Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about turning your baby's echo into a keepsake.
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Start your keepsake.
Timing your recording
- What's the best time to record my baby's heartbeat for a keepsake?
- Any echo from around week 14 onward — once your baby's heartbeat has settled into its steady rhythm — makes the clearest print and richest sound. Early on, that little heartbeat is racing to keep up with everything happening inside — fast, fluttering, still finding its rhythm. By the second trimester, it settles into the steady thump-thump most of us picture. That's the sound that becomes your keepsake's best version. Already recorded earlier than that? We'll still turn it into something beautiful — it'll just have its own unique rhythm.
- Can I make a heartbeat keepsake from an old ultrasound recording?
- Yes — you don't need to be expecting to make a TinyBeats keepsake. If you've got a recording tucked away from your baby's echo — a video on an old phone, a file from the hospital, even a printout from years ago — that sound is still there, waiting. Some of our favorite keepsakes come from parents rediscovering a memory they'd almost forgotten they had, and turning it into something they can hold today.
How it works
- How does it work?
- You upload a photo of your heartbeat printout, we run a free check to confirm it's readable, you choose your product and pay, and then we extract the full waveform, create your design, and print and ship it — no extra approval step needed on your side after checkout.
- What do I need to get started?
- Just a clear photo of your baby's echo printout — the strip showing the heartbeat waveform. You can take it with your phone; it doesn't need to be a perfect scan.
- Do I need any special equipment or software?
- No. Everything happens in your browser. You upload a photo, we do the rest.
- How long does the whole process take?
- Your design is created automatically within minutes of your payment. Printing and delivery then take 3-7 depending on your location.
- Can I see what it looks like before I pay?
- You can upload your image and get a free check that confirms it's readable, plus a rough heartbeat-rate estimate — so you know your photo will work before paying anything. The full waveform design itself is generated after checkout, once you've paid.
- What is the free triage step?
- Before you pay, we run a quick free check that confirms your image is readable and gives you a rough heartbeat-rate estimate. It means you know your photo will work before spending anything.
Uploading your image
- What kind of image do I need to upload?
- A photo of the heartbeat printout from your echo appointment — the strip showing the heartbeat waveform. A clear phone photo is fine.
- Can I use a photo taken on my phone?
- Yes, a phone photo works perfectly. Just make sure the heartbeat curve is visible and in focus, with reasonable lighting.
- What if my printout is crumpled, faded, or old?
- Upload it anyway — our free check will tell you right away if it's readable. Many older or imperfect printouts still work fine because we only need the heartbeat curve itself.
- What image formats do you accept?
- JPG, PNG, and WEBP images, up to 10MB — most phone photos and scans work fine as they are.
- What if my image isn't good enough?
- Our free check will let you know before you pay. You can then try another photo — better lighting or a flatter angle usually fixes it — at no cost.
- Can I upload an ultrasound scan photo instead of an echo heartbeat printout?
- If your scan printout shows a heartbeat trace or waveform (not just a picture of the baby), upload it — our free check will confirm whether it works. A standard anatomy scan photo won't work, since there's no heartbeat curve to extract from it.
- Do you keep my uploaded image?
- We keep your uploaded image only until your heartbeat has been fully extracted — usually within minutes of your order being placed — then delete it automatically. See our privacy section for more detail.
How we create your poster
- How do you turn my printout into a poster?
- Our system reads your image in three steps: it checks the photo is a clear, readable heartbeat trace, extracts the precise waveform, then runs a quality check on the result before creating your design.
- Is my poster accurate to my actual heartbeat?
- Yes — we map the real curve from your printout rather than drawing a generic heartbeat, so the shape on your poster is your actual recorded heartbeat.
- What if the extraction gets it wrong?
- An automatic quality check runs on every extraction, and our free pre-payment check catches most unreadable printouts before you ever pay. If something looks wrong after your order is placed, contact us at diana@tinybeats.com and we'll make it right, including a reprint if needed.
- Does a human check the result?
- An automatic quality check runs on every extraction before your design is created. If it fails three times in a row on the same photo, we step in and review it personally rather than leaving you stuck.
- Will the personal details on my printout appear on the poster?
