thoughts on buying a doppler? (didn't get to hear baby's heatbeat at scan)

[jess3692]

Hi all!

I had my first scan recently and was slightly disappointed that the hospital I am with doesn't offer you the chance to hear your baby's heartbeat I am debating whether or not to get a doppler. Does anyone have one? Recommendations please?! I am just worried that if I have one I might go a bit OTT with it!

[beebop100]

I genuinely don't know how I would have made it through this pregnancy without mine, seriously. Any time I need to know there's something still in there I can just have a quick listen in and then get on with my day. I too thought I'd listen all the time but I actually only listen about 2 times a week, and I'm an extremely anxious person. I have the Huntleigh one, but I reckon they're probably all the same, and I use ultrasound gel to get a nice clear heartbeat. I've been using mine since 11 weeks, can't imagine what a nightmare I would have been at the hospital if I didn't have one. The only thing I'd say is that I'm trained in using it so know for sure that it's baby I'm listening to, not me. You could ask your midwife for a lesson once you're past 16 weeks, she'll probably advise you not to do it yourself but if you say you understand but are going to anyway and would like her to talk you through what sounds she is hearing when she listens in, then she's not technically advising you on how to do it. Good luck.

[SoonToBeSix]

I wouldn't bother you may well cause yourself unnecessary worry. If you have seen the heartbeat on a scan am confused as to why you also need to hear it.

[LuckyAugust]

Hiya, I bought the Sonoline B one from Amazon and its fantastic!!! I'm 10+3 and can easily find my babys heartbeat. There's a fab video on youtube (by twoplusone I think) that describes how to use it and what you're listening out for. It does take a bit of practice but is much easier once you can recognise the heartbeat sound.

[Squtternutbaush]

Midwives don't advise the use of them at all (here anyway) because if you are untrained it can be difficult to distinguish sounds which can be stressful and wasting hospital time.

I know of atleast one case in my area where a lady used hers to find the baby's heartbeat despite bleeding and lack of movement, it picked up what they think was her heart and she didn't go to hospital until the physical pain of miscarriage worsened :(

I do have friends who've used the Summer one with varying levels of success.

[tryingtocatchthewind]

I wouldn't bother either, my midwife used one at my 16 week appointment and every one since. The midwife sometimes struggles so no doubt I would struggle then freak out if I couldn't hear it. I also struggle to tell the difference between mine and baby's

[Squtternutbaush]

Oh and your midwife will let you hear the heartbeat when you are past 16 weeks, they don't usually do it before then because its not always easy to find before this so don't panic :)

[ilovepowerhoop]

I dotn think they attempt to find the heartbeat until about 16 weeks or so, so if it was your first scan (12 weeks?) it would have been too soon anyway

[HappyAsASandboy]

I have one, and as a pp said, use it a couple of times a week.

I think it's quite easy to distinguish my pulse from the baby's. Mine is about 80 bpm, and the baby's is about 148bpm! I use baby oil rather than ultrasound gel and it works fine.

I would never rely on it if there were any symptoms something is wrong. It is purely for bonding/reassurance that all is well when there are no worrying symptoms.

I found it particularly reassuring between about 16 weeks and 20 ish weeks when it was too soon for movements. I am now just over 20 weeks and starting to feel movements, though until I feel regular movements throughout the day, listening to the heartbeat is reassuring.

I got one off eBay (but new) for about £25.

[Squtternutbaush]

I understand for reassurance but why would you need it for bonding?

[Redling]

I don't know if it's standard to hear the heartbeat at the 12 weeks scan, I certainly didn't bit you do at every midwife appt since then. I'd caution against it a little because as much as I'm sure it's lovely to hear the heartbeat at home, when they are small it is very difficult, even at my 25 week midwife appt she couldn't find his heartbeat as they can only really get it through the back and he was still small enough to be fairly tucked away. She sent me up to hospital and I got a quick scan but without her reassurance that it was common and the explaining how these things work, I'd have been in a real state. Do you want to be always running up to hospital upset because that evening baby was in a funny position and you didn't get a heartbeat? For your own sanity and happiness I mean. I decided against getting one because of that. When you can feel movements it's better anyway because you know they are wriggling away in there! Also the sound of your heartbeat is very strong, the placenta whooshes (and if you have an anterior placenta as I do, even trickier to hear past it) makes it harder to hear than you think.

