Talk

Flip

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Pregnancy

best fetal dopplers?

12 replies

emaitken14 · 22/03/2016 22:10

Can anyone recommend any good fetal dopplers please? Thanks

OP posts:

Report

Dixiechick17 · 22/03/2016 22:27

Personally I would say don't get one, it's very difficult to find the hb, even most midwifes won't try to find it before 24 weeks, and hearing the hb does not necessarily mean all is ok, midwives are trained to pick up on anything that doesn't seem quite right.

www.kickscount.org.uk/mums/your-babys-movements/why-shouldnt-i-use-a-home-doppler/

Report

Friendofsadgirl · 22/03/2016 22:33

I would recommend your doctor's or midwife's. Don't get one of your own! You will only panic when you can't find the heartbeat. Trust me, I speak from experience

Report

2ManySweets · 22/03/2016 22:35

Seconded. Before 30 weeks it's really hard to find at heartbeat if you're not a trained professional. After 30w you can use apps like "Tiny Beats" and they're ok but can take forever to find the hb.

IMHO (even though you're not asking for it) home dopplers breed anxiety rather than allay it.

The amount of scares I had through my pregnancy convinced baby was in trouble were plentiful. As flippant as this sounds I had to stay calm, be patient and wait for the movements to come as I couldn't face going to Homerton Hospital. Learning to stay calm and get to know baby's movements is a better way to allay worry as opposed to forking out for a Doppler x

Report

minipie · 22/03/2016 22:59

Posts above are the "textbook" answer.

However, I had a fetal doppler (angelcare) and enjoyed it. Worked from about 15w onwards iirc. It was nice for DH and then in my second pg it was fun for DD1 to hear DD2.

Just don't use it for anything medical (ie don't worry just because you can't hear a hb on it - conversely if you have reduced movements or other worries then don't be reassured just because you can hear a hb, you still should call the midwives).

Report

primarynoodle · 23/03/2016 07:28

I got a hi bebe one off ebay which worked fine from 16 weeks with an anterior placenta (although often i could only find placenta or cord not heartbeat until 18ish weeks).

Now i can feel baby moving i dont use it but it was great in that bit between 12/20 week scan

Report

kiki22 · 23/03/2016 08:19

I have an angelsounds one it was an impulse buy on sale while doing my weekly shop. I like it but you need to remember its is a toy it is NOT medical equipment it is for fun only it should not be used for reassurance because you are not trained there for have no idea what's going on.

If your a worrier or tend to panic its a bad buy.

Report

muddymary · 23/03/2016 08:21

I didn't buy one but my friend had the angelcare one and found my ds's heartbeat when I was just 10 weeks.

Report

BettyBi0 · 23/03/2016 09:22

I had a sonoline B in my last pregnancy. I think it's actually the same make as the one my midwives use. Haven't touched it this pregnancy as I had a love/hate relationship with it last time and it caused a mega mega stress once that I don't want to repeat.

Report

nehagarg · 23/03/2016 12:46

Same here. Have a Sonoline B and love it. Been able to find heartbeat since I was about 10 weeks.

Like everyone has stressed, dont buy it if you are a worrier. If you cannot find the heartbeat in the early weeks, its perfectly normal because the baby is so small and is prone to hiding in corners.

I am 30 weeks now and can feel the baby moving all the time. However, I still use my doppler if he stops moving. Not because of the heartbeats. I really dont know anything about heartbeats to be able to tell if the baby is in distress - but my baby hates the doppler and always tries to kick it away. So if he stops moving, I use the doppler and that gets him moving usually. I hate to do this to him but I figure 5 minutes of doppler is better than 20 minutes of continuous monitoring at the hospital (which also use sound waves and which he also hated when I got worried a few weeks ago and went in).

Report

littlelen16 · 23/03/2016 19:13

Thank you all so much for your advice on this

Report

Leirope · 24/03/2016 13:04

Definitely don't get a Summer Prenatal Listening System (www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Infant-Prenatal-Listening-System/dp/B000246FTY)?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21.
Saw one in Mothercare and thought it would be a really good idea as OH gets really anxious about the LO. Tried it out a few times and doesn't even pick up on my heartbeat or stomach rumblings. Complete waste of money.