Are 3D-printed baby scans the next big thing?
Forget scan photos, you can now take home a 3D-printed cast of your unborn baby
Want to see what your baby looks like before she's born? Well, forget squinting at black and white scan photos, because now you can buy an 8-inch cast of your developing baby.
The service is offered by Baby: Boo Scan Studio in Lancashire, where the incredibly life-like replica is created by doing a 4D ultrasound. The images from the scan are then rendered into a 360 degree format and 3D printed.
You can then take home your 3D model in a box so you can get it out and hold it, or have it mounted in a frame, ready to be displayed at home.
"People do think it's a little odd but it's similar to creating casts of baby's feet or hands. It's actually a really lovely keepsake to cherish," Katie Kermode, who owns Baby:Boo told the Mirror.
The company charges £400 for a full 8-inch model of their baby, made with a 3D printer. Or you can go for just a head and shoulders cast for £170 instead.
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Katie, 32, set up the company after having 2 miscarriages. She's now a mum of 2 with a son Alfie, 3, and daughter Sienna, 2.
"After I lost two pregnancies I underwent fertility treatment and finally fell pregnant with Alfie. But there was no way I could wait for 12 weeks to see everything was okay.
"I also had scans throughout, I think being pregnant is a scary time, especially if you have struggled to get pregnant.
"It's nice to sit back and enjoy your pregnancy and take some of the stress off. I found it to be quite addictive.
"The NHS aren't there to provide a service for you, it's there to check everything is going well with the pregnancy, there are a list of checks they need to do - they can't be spending the time cooing over your baby with you."
The studio offers a bespoke service with the aim to create an "unforgettable bonding experience" and there's room to bring friends and family along to join in.
So it's more about enjoying the scan – you still need to go to your NHS scan for a medical diagnosis.
Photos: Facebook / Baby:Boo Scan Studio
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