How To Get The Best Ultrasound Photos Of Your Baby

Smiling baby in the womb



Ultrasound appointments are so special. You get to hear your baby's heartbeat, measure their vitals and thanks to the advancements in 3D/4D technology, you can now also see their sweet little face from different angles.

If you choose to go for a multidimensional ultrasound, we have some exciting news for you. You may now be able to help your baby smile for the womb pictures!

Newly published research from Durham University that examined how fetuses from 32 to 36 weeks of gestational age react to different flavors transferred to them by their mother’s food, suggests that eating carrots makes babies in the womb smile, while kale has the opposite effect.

To test their babies' responses, 20 minutes before the start of their ultrasounds the carrying mothers with healthy pregnancies were given either one capsule with 400 mg of carrot powder, one capsule with 400 mg of kale powder, or nothing if they were in the control group. This amount corresponds to approximately one medium carrot or 100 g of chopped kale. Around 30 min after ingestion of the capsules, observable facial reactions could be seen in the babies in the womb; laughing-like for babies of mothers who ate carrots, and crying-like for those who received kale. No changes were noted for babies in the control group.

Does this mean that eating carrots before your ultrasound will definitely make your baby smile, or that eating kale will make your baby look unhappy? There is no guarantee, but this one of a kind research might help you maximize your odds to control your baby's reaction in front on the camera. Pretty amazing, huh?

Note: Always consult with your doctor about any changes in your diet during pregnancy.