A 4D ultrasound gives you something a photo never could, a live video of your baby moving right now, inside you. Not a still portrait. Not a grainy printout. A real-time stream of your baby stretching, yawning, maybe even smiling, playing out on a big screen while everyone in the room watches together.
That's usually the moment families walk through our Scarborough studio doors. They have had their hospital or midwife scan already, they have seen a friend's clip online, and now they want to watch their baby move, not just measure them. Book a 4D ultrasound session in Toronto with Peek A Baby and that's exactly what you'll get, plus a team that's spent years helping GTA families pick the perfect week to catch their baby wide awake.
Here's the thing: 4D, 3D, 2D, the acronyms get thrown around like everyone already knows the difference. Most people don't. That's fine. Let's walk through it.
What Is a 4D Ultrasound?
A 4D ultrasound plays back a continuous stream of 3D images as a live video, so instead of one static picture, you get movement, a real yawn, a real stretch, a real hand drifting past a face. Researchers studying fetal behaviour have used this same continuous-volume approach to track how a baby's movement patterns change across pregnancy, since those patterns reflect the ongoing development of the nervous system. That's a clinical use case, though, at Peek A Baby, we use the underlying technology purely for bonding and keepsake purposes, not diagnosis.
Wikipedia's own breakdown of the technology draws roughly the same line we do: a 3D ultrasound renders a still three-dimensional surface image, while 4D adds the time element, showing that same image changing in real time. So is 4D just 3D with extra steps? Not quite, it's closer to the difference between a photograph and a home video.
3D Ultrasound vs. 4D Ultrasound, What's the Difference?
Families ask us this constantly, usually within the first two minutes of a phone call. The honest answer: both use the same wand, the same gel, and the same kind of appointment. The difference is entirely in what shows up on the screen afterward.
| 3D Ultrasound | 4D Ultrasound | |
|---|---|---|
| What you see | A still, sculpted portrait of your baby's face and features | A live moving video, yawns, stretches, and hiccups, in real time |
| Best for | A framed keepsake photo | Watching your baby's personality come through in motion |
| Typical session length | 20–30 minutes | 30–45 minutes, to catch a good stretch of movement |
| Starting price | From $109 | From $109, many families book both in one visit |
Plenty of families just book both in the same visit, compare it with our still-portrait 3D ultrasound sessions if you want the framed photo and the moving video from one appointment. Searching for a 3D and 4D ultrasound near you usually means you're trying to decide, not trying to rule one out forever. Our Scarborough studio offers both, back to back, so you don't have to pick.
Not sure whether to book 3D, 4D, or both? Our team can help you pick the perfect package and the perfect week , message us on WhatsApp or reserve online.
What Week Is Best for a 4D Ultrasound?
The sweet spot sits between 26 and 32 weeks, with 27 to 29 weeks giving you the clearest combination of movement and facial detail. Earlier than that, your baby's still fairly lean and hasn't filled out under the skin yet, so features look softer and less defined. Later than 32 weeks or so, baby's bigger with less room to turn, you'll still get a great session, just fewer full-body stretches.
What we see constantly at our Scarborough studio is the rush of 28-week bookings landing right around the point parents start decorating the nursery. It's when the pregnancy starts feeling real.
How Long Does a 4D Ultrasound Take?
Plan for 30 to 45 minutes in the room, though the actual wand-on-belly time is usually shorter than that. A chunk of the appointment goes toward getting comfortable, catching your baby in a good position, and giving them a minute to shift if they're camera-shy at first. Not always a clear shot on the first try. That's normal, and it's exactly why we build in extra time instead of rushing you out the door.
Is a 4D Scan Done Internally or Externally?
Externally, every time. You'll lie back, we'll apply a warm gel to your belly, and a handheld transducer glides over the surface, the same setup as a routine 2D scan at your doctor's office. Nothing goes inside your body during a 4D keepsake session. It's the same gel-and-wand routine most parents already recognize from earlier appointments, just aimed at a different outcome.
What Are the Benefits of a 4D Scan During Pregnancy?
The biggest one is emotional, honestly. You get to watch your baby do something, not just look at them, a yawn, a stretch, fingers drifting past a cheek. Most families booking their second or third pregnancy tell us the same thing: they didn't know how different a live 4D video would feel compared to their first pregnancy's black-and-white printout.
It's a richer keepsake than a single still image, and for a lot of parents, it's the first moment the pregnancy stops feeling abstract.
What Kind of 4D Ultrasound Machine Do We Use?
We run professional-grade 4D imaging equipment, maintained on a regular schedule and operated exclusively by registered sonographers trained specifically in obstetric imaging. You don't need to know the model number or the spec sheet. What matters is that the same equipment quality and training standard sits behind every session, whether you are booking a quick 3D portrait or a full 4D video.
How Much Does a 3D/4D Ultrasound Cost?
Sessions start from $109, with packages scaling up based on session length, number of images, and whether you add digital video or extra prints. Compare 3D/4D ultrasound packages and pricing before you book, so you know exactly what's included, no surprise add-ons at the counter.
