought that we would write an informative piece for reference. In this blog post, we'll outline the types of sensation that you can expect to experience at various points throughout your pregnancy. 

The first movements of your pregnancy, referred to as 'quickening', are usually described as a fluttering sensation. If this is your first pregnancy, you may find it somewhat difficult to identify, but should find it more and more easy to pinpoint as time passes. By the second and third trimesters, your baby's movements should be far more distinctive, as you will be able to prominently feel your baby's kicks and jabs.

The time frame for experiencing your baby's movements can vary quite substantially in the early stages, particularly when comparing first pregnancies with those of women who have experienced pregnancy before. The average time to expect a detection of movement, however, is between 18 and 20 weeks. As previously mentioned, this may take slightly longer if it's your first pregnancy, and may even come as early as 16 weeks if you've already had a baby. If you haven't experienced any movement by 24 weeks, you should consult your midwife so that she can check that all is well.

Again, there are no set amount of movements that you should look out for, although you may find that your baby is most active between 9 PM and 1 AM. There is also evidence to show that by your third trimester, your baby will move around about 30 times each hour, although you may not discern all of these. There is no need to keep a chart of how many kicks you feel each day, although it is useful to familiarize yourself with your baby's movement patterns during waking hours. This will be different for everyone, so it's all about taking note of the movements and getting to know what's normal for your baby.The best way to identify these kicks and wriggles is when you're lying down, so try to put your feet up for a while so that you can really take notice of what you're feeling. If your baby's movement pattern changes suddenly and your are concerned, again, as your doctor or midwife to take a closer look.

If your baby is awake during your scan, then of course, you will be able to see your baby move! At First Encounters, we recommend receiving  your scan between 25 and 29 weeks, as your baby will be well-developed by this time, and will also have plenty of room to move around. If your baby has assumed and awkward position and we are unable to obtain a high-quality image, your sonographer may ask you to stroll around in order to encourage movement. If your baby is being particularly difficult on that specific day, we will offer you a complimentary re-scan on an alternative date. With selected scan packages such as the Deluxe 4D, you will receive a 5 minute DVD recording, which will allow you to relieve your unborn baby's movements for years to come. You can preview our 4D scan images and video recording in our gallery, to give you a better idea of just how detailed our recordings are.

 

If you would like to witness your own babies movements in stunning 4D imagery, book one of our scan packages today, or get in touch to find out more about our services. Further details about our scans and what they are able to reveal, can be found on our FAQs page.