A heartbeat animal is one of the ways Tummy Vision specializes in to give parents ways to honor being pregnant. Being pregnant is a special experience, and there are different ways to honor it. Often at forty weeks when you’re pregnant, it feels like it lasts forever when it’s happening, but when you look back at it, it’ll seem like the blink of an eye.
What is a heartbeat animal? Precious heartbeat animals are stuffed animals with a recording of your baby’s heartbeat. They come in many different species.
To learn why they’re special and worth the affordable price, read further.
1. A Heartbeat Animal Makes a Sweet Pregnancy Announcement
People spend thousands of dollars pulling off pregnancy announcements with videos, parties, cakes – you name it. If you’re looking for something more affordable and less extravagant, a heartbeat animal is a great choice.
You can hand the animal you pick to your parents, for example, and instruct them on how to make the heartbeat play. Then you can record their faces as they slowly realize what the heartbeat means.
A heartbeat animal is even a sweet way to announce it to your partner (if you can keep a secret that long!) or other family members and friends.
2. It Gives Your Child a Precious Keepsake
Your child won’t remember the time they spent in your belly and many children likely won’t have any childhood memories until about age two or three. Having the reminder of how you cared for them and nurtured them is something they can keep their whole life. It is also, when one grows older, an understanding of the magic of being human, and connect them with life in a different way.
They can cuddle it when they’re young, then keep it in a special keepsake box as they get older. You may want to buy two; one for your child to keep and play with, the other to stay in pristine condition for pregnancy memories.
3. A Heartbeat Animal Can Help Calm Your Newborn
The book “The Happiest Baby on the Block” refers to the first few months after birth as the “fourth trimester.” The author (a pediatrician) believes that the more you recreate the womb for your baby once they’re born, the better they’ll sleep and develop.
One of the things that help do that is white noise or the sound of their heartbeat, which is encapsulated in a Tummy Vision heartbeat animal. Your infant has only known the sounds of the inside of your body for the last nine months. Getting a heartbeat animal could be a great calming tool to bring on the go.
They’re easy to bring along in a crib, stroller, or car seat and take little to no care, much like any stuffed animal.
4. Heartbeat Animals are Great Gifts for Big Brother or Sister
Many parents participate in the tradition of the new baby “bringing” their sibling a present when they’re born. It’s thought to help the adjustment period of going from the only (or the youngest) to being an older sibling.
A heartbeat animal is a good way to do that and help your child connect with the baby.
Or, depending on your child’s age, it could be a tool to explain what’s happening and what it means that mommy’s pregnant. Heartbeat pals come in many shapes, so you can get them their favorite stuffed animal.
Picking the Perfect Heartbeat Animal at Tummy Vision
Heartbeat animals are cute and affordable and can be used for a variety of wonderful reasons. They’re under $50, and the price includes the recording. It is a gift that truly “keeps on giving” and can be enjoyed by the expecting parents, family, and friends alike.
When you visit us for an ultrasound, be sure to inquire about our heartbeat animals. They are often an afterthought that years later become a special keepsake that brings meaning that otherwise may be missing.
If you’d like to record your baby’s heartbeat in this unique way, book an appointment online for an 3D/4D/HD ultrasound in the Chicagoland today! It is fast and easy, and we look forward to seeing you soon and sharing this moment of great joy and expectation.