As you're probably aware, we offer a variety of different baby gender scans here at First Encounters Ultrasound.
Countless parents have visited our clinics in the hope of discovering their unborn baby's gender - some do it so that they can decide on an appropriate name, while others ask to learn the gender in advance because they simply can't wait for the birth!
If you're thinking of getting a gender scan, you may well be wondering how accurate gender scans are, and how sure the sonographer will be when he or she reveals the gender of your unborn child.
How accurate are baby gender scans?
The answer is 'very accurate indeed', at least as far as we're concerned! Our sonographers are extremely well-trained and generally won't state the sex of the baby unless they're absolutely certain of your baby's gender.
To allow for an accurate gender confirmation, the baby's sex organs must be: a) reasonably fully-formed, and b) visible on the ultrasound scan. Our baby gender scans are available from 16 weeks onwards; we cannot confirm gender before this point for the simple reason that, generally speaking, genitalia are not visibly formed until around the 16-week mark!
Once you've reached 16 weeks gestation, our ability to predict your child's gender depends on their position inside the womb. Every so often, an expectant mother will come in for a gender scan only to find that her little one is resting in a position that makes it difficult for us to get an accurate idea of their sex. On these occasions, we ask the mother to take a brief stroll so as to get the foetus moving; we will then re-commence the gender scan, hopefully with more success.
What if we're unable to confirm your baby's gender?
It's a very rare occurrence, but if we can't tell what sex your baby is even after you've been for a walk, we will happily offer you a complimentary re-scan on a date that suits you. As previously mentioned, we will NEVER 'just guess' your baby's sex; if your gender scan proves inconclusive, you will be told as much by your sonographer. We have a reputation to uphold here at First Encounters Ultrasound, and so we will only ever tell you what we see on the scan - nothing more, nothing less.
Any other questions? Get in touch with a member of the First Encounters Ultrasound team today!
It's a big week for us here at First Encounters Ultrasound - our brand new Voluson E6 system arrived yesterday, which means that we're now able to offer HD Live ultrasound scans at our clinic in Cardiff.
What is HD Live?
HD Live is the very latest in 4D ultrasound technology. It allows us to show you your unborn child in greater detail than ever before; HD Live images are far more clearly-rendered than those captured by other 3D/4D systems, giving you an even better idea of what your baby will look like when he or she finally arrives.
Furthermore, our new HD Live equipment offers an enhanced colour palette, enabling us to achieve an even greater level of realism in the images we capture:
Left: An image captured using HD Live ultrasound equipment.
Right: An image captured using standard 3D/4D ultrasound equipment.
Benefits of HD Live:
- Clearer, crisper images of your unborn baby
- Improved colouration of images/footage captured
- Feel even closer to the life growing inside you
How do I book an HD Live ultrasound scan?
If you would like to book an HD Live scan at our
Cardiff clinic, please give us a call on
02920 732671 or get in touch using our
online contact form. A member of our team will discuss the available options with you and recommend an HD Live scan package based on how far along your pregnancy is and what you wish to receive.
At present, HD Live scans are only available from the First Encounters Ultrasound clinic in Cardiff
. However, we plan to roll out this technology in our Bristol clinic in the near future, so please stay tuned for further announcements on that front.
Here at First Encounters, we use state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment to capture 3D footage of unborn babies inside the womb. This provides expectant parents with a truly breathtaking baby bonding experience, giving them a sneak preview of what their child will look like and helping them to feel closer to the little life that will soon be joining their family.
We have always offered a variety of souvenirs to complement our 3D/4D ultrasound service (including key fobs, fridge magnets, DVD recordings, and our ever popular
Heartbeat Bear), but the latest addition to our range of baby scan gifts takes things to a whole new level.
Those who undergo a 3D/4D scan at the First Encounters Ultrasound clinic will now have the option to purchase a 3D sculpture of their baby-to-be. These models are created based on the ultrasound data captured during the scan, so they are every bit as detailed as the scan footage itself.
We think that a 3D baby sculpture is the ultimate souvenir for expectant parents. Not only will it serve as a great memento of your visit to the First Encounters clinic (and of your pregnancy as a whole), it's also a great gift for grandparents-in-waiting and other excited relatives. Better still, once your child has emerged from the womb and grown up a little, you'll be able to show them what they looked like before they'd even been born!
Our 3D models are produced by
Wolfprint, who manufacture high-quality 3D models for clients all over Europe. If you request a 3D baby sculpture on the day of your scan, we'll send the necessary ultrasound data to Wolfprint, who will then turn it into a spectacular model of your unborn baby. You should receive your 3D sculpture within
5-7 working days of your ultrasound scan, complete with the frame of your choice.We offer three different options on that front:
3D Sculpture in Single Wooden Frame
£149 (excl. shipping)
3D Sculpture with Glass Tablestand
£149 (excl. shipping)
3D Sculpture in Double Wooden Frame
£159 (excl. shipping)
Contact us now to book your scan and learn more about this utterly unique ultrasound souvenir.
If you're expecting more than one baby, you may be wondering if you can still come to the First Encounters clinic for a 3D/4D bonding experience. In other words...
Can I have a 4D scan if I'm pregnant with twins?
Yes, you can! Many of the expectant mothers we meet are carrying more than one baby, and we frequently carry out scans (both 2D and 3D/4D) on unborn twins. After all, why should you be denied the breathtaking experience of glimpsing their world just because it's a little crowded in there?
