Bringing children into this world is one of the most precious experiences that any parent will go through. Pregnancy, that sleepy newborn phase, birthday after birthday: as much as we may wish they would, none of these cherished moments last forever. So I take pride in helping families to press the pause button on life and to preserve those milestones.
I always considered my job to be capturing those all-important first professional photographs of your pregnancy and new baby. But that’s not actually true, is it? Long before most people even think about having a maternity or newborn photoshoot, they’re excited – or anxious – to have that very first ultrasound scan and to meet their new baby (or babies!) for the first time. And that scan photograph is the very first – and perhaps most impactful – photograph that they’ll ever have.
For many, those first few months before your 12 week scan can be an agonising wait, particularly if you’re feeling anxious about what’s going on inside you or just can’t contain your excitement! It’s no wonder so many women choose to book an early reassurance scan through a private clinic. That’s exactly what we did with our second pregnancy.
I felt anxious about this pregnancy. It felt so different to my first and I was worried about not feeling very pregnant. But my bump – and my boobs! – were definitely growing so I tried to listen to everyone’s reassuring words that everything would be fine. But when my scan appointment came through for more than three weeks away, I just couldn’t wait any longer to put my mind at rest.
We booked an early reassurance scan through Hey Baby (now Imaginatal). It was quick and easy to arrange and there were appointments available the very same day (although we had to wait a few days due to a COVID scare!). The clinic is lovely and well thought out – there are huge screens around the room so you and your partner can comfortably see the ultrasound scan as it happens.
Unfortunately, our scan showed us that the baby that I was carrying had no heartbeat. We also found out that we weren’t having just one baby; there were two in there. But unfortunately there wasn’t a heartbeat between the two of them. The sonographer was just so kind, breaking the news gently and cautiously and explaining exactly what needed to happen next.
We left the clinic in a state of shock that day and as we dealt with our loss emotionally and physically over the coming days and weeks, I realised just how important that scan photograph would always be to us. I will be forever grateful to the clinic for giving us the opportunity to see our babies before we lost them forever and providing us with the one and only tangible memory we’ll ever have of them.
The care, compassion and treatment my husband and I received from the staff was second to none and so it makes me especially proud to announce something that has been in the pipeline for a number of months now: a partnership that will see Imaginatal Gloucester clients – who hopefully have a much happier ending than we did – gain an exclusive offer on my maternity and newborn photography sessions.
To book your scan today, head to https://www.imaginatal.co.uk/location/gloucester-clinic/
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