A Polish company is giving blind mothers the experience of visualizing and holding their babies — before they’re born. In Utero 3D, through their project Waiting Without Barriers, creates 3D models of unborn babies from 3D ultrasounds so that eligible mothers may have the same experience as their sighted counterparts. The bas-relief of their baby is offered to women for a symbolic fee — 1 PLN, or about 25 cents USD, or 1 Euro, or a little over a dollar.

Mothers who wish to obtain a 3D version of their baby must inform their doctor prior to the ultrasound examination and submit documents confirming the disability.

In Utero 3D does not manipulate the ultrasound images, or idealize the baby’s face. “The bas-relief is a true three dimensional representation of baby and environment in the mother’s womb,” their website states. “We maintain all proportions, spatial relations and actual dimensions of [the] unborn child.”

A blind father was fascinated when he heard about the possibility of “seeing” his unborn son and decided to participate. His experience was “a revelation and amazing feeling,” he said. “I can touch and palpate every detail of the face of my little Johnny. I feel the nose, mouth, eyes — all the details are very clear. Now I can perceive how our baby looks like in 1:1 scale.”

In Utero 3D will also create the 3D bas-reliefs for sighted mothers for a cost of about 88 Euros, or $98.00 USD.

The bas-relief is created with a 3D printer and takes 2-3 hours of model preparation and 4-7 hours of 3D printing.