[minipie]

I had a doppler, the Angelsounds one.

I think they are fine provided that

1. you are not overly reassured by them - ie if you have bleeding pain or lack of movement, you should still get checked despite hearing heartbeat.
   
   
2. you are not made overly anxious if you can't find a heartbeat, as it can be pretty tricky to find (especially if you have anterior placenta or are overweight, I believe)
   
   
3. you know what to listen for and will not confuse it with mothers hb or placental blood flow
   
   I didn't use it in place of judgment over whether to worry or not. I just liked hearing the heartbeat. Got mine about 14 weeks and could hear HB straight away I think. By that stage I had heard the hb at a midwife appt so I knew what to listen for (and where it was most likely to be).

[minipie]

Squtternut it did help me and DH with bonding. I think it demonstrates that there is someone in there, not just a bump, iyswim. Of course we all know that but it can be hard to remember there is a person in there... a heartbeat makes that much more real. DH found it particularly cool I remember, I think it made it so much more real for him, especially as he couldn't come to my midwife appts.

[Loveallmyboys]

A friend have me hers during my last pregnancy. I use it through this one too. My 2 year old always asks to listen to the baby. Lovely way to bond I think :)

[jess3692]

Being a first time mum, when the sonographer said "we don't do that here" after I asked, and didn't explain that I'll most likely hear it at my mw appointments, I just assumed that I never would! Although I could see the heartbeat, I didn't want to miss out on hearing that amazing sound; I will mention it at my next mw appointment and hopefully I will hear it at some point with her. Might not bother with a doppler for a while but will definitely consider it as I become a little further along as it will be nice for that extra realisation that there is a baby growing in there and I know my partner would love it also (particularly because he will miss out on the mw appointments). Thanks all for your messages and important points! I definitely feel better!

[Redling]

Ah, he might have meant 'we don't do that here' as in at the scan in the scan room. The sonograohers job isn't interchangeable with the midwife, and I guess there would be no reason to have dopplers at the scan. Be reassured it is standard to hear heartbeats at midwife appts, it's nothing to do with your hospital authority! Good luck if you decide to get one.

[HappyAsASandboy]

Of course you don't need it for bonding, just like you don't need to keep a photo from the scan for bonding. But different people enjoy different ways to bond :)

[squizita]

Why would you need to hear it rather than see it? At 12 weeks it is quite normal just to see it. You'll get dopplers later (16 weeks they start being reliable in the hands of a professional).

Personally I did not get a doppler (high risk pregnancy, several losses before so definitely would if it did reassure) because I have been advised they can lead to stress if you can't find the HB. My MW and consultant always have a good feel around more than I think I would (in the early weeks certainly) know how to before getting the doppler out. Then they would go one side and it would go chugchugchug and they say "placenta", move it a bit I hear a different chugchugchug - "your heartbeat" and final FAST chugchugchug "baby's heartbeat".
So my concern would be with being sure I was listening to the right sound!
Also I have heard that there have been very sad cases where something's been wrong and a home doppler gave false reassurance - the woman heard her HB and didn't seek medical advice as her pregnancy weakened.

[Mrsgrumble]

I have an angel sounds one from amazon and have used it on both pregnancies. I used it from about ten weeks and love it, I had a lot of early bleeding on first pregnancy and this time late booking for scan.

It has saved a lot of worry and stress.

[mssleepyhead]

I loved mine in the early days. Before I was getting movements I found it very reassuring - no signs that anything was wrong but no major signs of pregnancy either, so listening really reassured me. Around 21 weeks movements were so regular I pretty much stopped using it, but it was brilliant until then. I have the AngelSounds one too.