How to Prepare for Your Baby Gender Ultrasound

Are you looking forward to your baby gender ultrasound? Ready to know if you will be painting the nursery pink or blue? There are a few things you should know when preparing for your baby gender ultrasound!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Orange juice
• Full bladder
• Security envelope (optional)
• Blank VHS or DVD (optional, speak with the office manager)

1. Everybody calls it the baby gender ultrasound but that's not really what it is. Doctors do not send pregnant women for an ultrasound because the women want to choose paint colors and start shopping for baby clothes! The ultrasound is actually performed to make sure that the baby is healthy and forming correctly and growing at the proper rate. But we all know that the most exciting thing is finding out the gender so we'll continue to call it the baby gender ultrasound!

2. Your doctor may forget to tell you this but it's important. You must have a full bladder when you go to your baby gender ultrasound. Your bladder blocks the view but when it's full, the ultrasound waves can "see" through it. So drink up! Drink lots of water.

3. For the last half hour before your baby gender ultrasound, sip on orange juice. Drinking orange juice helps your baby to get moving - making it easier for the technician to get a good view of the baby's "parts."

4. Be prepared to be a little bit uncomfortable. Your bladder is full and the technician will be pressing on it. Besides that, the gel they rub on your belly is cold. But a little discomfort at your baby gender ultrasound is a small price to pay in order to see your tiny little baby moving around in your uterus!

5. If the technician is any good, he or she will ask you before beginning if you prefer to find out the gender. You can tell her yes or no, or you can give her specific instructions. If your husband or other important family members can't be with you at the baby gender ultrasound, the technician is usually very willing to help you out. Give the tech an envelope that you can't see through. Ask that the baby's gender (and maybe a photo proving it!) be put into the envelope so that you can open it later with your loved ones.

6. Be prepared for not finding out the gender. Sometimes baby can be stubborn and refuse to give you a good view. The technician may allow you to reschedule to come back another day but this is not always possible. You may be waiting for the birth day to hear "It's a..."

7. Don't forget to take home all the pictures that they give you at your baby gender ultrasound. These are your baby's first photographs and they deserve a place on the first page of the baby book!

Tips & Warnings

• Don't wear a dress to your baby gender ultrasound. try to wear two pieces and a shirt that you don't mind getting a little bit of the gel on. Stretchy pants that roll down easily are a good idea as well.

Resources

• Your Pregnancy Week By Week

[cosmopinkice]

on 2/2/2009 Great advice and tips. 5*

[maryellen1001]

on 1/20/2009 Great tips! This can be a very exciting time!