- No. Your poster only shows the heartbeat curve itself, your baby's name, and the date — not a scan of your original printout — so any clinic details or extra text on it never appear.
Privacy & your data
- Is my medical image kept private?
- Yes. Your uploaded image is used only to extract your heartbeat, is never shared or sold, and is automatically deleted once extraction is complete — usually within minutes.
- How long do you keep my uploaded image?
- We delete your uploaded image automatically as soon as your heartbeat has been extracted — typically within minutes of your order being placed. We don't keep a long-term copy of the original photo.
- Is the personal information on my printout stored?
- We only extract the heartbeat curve itself from your image — we don't read or store the names, dates, or clinic details printed on it. The original photo, details and all, is deleted once extraction is complete.
- Is your site secure?
- Yes. Uploads and payments happen over encrypted connections, and payment is handled entirely by Stripe, so we never see or store your card details.
- Are you GDPR compliant?
- We aim to handle your data in line with EU data protection principles, and we delete your uploaded photo automatically once it's no longer needed. One part of this depends on you: before uploading, please use our redaction tool to black out any personal details (name, date of birth, clinic information) visible on your printout — this is a manual step, and since your photo is processed by AI, we can't take responsibility for personal information left visible in an image you upload without redacting it. You can request deletion of your data at any time by contacting us at diana@tinybeats.com.
- Can I ask you to delete my data?
- Yes — you can delete your own data directly from your dashboard, or contact us at diana@tinybeats.com and we'll do it for you. We only keep what tax authorities require us to retain, such as your order and payment records; everything else is removed.
Products & sizes
- What sizes do you offer?
- We offer A4, A3, A2, and A1. A4 (21x30cm) suits a desk or a gallery of several; A3 (30x42cm) is our most popular single keepsake; A2 and A1 are statement pieces for a feature wall.
- Which size should I choose?
- For a single keepsake on a normal wall, A3 is the most popular choice. If you want one for each child or grandchild as a set, A4 works beautifully grouped together. For a bold statement piece, go A2 or A1.
- What size is best if I want one for each grandchild?
- A4 is ideal for a set — several A4 posters grouped together fit most walls and look lovely as a matching collection, one heartbeat per child.
- What material are the posters printed on?
- Gold foil, printed on heavyweight 350gsm premium paper — made to last as a keepsake.
- Do the posters come framed?
- No — posters ship flat, unframed, in protective packaging, ready for you to frame in your own style. We recommend UV-protective glass to keep the colours vivid over time.
- Can I customise the colours or design?
- Yes — you can choose your poster's background colour at checkout from our available options.
- Can I add a name, date, or message?
- Your baby's name and the recording date are automatically included on your poster. A personal message can be added to your digital keepsake page (shown when someone scans the QR code or visits your share link), but isn't currently printed on the poster itself.
- Can I order more than one design?
- Yes — you can place separate designs for each child, and we also offer a bundle option combining the poster and audio keepsake together.
The audio option
- How does the audio poster work?
- Your poster includes a QR code. Scan it with any phone camera and it plays your heartbeat audio, hosted on our site — so you can both see and hear it.
- What do I need to hear the audio?
- Just a phone with a camera. Point it at the QR code on the poster and the heartbeat audio plays — no app needed.
- Do I need to upload an audio file too?
- No — there's no separate audio upload. We generate the heartbeat sound directly from your extracted waveform data, so uploading your printout photo is all you need.
- Can I get the audio without a poster?
- Yes — the audio keepsake is available on its own, without ordering a poster.
- Is the audio my actual recording?
- The sound is generated from the real heartbeat data extracted from your printout — the rhythm, pace and pattern are genuinely yours — but it's a synthesized playback rather than a recording of the original sound, since we only ever work from a photo of your printout, not an audio file.
Ordering & payment
- How do I place an order?
- Upload your image, get the free readability check, choose your product and size, and pay. We then extract your full heartbeat and create your design automatically — no extra approval step needed.
- What payment methods do you accept?
- We use Stripe Checkout, which automatically offers the payment methods available for your region and currency — typically cards, and often local options too. You'll see exactly what's available when you reach checkout.