Ready to watch your baby move in real time? 4D sessions start from $109, check availability at our Scarborough studio.
4D Ultrasound Near Me, Scarborough & GTA Studio Locations
Our studio sits at 2855 Markham Road in Scarborough, and families travel in from right across the GTA to get there, Toronto, North York, East York, Etobicoke, Markham, Pickering, Ajax, Oshawa, Whitby, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Thornhill, Brampton, and Mississauga. If you have searched “4D ultrasound near me” or “3D and 4D ultrasound near me,” this is that studio.
We also get a fair number of out-of-town grandparents and long-distance partners who fly or drive in just for the session. The wall screen means the whole room gets to watch the baby move at once, not just the two people who can fit around a laptop.
The Discovery Moment , Watching Your Baby Move for the First Time
What we see constantly at our Scarborough studio is dads who stay quiet through the whole 2D appointment, then laugh out loud the second the 4D screen catches their baby mid-yawn. It's a different kind of quiet in the room right up until that first stretch shows up, then everyone leans forward at once.
Browse real 4D ultrasound clips and portraits in our gallery if you want a sense of what that moment looks like before you book. Most of the families in there started out exactly where you are now, a little unsure, mostly excited, Googling on a lunch break.
Is a 4D Ultrasound Safe? What Are the Risks?
Short answer: yes, when it's done by a trained sonographer. 4D imaging uses the exact same established ultrasound technology as your standard 2D and 3D scans, sound waves, not radiation, and every session at Peek A Baby follows the ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable), the same standard clinical imaging providers use to keep exposure time sensible.
Here's the honest nuance, though. Some clinical guidance, including the position taken by diagnostic imaging providers overseas, discourages repeated or purely non-medical scanning, and that's a fair point worth sitting with. The distinction is frequency and purpose. A single, occasional, sonographer-performed keepsake session is a different use case than repeated diagnostic scanning ordered for a medical reason. We are not your anatomy scan. We are not a substitute for one, either.
| Tier | What Falls Here |
|---|---|
| Totally normal to ask us | Timing flexibility and rebooking if baby's shy on the day · how many people can join the session · what's included in each package · whether 3D, 4D, or both makes sense · what equipment we use · parking and studio logistics. |
| Belongs to your doctor or midwife, not us | Any concern about your baby's health, growth, movement, or anatomy · bleeding, pain, or reduced movement · anything your care provider flagged on a diagnostic scan · a true 6-week dating or viability scan · medication or condition questions. |
A keepsake studio session isn't the right place to raise or resolve anything in the right-hand column above, contact your doctor, midwife, or hospital directly for those. Image and movement clarity also depends on your baby's position and amniotic fluid levels on the day, so we can't guarantee a perfect shot on every single visit. Sessions are meant to be occasional and celebratory, not a repeated or medically necessary procedure.
Questions about safety or timing before you book? Message our Scarborough studio team on WhatsApp, we are happy to walk you through it.
What About a 6 Week Ultrasound?
This one's a genuine mismatch, so we will be straight with you: a 6 week ultrasound is an early dating or viability scan, and it's normally a diagnostic procedure your doctor or hospital handles, not a 26-to-32-week keepsake 4D session. If you are at 6 weeks and looking for reassurance, our early pregnancy or heartbeat session is built for exactly that stage , a separate, non-diagnostic viewing once viability is confirmed. For the actual dating scan itself, that belongs with your OB or midwife.
What If My Baby Won't Cooperate or We Don't Get a Clear Shot?
It happens, and it's nobody's fault when it does. A baby facing spine-out, lower fluid on that particular day, or just an inconveniently timed nap can all block a clear shot. We build gentle position-encouraging movement into every session, a short walk, a cold drink, a change in your position, and if we still can't get you a good view, we'll talk you through rebooking rather than sending you home with nothing. It's a fair trade-off for a technology that depends on a baby who hasn't read the schedule.
What Happens at Your Peek A Baby Session
You will arrive, get settled into a private studio suite (not a clinical exam room), and one of our registered sonographers will walk you through what to expect before the wand ever touches your belly. From there, it's mostly quiet, a little gentle guidance to find the best angle, and a big screen the whole room can watch. You'll leave with a digital gallery and, depending on your package, prints to take home the same day.
What Families Are Saying
“We'd only ever seen the grainy black-and-white photo from our doctor, so watching our son yawn and stretch live on the 4D screen at Peek A Baby completely blew us away. You could see every little expression change in real time. It's the video we replay most in the nursery.”
— Priya S., Markham, ON
“My mom flew in from out of province and got to watch on the big screen with us , it turned into a whole family afternoon. The team at the Scarborough studio was so relaxed and patient while our baby kept turning away from the camera before finally giving us a perfect stretch.”
— Andre & Kayla M., Pickering, ON
Ready to Meet Your Baby?
Most Scarborough and GTA families book their 4D session around 28 weeks, right in that 26-to-32-week window where movement and expression come through clearest. Sessions start from $109, and if you are not sure whether 3D, 4D, or both makes sense, we'll help you figure it out. We'd love to meet your baby, your moment is waiting at Peek A Baby.
