1. Go at the right time within your pregnancy.
   • If you are just interested in checking the gender, you can go as early as 15 weeks to First Peek Ultrasound.  Any earlier, and the results may not be accurate, leading to an extra coat of paint for your bedroom.
   • If you want to see pictures of your baby, it is not recommended to get a 3D ultrasound under 17 weeks.  In one study, mothers seeing their baby under 17 weeks actually decreased bonding, since the mothers felt that the baby did not look like a baby.
   • To get good pictures, 3D ultrasounds are best performed between 20 and 32 weeks, and the best pictures are between 24 and 30 weeks.
   • Mothers with twins or triplets should come a little earlier, between 22 and 28 weeks.
   • Heavier-set women have a much more narrow window of opportunity to get good pictures, and it is best for them to come between 28 and 30 weeks.
   • If you would like to get a closeup shot of the face, then 28 to 32 weeks is the best time.
   • After 35 weeks, there is less fluid around the baby to work with, which can lead to suboptimal results. Also, after 35 weeks, the baby may have already descended into the pelvis, making getting any view of the baby impossible
2. Drink plenty of water for 1-2 weeks before your appointment.
   • This means eight 8-ounce glasses a day.
   • This helps clear up the amniotic fluid and
   • Ensures that there is enough fluid around the baby.
   • Start well in advance; it doesn’t do much good to only drink water the night before or the morning of your 3D ultrasound.
3. Be comfortable.
   • You do not need to have a full bladder, as you would with your medical ultrasound.
   • This is your time, and you want to be comfortable and relaxed so you can enjoy watching your baby
4. See your baby move in 4D by scheduling your appointment at a time that you think your baby is most likely to be awake and moving.
   • After 19 weeks, your baby is already developing a sleep pattern, and you may be able to predict the time that your baby is most likely to be awake.
   • If your baby is asleep at the time of your ultrasound appointment and you want to make your baby move, try drinking some orange juice. This has been shown to help stimulate the baby to move.
   • For some women, chocolate also works. 
   • Otherwise, try walking around and then come back.
   • Drinking coffee, soda, or other caffeinated beverages may be harmful to your baby and are generally not advised.  In the past, ob/gyn physicians have recommended that pregnant women drink no more than one cup of coffee a day.  More recently, a study has shown that even one cup of coffee a day can have some minimal effect on the baby as well.
5. Maintain a good weight through your pregnancy.
   • It is a well-known secret among ultrasound technicians that they have a much more difficult time getting beautiful images of the baby on obese pregnant women as well as diagnostic images.  In some cases, obesity has been associated with adverse medical outcomes precisely because of the difficulty of obtaining diagnostic imaging to detect and prevent medical problems.  Obesity in pregnancy can lead to many other problems besides not getting the ideal 3D ultrasound images, such as worsening heartburn, increased back pain, a higher risk of gestational diabetes, a higher rate of C-sections, and even congenital heart defects in the baby.  Also, obesity in the mother during pregnancy has been linked to obesity and Type II diabetes in the child.  If you are already overweight, at least be sure to gain the recommended weight gain of pregnancy, and you will be way ahead of the game, since most obese women gain much more than the recommended weight during pregnancy.  See our full article on obesity in pregnancy here.
6. Make sure you go to a 3D ultrasound center that allows you to have sufficient time during your appointment. 
   • At First Peek Ultrasound, the Premium Package allows you more than enough time to get really good pictures of your baby and a free return visit if you are not able to get good pictures of your baby the first time.
7. Finally, have a positive attitude.
   • Not every baby is going to cooperate or be in the perfect position to get good baby pictures.
   • The pictures you get depend on a lot of factors, including the position of the baby, the placenta, and the umbilical cord.
   • Although for some women, the pictures of their baby may not look as clear or as ideal as the pictures on our website or brochure, yet many of these women have told us that their 3D ultrasound pictures are even more beautiful, because it is their baby.
   • Likewise, some babies may have their hands in front of their face.  This actually makes for very cute pictures and even gives you a glimpse into their personality.  I myself was pleasantly amazed when I saw my newborn son repeatedly put his hands in front of his mouth whenever he was laughing.  I then realized that what I saw on his 4D ultrasound was him laughing!

If you have any additional tips, please write them below in the comments.