However, there are a couple of things to bear in mind as you're booking your appointment with us. We recommend that twin scans are carried out between 22 and 26 weeks gestation; any later, and the footage we capture may not be of a satisfactory quality. You see, 4D ultrasound scans tend to give better results if the babies still have a little room in which to move around, and since two babies take up more space than one, we like to get the scan done a little earlier in cases of multiple pregnancies.
There's also the issue of payment. Twin scans take longer to perform than individual scans, and this will be reflected in the cost of your scan package. For all of our scans, there is a surcharge if you are carrying twins. This is because we effectively have to perform the scan twice, recording the position, measurements, and heartbeat of two babies instead of just one.
The following scan packages are available for multiple pregnancies:
- EarlyReassure™ (7-13weeks) - a scan tailored to the early stages of pregnancy. We can date the pregnancy, visualise a heartbeat and identify if you're having twins! (Multiple Pregnancy Surcharge £20).
- Growth&Wellbeing™ (16-40 weeks) - a scan that's designed to obtain growth measurements and check the wellbeing of your baby (or babies)! (Multiple Pregnancy Surcharge £20).
- Gender&Wellbeing™ (16-32 weeks) - a scan designed to perform observational wellbeing checks after your initial NHS dating scan. (Multiple Pregnancy Surcharge £25).
- GenderGrowth&Wellbeing™ (16-32 weeks) - a scan designed to obtain growth measurements and perform wellbeing observational checks on your baby after your initial NHS dating scan (Multiple Pregnancy Surcharge £25).
- 4DWellbeingAssure™ (24 - 32 weeks) - scan is primarily designed to perform wellbeing observational checks on your baby after your NHS anomaly scan between 24-32 weeks gestation (Multiple Pregnancy Surcharge £40).
- 4DGrowth&Wellbeing™ (24-32 weeks) - a scan primarily designed to obtain growth measurements and perform wellbeing observational checks on baby after your NHS anomaly scan between 24-32 weeks gestation (Multiple Pregnancy Surcharge £40).
We regret that we are not able to accommodate triplets (or quadruplets, quintuplets, etc.) in any of our scan packages.
Ready to meet your twins? Book your First Encounters Ultrasound scan now!
Vacancies in Portishead and Cardiff Gate
Would you like to work for First Encounters? We are currently looking to recruit two
part-time receptionists; one for our clinic in
Portishead, and another for our
Cardiff clinic.
This is a weekend role that has become available due to our ongoing expansion. To apply, please email your CV to
warren@firstencounters.co.uk (please indicate whether you are applying to work in Portishead or Cardiff).
Job Requirements:
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills
- Good telephone manner
- Computer-literate
If your application is successful, your duties will include:
- Welcoming pre-booked clients
- Booking and amending appointments
- Taking payments
- Answering the phone
- Providing support to other team members to ensure the clinic's smooth running
About First Encounters
First Encounters Ultrasound is an established and fully-regulated baby scan clinic with locations in Bristol and Cardiff. We specialise in 3D/4D bonding experiences, which give expectant parents a detailed glimpse into their unborn baby's world. We also offer traditional 2D ultrasound scans for reassurance, dating, and gender confirmation (if requested).
Each of our clinics is staffed by a team of friendly and knowledgeable sonographers and administrative staff. We offer competitive pay and a comfortable, modern working environment. For further details about our service, call
02920 732671 or
visit our website.
A winner will be chosen at random when our Facebook page reaches 2,000 likes!
We offer a wide variety of
baby scan gifts here at First Encounters Ultrasound, but easily the most popular souvenir of all is our adorable Heartbeat Bear (your baby's heartbeat recorded onto a cuddly teddy bear).
Cute, isn't he?
The photo above is taken from
Family Days Tried & Tested, a family blog specialising in fun days out and activities for parents to enjoy with their children. The FDT&T family recently visited the First Encounters Clinic, where - thanks to our
4D ultrasound technology - they were introduced to the newest member of their clan:
We're pleased to say that Mrs Family Days wrote an entire blog post about her First Encounters experience -
click here to read her thoughts and see the photographs she took on the day.
But let's get back to that bear, because you could win one of your very own for absolutely nothing!
Win a Heartbeat Bear Experience Worth £45!
If you're pregnant and you'd like to have your unborn child's heartbeat recorded onto a cute cuddly toy, here's what to do:
- Like First Encounters on Facebook (our page is here).
- Share the page with your friends and get them to like it too!
- Once our page reaches 2,000 likes, we'll select one of those 2,000 people to win a Heartbeat Bear Experience!
What is a Heartbeat Bear Experience?
If you win the Hearbeat Bear Experience, you'll be invited to your
nearest First Encounters clinic for a heartbeat scan. A probe will be placed on your belly and the sound of your baby's heartbeat will be recorded onto one of our teddy bears.
This bear will be yours to take home - the teddy makes a wonderful souvenir of your pregnancy, and we're certain that you'll hang onto it for years after the birth of your baby!
The prizewinner will also have the option to upgrade to a full
ultrasound scan - this will be charged as normal, but will include a Heartbeat Bear free of charge.
So what are you waiting for? Head over to Facebook and enter our competition - you've got to be in it to win it!
Please note that the Heartbeat Bear Experience is available only if you are currently pregnant; our protocol prevents us from recording the heartbeat of a child who has already been born.
