Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Davidson.
Hi Amy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I went to ultrasound school in 1998, and after graduating, I began my career at Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital in Chicago, working with Maternal Fetal Medicine. During my 10 years there, I gained extensive experience in obstetric and gynecological ultrasound, with much of my work focused on high-risk pregnancies. It was an incredible foundation for my career and gave me experience with a wide range of pregnancies and situations.
After the birth of my second daughter, I transitioned to a private OB practice, where I continued working closely with Maternal Fetal Medicine for another 10 years.
Life took a different turn after I remarried. My husband is in the Marine Corps, and over the next several years, our family moved multiple times—from Illinois to Rhode Island, then Virginia, California, and eventually back to Virginia. During those moves, I continued working as an OB sonographer whenever I could.
While we were living in California and knew there was a good chance we would eventually return to Virginia, my husband and I started talking about the idea of opening a 3D/4D elective ultrasound studio. After spending most of my career in diagnostic ultrasound, I loved the idea of using my experience and knowledge in a different way—creating a place where expectant families could enjoy seeing their baby in a relaxed, personal environment without the clinical feeling or time constraints that often come with a medical appointment.
When we found out we were moving back to Virginia, we decided it was finally the right time to make that idea a reality. We knew we would likely be here for an extended period, so I took the leap and started Baby Realz.
Leesburg felt like the natural place to open. We currently live in Loudoun County, and we had also lived in Leesburg the first time we were stationed in Virginia. I have always loved the community, and Loudoun County is home to so many young and growing families. I also saw a need for this type of service in the area.
Baby Realz opened in November 2025, and the experience has been absolutely wonderful. In less than a year, I have already had the privilege of welcoming more than 500 families into the studio, which is something I am incredibly proud of.
After nearly 28 years as a sonographer, it has been incredibly rewarding to take everything I have learned throughout my career and create something of my own. I still get to do what I love—ultrasound—but now I get to provide families with a completely different experience centered around connection, reassurance, and enjoying those special moments during pregnancy.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For the most part, it has been a pretty smooth road. We consulted with Ultrasound Trainers because of their experience helping people start private ultrasound studios, and they made the process of getting Baby Realz up and running much easier. Since opening, things have gone really well, and we have continued to see our client base grow month over month.
The two biggest challenges have probably been funding and learning how to market and advertise the business.
Getting traditional funding for a brand-new small business was much more difficult than we expected. Many lenders want to see that you have already been in business for a certain amount of time and can show a history of profitability—which is obviously difficult when you are trying to get the business started in the first place. Luckily, we were able to find other ways to fund Baby Realz and move forward.
Marketing and advertising have probably been the biggest learning experience for me. Before Baby Realz, my husband and I really didn’t know much about Google Business, Google advertising, or marketing through social media. My personal experience with social media was pretty limited, so there was definitely a learning curve.
Over time, I have learned a lot about what works for our business and what doesn’t. Google has become our biggest resource for reaching new families, with the large majority of our clients finding Baby Realz through a Google search. Even that took time to learn—understanding how Google works, how people search for services like ours, and what actually brings someone from a search to booking an appointment.
Owning a business has definitely pushed me to learn an entirely different skill set. I knew ultrasound when I started Baby Realz. I didn’t necessarily know how to run and market a business. That part I have had to learn along the way, and I’m still learning every day.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have been an OB/GYN sonographer for almost 28 years. My career has taken me from working in high-risk obstetrics and gynecology at a very busy hospital in Chicago, to private OB practices, and now to owning Baby Realz, my own 2D, 3D, 4D and HD elective ultrasound studio.
Obstetrics has always been my specialty and the area of ultrasound that I love the most. I genuinely enjoy pregnancy and scanning babies. Throughout my career, I have scanned everything from very complicated high-risk pregnancies to completely routine pregnancies, and I have loved being a part of all of them.
I think what I am known for is not only my experience and skill as a sonographer, but also the emotional connection I make with the women and families I scan. I am a mother of two wonderful daughters, and I have experienced both pregnancy and pregnancy loss myself. Because of that, I understand pregnancy from more than just the clinical side. I understand the excitement, but I also understand the fear, anxiety and uncertainty that can come with it.
I think empathy is a very important part of being a sonographer. Technical skill matters tremendously, but so does recognizing the person lying on the table in front of you and understanding what that moment means to them. I listen. I give hugs when someone needs one. I reassure when I can. I also laugh, joke around, celebrate and genuinely get to know the families who walk through my door.
That is a big part of what I wanted Baby Realz to be. In a traditional clinical setting, appointments can sometimes feel rushed simply because of the demands of healthcare. At Baby Realz, I can give families the time and attention they want and create an experience that is centered around them.
I’m most proud of bringing that experience to my community. I love being able to provide reassurance during those long stretches between medical appointments, but I also love bringing some of the fun into pregnancy. Families can watch their baby move, bring their children, grandparents, friends or whoever they want to share the experience with, and create memories together. I don’t place restrictions on how many loved ones they can bring to their session because I want this to be something they can share.
Another thing that makes Baby Realz different is that I am both the owner and the sonographer. When someone contacts Baby Realz or walks into the studio, they are working directly with me. I’m the person answering their questions, performing their ultrasound and sharing that experience with their family. That allows me to build relationships with my clients, and I love when families come back throughout their pregnancy and I get to watch their babies grow right along with them.
I think what sets Baby Realz apart is the combination of my experience and the environment I have created. The studio is comfortable, private and spa-like, but behind that experience is almost 28 years of professional ultrasound experience. I want every family who walks through my door to feel like they are the most important people in the room during their time with me.
I am incredibly proud that Baby Realz can help fill some of the gaps families experience during pregnancy—whether they need a little reassurance, want another opportunity to see their baby, or simply want to enjoy and share a special moment with the people they love.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
There are so many things I like about Leesburg. The town and surrounding areas are beautiful, clean and well maintained, and I especially love historic downtown Leesburg. It has such a great small-town feel, with wonderful restaurants, bars, shops and local businesses. Once you park, you can walk around and enjoy everything downtown has to offer.
Leesburg is also very family-friendly, which is one of the things that drew us back here. It’s a wonderful community and a great place to raise a family. We’ve actually moved to Leesburg twice—so I think that says a lot about how much we like it here!
If I had to pick something I like least, it would probably be parking in the historic downtown area. There is street parking and a parking garage, but as Leesburg has continued to grow and more people are visiting downtown, finding a spot can sometimes be challenging. Thankfully, once you find one, everything is very walkable.
Overall, I really love the balance Leesburg offers. You get the charm and sense of community of a smaller town while still having so much to do and being part of the larger Northern Virginia area. It really felt like the right place for both our family and for Baby Realz.
Pricing:
- Early Baby Realz $120
- Peace of Mind $75
- 4D HD Baby Realz $185
- 4D HD Grand Baby Realz $225
- a variety of ultrasound bundles from $290- $750
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.babyrealz.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baby_realz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babyrealz/
- Youtube: @babyrealz
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@baby.realz
