Anyone hired a doppler????

[sam26oscar]

hi, am only 10 weeks but have read that there is a website that rents out hand held dopplers which can detect heartbeat from 10 weeks. Has anyone got one or used one and can they really detect heartbeat that early?? I definately would think about hiring one if they do work, much cheaper than private scan {grin]

At 10 weeks you'll get nothing but worry. I bought one and used it quite a lot during both pregnancies from about four months (must get round to emailing it). But until you are at least four months you won't be able to pick up the heartbeat.

Thanks, did wonder if it would cause more stress if you couldn't find a heartbeat for a day or so!! would you recommend it though after 16 weeks, did it help to reassure??

I agree .. I got mine at 12 weeks and still had to wait a few weeks... I hired one from ebay and its wonderfully reassuring on those days when you area bit worried..
(I have an anterior placenta and this also makes it trickier to hear )

after 16 weeks it was pretty easy to find babys hb tho ...x

I had one from previous pregnancies and found heartbeat at about 10 weeks, took a while but after the first time it was fairly easy. Depends on if you know what you're listening for, where you should be looking, how you do it and what size you are too for example.

Really helped me as I've had 6 miscarriages in the past and it reassured me a lot.

I don't know how much they are to hire but you could buy mine off me, save me ebaying it! It was £100 when I bought it - but I'd sell it for £25 including postage if you are interested?

In regards to reassurance, yes it is very reassuring, particularly in the later stages when they sleep for hours on end and you think it's too quiet in there . Also I found with my second child it helped that the first could 'hear' her brother in utero. So he was real IYSWIM?

thanks whomovedmychocloate may take you up on that offer in a copule of weeks

I bought mine, but not until 16 weeks, it was just a cheap Angelsounds one, but it does the job. I used it to record the heartbeat and send to my mum.

You have to be sensible with them though and there is the risk that you will freak yourself out by not finding the heartbeat, you have to be patient sometimes. I did find it very reassuring when I was having vivid nightmares about miscarrying, it was very reassuring in the middle of the night to be able to listen in and know he was ok. I pretty much stopped using it at about 24 weeks though, as he was very active and it was easier to have a cold drink and a sit down to see if he was ok.