Expectant families in Owensboro will soon have a new way to connect with their babies before birth as The Baby Haven 3D/4D Ultrasound prepares to open in early August.
The locally owned business will offer elective, non-diagnostic ultrasound services designed to give parents and their families a more relaxed, extended bonding experience than is typically possible during a routine medical appointment.
Co-owners Miranda Montague and LeighAnn Decker, both certified OB sonographers, said the idea grew out of a shared desire to provide a service they felt was missing in the Owensboro area.
The studio’s name has personal significance. Montague said it was inspired by her daughter, Sloane Haven, who was named after Montague’s husband, Haven.
The concept originally started as a plan to operate out of Montague’s basement before growing into a standalone business. After discussing the idea while working together in an OB/GYN office, Decker joined as a partner.
The pair said many local families currently travel to places such as Evansville for elective ultrasound experiences, and they wanted to bring that option closer to home.
The Baby Haven will offer several appointment packages, including heartbeat confirmation, gender determination, and 3D, 4D, and HD Live ultrasounds.
Decker explained that 3D ultrasounds produce still images, while 4D technology captures moving images, allowing parents to watch their baby in real time.
Although many physicians’ offices have 3D and 4D capabilities, the owners said medical appointments are focused on diagnostic care and often don’t allow much time for families to enjoy the experience.
“The job of the sonographer in the office is the diagnostic scan,” Decker said. “Patients are wanting to have that fun bonding experience, so I think it’s a great thing for us to be able to offer that to them here.”
Appointments at The Baby Haven are expected to last around 30 minutes, allowing more time for the client to bond with their baby and for quality images to be obtained. Families will also be able to bring children, relatives, and friends to appointments without the visitor limitations often found in medical settings.
“Usually, you go to the doctor’s office, you get the scan done, and if the sonographer has an extra couple of minutes, they quickly try to 3D the face,” Montague said. “This is dedicated for that. It’s fun.”
While the ultrasounds are elective and non-diagnostic, the owners emphasized that their medical backgrounds remain an important part of the business.
Decker has nearly 23 years of experience as a sonographer, primarily in OB/GYN practices, while Montague has spent 10 years as a sonographer.
“If there were a situation where we saw something extremely bad, we have the background to either contact their doctor or get them to the hospital, whatever we need to do,” Decker said.
The owners also said they are committed to ensuring families leave with quality images, even if it means bringing them back for another visit at no charge.
“If we don’t feel like our images are good enough, we’re going to bring them back free of charge because we only want to put out the best,” Decker said.
Beyond ultrasound services, The Baby Haven plans to expand into a boutique offering maternity clothing, baby apparel, and gender reveal items. The business also plans to partner with local businesses to provide products such as cakes and cake pops for gender reveal celebrations.
Opening the business has been a family effort, the owners said, with parents, spouses, and even children helping prepare the space.
“We’ve been very blessed,” Decker said. “Everything honestly has fallen into place. We kind of step back from it, and we’re like, God kept bringing us together, and we feel like He wanted us to do this.”
The Baby Haven expects to begin welcoming families in early August. Online appointment scheduling will be available through the business’s website, with phone scheduling also available. Updates as the opening draws near will be available on the business’s Facebook page.
