One of the most exciting milestones in pregnancy is when you finally find out whether you are having a boy or a girl. The only way to confirm this is through ultrasound, but with today’s 3D ultrasound you don’t just get a fuzzy picture. You actually get to take a first, real look at your baby’s face and body. It’s like you’re meeting each other for the first time!
WHAT IS 3D ULTRASOUND?
Ultrasound technology has been around for decades. It uses sound waves that safely penetrate your skin and then “bounce” off the baby to generate an image. (It’s a lot like how submarines and whales find their way around the ocean.)
Traditional and conventional 2D ultrasounds could only project a flat and often fuzzy image – very much like shadows on wall. However, the more refined 3D technology can actually make a three-dimensional image. You’ll see the shape of the nose and jaw, as well as much-awaited and indisputable proof of whether your child is a boy or a girl.
From a medical standpoint, 3D ultrasounds are also used to diagnose birth defects like cleft palates that may not be seen in 2D ultrasounds.
ARE 3D ULTRASOUNDS SAFE?
Yes, and they are a necessary diagnostic tool during pregnancy to help confirm your baby’s growth. Even “recreational” entertainment based 3D ultrasounds are safe. So if you just feel like capturing pregnancy mementos or satisfy your curiosity, go right ahead. However, make sure the technician is trustworthy and professional, this is not a job for an amateur.
WHAT ARE GENDER REVEAL PARTIES
One of the biggest pregnancy trends is gender reveal parties. There are two ways that people do this.
The first variation is where the parents know the gender and get their friends and relatives to guess what it is. The second variation is where the ultrasound technician gives the 3D ultrasound results to the parents’ friend or relative, who then throw a gender reveal party. At that big event, even Mom and Dad join the fun of guessing if it’s a boy or girl
ELEMENTS OF A FUN GENDER REVEAL PARTIES
Just like baby showers, birthday parties, and other celebrations, there are hundreds of concepts and themes for gender reveals.
Some parties are very simple and intimate affairs that just involve décor and a beautiful cake. The couple cuts through the cake, and the color of the slices reveal if it’s a boy (blue) or girl (pink). More elaborate gender reveal parties can have fun games like riddles, treasure hunts, relay games, surveys and more.
SHARING A BIG MOMENT
Gender reveal parties are silly, exciting and fun – and a great way for couples to celebrate the pregnancy and share this milestone with close family and friends. Very often, they double as a baby shower where loved ones welcome the baby with gifts and warm wishes.
Whether the baby is a boy or girl, gender reveal parties always show one thing: this baby is really loved!