Home Doppler heartbeat hearing kit

[JennieSJ]

Hi, I saw these on Amazon recently and wondered if anyone had used them? If so are they any good? I was looking at the Angelwings one which is about 30 quid. Thought it might be a nice reassuring tool between scans.

[Millie26]

I bought one (do you mean AngelSounds? That's what I bought) and it was great.

I started checking for the heartbeat about once a week just through the second trimester until I could feel kicking and it was very reassuring for me who was very anxious in my first pregnancy.

It can be hard to distinguish between your placenta and the baby's heartbeat but you can soon recognise the right noise. I had a couple of times when I couldnt hear the baby which was worrying but eventually it was there!

[JennieSJ]

Angelsounds! That's the one...

Cool, I might get one then. Thank you.

[edwinbear]

I have used my Angelsounds in two pregnancies and also loved it. Very easy to use, had no trouble picking up the heartbeat.

[WaitingForBabyD]

I borrowed a Summer Infant fetal heart monitor from a friend. It said on the box that it would start picking up the babies heartbeat from 18 weeks but I think it was about 4 weeks after that before I was able to pick anything up. I love listening to it now, but as an impatient person got frustated a lot when I couldn't hear what I wanted to! So I'd say definitely get one, but be prepared you may have to be patient!

[MrsTittleMouse]

Just a word of warning - my OB hated home dopplers. A huge chunk of his emergency appointments were women who had one and couldn't find a heartbeat. If you're of a nervous disposition then it will cause you a lot of stress.

[Tangle]

I'd also be cautious - and if you do get one, try to think of it more of a toy than as a tool.

With DD1 the (very experienced) MW couldn't always pick up her HB at 30wks+ - and that's something she does day in, day out with a professional grade doppler. Babies can be very good at hiding!

From the other angle, there are women who've noticed reduced movements or something else that caused them concern and then used a home doppler and thought that as they heard the baby's HB all was well and didn't get checked out by a medical professional - except their 1st instinct was spot on and something wasn't well. Sometimes the outcome has been tragic :(.

They can be fun, but I think if I was going to get one for me to use I'd want to be confident I wouldn't rely on it, wouldn't get freaked out if I couldn't find anything and wouldn't use it to excess - and I can't say with confidence that I'd be able to do any 1 of them let alone all 3!

[FRowlands]

I bought one a week ago and really worried myself as I couldn't hear anything. Had 20 week scan a couple of days later and all was completely fine. I had originally bought it for reassurance but think it will only cause us worry so have ditched it already. I wouldn't bother.