Yes we are! There are no steps and all our doors are wheelchair friendly. We also have plenty of room in our studio to make wheel chair users feel comfortable

An ultrasound scan, sometimes called a sonogram, is a procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of part of the inside of the body.

A small device called an ultrasound probe is used, which gives off high-frequency sound waves.

You can't hear these sound waves, but when they bounce off different parts of the body, they create "echoes" that are picked up by the probe and turned into a moving image.

This image is displayed on a monitor while the scan is carried out.

Ultrasound uses no radiation

Are they safe?

There’s no evidence that scans are harmful if used according to the guidelines. Ultrasound scans have been used in pregnancy for decades.

The person carrying out the scans (sonographer) will follow all the right guidelines to ensure that you and your baby are safe.

Every scan machine has a thermal index displayed on the screen. This gives a rough guide to the amount of heat that might be produced after long exposure.

Most ultrasound machines have a very low thermal index. The machines also have different settings for different stages of pregnancy, with the early pregnancy setting having the lowest thermal index.

So ultrasound scans pose very little risk. Nonetheless, sonographers will try to minimise the length of each session where possible, as an extra safety precaution.

The majority of ultrasound examinations in pregnancy should be completed within about 30 minutes, which is considered to be safe, we however only scan for 15 minutes or less.

There is lots of information on line regarding the safety of ultrasounds and Meet The Baby encourage you to research yourself if you would like too.

Here is a link from Public Health England

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ultrasound-what-it-is-how-it-works-and-the-impact-of-exposure/ultrasound-what-it-is-how-it-works-and-impact-of-exposure

We are now allowing four people to visit with the expectant mum - this includes children

Its really important yourself keep hydrated throughout your pregnancy. If you’re having an ultrasound scan before you are 20 weeks then having a full bladder helps us see the baby a little more clearly. After 20 weeks your baby is surrounded by lots of amniotic fluid so a full bladder is not needed. Drinking something fizzy, sweet and cold about 20 minutes before your scan may help your baby wake up and move around a little so we can catch a better look

No, we do not allow photos or recordings in the scan room. However we will accommodate you if you would like to purchase videos or extra prints.

Yes! Meet The Baby provide non-diagnostic scans for keep sake purposes only. We do not check for any abnormalities. It is important you attend all your NHS checks

We recognise that peoples plans change at the last minute and it’s best to let us know as soon as possible. The deposit of £20 is non refundable. However we are happy to reschedule your appointment free of charge if you want to move your appointment to a later date - provided you give us notice within 48 hours of your appointment. If you cancel on the day you will lose all of the monies you have paid to cover the cost of the lost appointment slot

Our scans are strictly for women who are 18 years old and over

We are Non-diagnostic which means that we don’t look for abnormalities. These scans are for healthy pregnant women who have no concerns about their pregnancies. The scans are for keep sake purposes only and all NHS scan appointments must be kept. We will conduct a limited checks as part of your scan. These checks are completed in less than 5 minutes and are not as detailed as your NHS 20 week anomaly scan (FASP) which will take 25-30 minutes.

You must be attending your NHS antenatal ultrasound scans to ensure you are screened for a much more extensive list of conditions.

If you are experiencing any vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain we can not scan you and you must seek help at your local early pregnancy unit. If your sonographer identifies anything out of the normal this will be explained to you along with guidance and support in obtaining ongoing care through an NHS pathway.

Wear loose fitting clothes around your tummy and try and avoid wearing button up jeans.

If you are under 20 weeks make sure you have a full bladder and don’t go to the toilet before your scan

If you are over 20 weeks, drink something cold sweet and fizzy to wake baby up so we can get a better look

There are several factors that can make it difficult to see your babies face. High BMI, placenta, umbilical cord or baby facing the wrong way.

For our 3/4HD scans we recommend that you drink something cold, sweet and fizzy about 30 minutes before you come to wake baby up.

If we are really struggling to get an image of your babies face you may be invited to come back for a free rescan at the sonographers discretion

Yes!

Some people will want to visit us once during their pregnancy, and others will want to visit us multiple times. We recommend spacing all ultrasound appointments 4-8 weeks apart where possible to keep the amount of time that your baby is exposed to ultrasound to a minimum. Though there is no clinical evidence that ultrasound can cause any harm to your development baby, this is precautionary. You should consider that your NHS appointments will be fairly fixed points during your pregnancy, with your NHS Dating Scan around 10-14 weeks, and your NHS Abnormality Scan 18-21 weeks.

Whilst you can come sooner than 4-8 weeks, you should let your sonographer (private or NHS) know if you have had a scan less than 2 weeks ago so that this can be taken into consideration when taking measurements.

Sometimes baby maybe be hiding, don’t worry we can try again on another day!

If we are unable to obtain clear 4d images we may offer you one free rescan. A rescan may not last the full scan time as they are ‘designed to fill in the blanks’ to achieve the primary object from the original scan

Rescans will not be offered after 32 weeks. Therefore it is recommended that you plan your 4d scan before 30 weeks so we can accommodate a rescan if required.

Free rescans are a goodwill gesture and you do not have to attend. Rescans have no monetary value. Money cannot be claimed back on a missed rescan. If a rescan is missed we can not reschedule you. If you cannot attend a rescan no refund will be offered

Rescans cannot be taken on a Saturday and are to be taken when we have available free time slots.

A rescan will only be offered if we can not fulfil our primary objective on scans after 15 weeks

Early Pregnancy rescans -

If you are presenting too early the sonographer will be following national guidelines and recommend a rescan to access the viability of the pregnancy. Its important that you follow this advice. You may wish to access your EPU or visit another clinic. If you choose to come back to us it is a fee paying scan

Complaints Procedure

Meet The Baby aims to provide high-quality services that meet the needs and expectations of every client. We strive to deliver an excellent experience at every appointment. However, if we do not meet your expectations, we want to hear from you.

Feedback, concerns and complaints are welcomed as they help us improve the quality of our services.

Raising a Concern

If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, we encourage you to speak to the relevant member of staff, the Clinic Manager or the Clinic Director as soon as possible.

Many concerns can be resolved immediately. Where a matter is more complex, we will provide an initial response within five working days.

Making a Formal Complaint

If you are not satisfied with our response, or you wish to make a formal complaint, please contact us in writing by email:

Email: meetthebabyinfo@gmail.com

All written complaints will be logged and acknowledged in writing within three working days.

We aim to investigate all complaints thoroughly and provide a full written response within ten working days, explaining our findings and any actions taken.

If additional time is required to complete our investigation, we will write to you with an update explaining the progress of the investigation and when you can expect a final response.

Learning from Complaints

All complaints are reviewed by the Clinic Director. Where appropriate, complaints are used to improve our services through staff training, policy reviews, clinical governance discussions and improvements to our procedures.

Further Information

If you remain dissatisfied after receiving our final response, or if you wish to raise concerns about the quality or safety of our service, you may also contact:

• Citizens Advice

• The Care Quality Commission (CQC)

Please note that the Care Quality Commission regulates health and social care services in England but does not investigate or resolve individual complaints.