- What currency are prices in?
- Prices are shown in EUR by default, and automatically switch to your local currency (GBP, USD, AUD, or CAD) when available — you'll see the right currency for your region at checkout.
- Is my payment secure?
- Yes. Payments are processed entirely by Stripe over an encrypted connection. We never see or store your card details.
- Do I pay before or after approving the proof?
- You pay at checkout, right after uploading your image and passing the free readability check. There's no separate proof-approval step — once you've paid, we handle extraction, design, and printing automatically.
- Will I get an order confirmation?
- Yes — you'll receive an order confirmation and receipt by email from Stripe as soon as you pay. Our print partner has your email too and may notify you directly once your poster ships, depending on your shipping method — you can always check the latest status and tracking link on your billing page in your account.
- Can I get an invoice or receipt?
- Yes — a receipt is emailed automatically by Stripe when you pay, and you can view or re-download it anytime from your billing page in your account. We don't currently generate a separate formal VAT invoice document — the receipt covers most needs, but let us know if you need one for a business purchase.
Shipping & delivery
- Where do you ship?
- We currently ship to the EU, UK, and US. Enter your address at checkout to see options for your location.
- How long does delivery take?
- Once your order is placed, delivery typically takes 3–5 business days. You'll see a more precise estimate at checkout based on your location.
- How much does shipping cost?
- Shipping is included in the price — there's no separate shipping charge at checkout.
- Do you offer tracked shipping?
- It depends on the shipping method used for your order — our lowest-cost budget option doesn't include tracking. We currently choose the shipping method for you automatically to keep shipping free; tracked shipping as a selectable upgrade may become available in future.
- Can I get it faster / is there express shipping?
- Not as a selectable option today — we automatically choose the shipping method for your order. If you need it faster, contact us at diana@tinybeats.com and we'll see what we can do.
- Will my poster arrive safely / how is it packaged?
- Posters are shipped flat in a protective rigid mailer to arrive undamaged and ready to display or frame — tracking is included on most shipping methods (see above).
- Can I ship it directly to someone else as a gift?
- Yes — just enter their address as the delivery address at checkout. We don't currently offer a gift note option.
- Do you ship in time for [occasion]?
- We depend on our print partner's current capacity, so we can't guarantee a firm cutoff for a specific date. Order as early as you can, and check the estimated delivery window at checkout — if it's urgent, contact us at diana@tinybeats.com and we'll see what's possible.
- What about customs or import fees?
- We print locally within your region (EU, UK, or US), so customs or import fees generally don't apply. In the rare case they do, you're responsible for paying them.
Returns, problems & changes
- Can I return my poster?
- No — because each poster is made specifically from your own heartbeat, it's excluded from standard return rights under EU/UK consumer law for personalised goods. If there's a problem with your order — damaged, wrong, or a printing error — we'll always put it right, see below.
- What if my poster arrives damaged?
- Contact us at diana@tinybeats.com with a photo and we'll replace it — damage in transit is always covered.
- What if there's a mistake on my poster?
- If your printed poster doesn't match what you ordered — wrong details, a printing error, or similar — we'll reprint it at no cost. Contact us at diana@tinybeats.com.
- Can I change my order after placing it?
- We can try, but we can't guarantee it — extraction and printing start automatically right after payment, so there may not be a window to make changes. Contact us as soon as possible at diana@tinybeats.com and we'll do what we can.
- Can I cancel my order?
- No — extraction begins automatically the moment you pay, so there's no cancellation window. The audio keepsake is ready within minutes, and posters go straight into production, so both are personalised and made to order before a cancellation would ever be possible.
- My poster hasn't arrived — what do I do?
- If it's past the estimated delivery window, contact us at diana@tinybeats.com with your order number and we'll track it down.
About us & trust
- Is this a real recording of a heartbeat?
- Yes — the curve on your poster is mapped from your own printout's heartbeat data, not a generic or decorative design.
- What makes you different from other heartbeat posters?
- We check your photo works before you pay so there's no risk, we extract the precise real waveform from your own printout rather than using a generic design, and we offer a synced audio keepsake alongside the print — see and hear your baby's heartbeat together.