Doppler at home?

[StiffyByng]

We are thinking of getting a doppler to use at home. I have two stepchildren, 8 and 11, who are desperate to hear the heartbeat and I'm enough of a worrier to think I might it reassuring too. I know some people get them for home use. What do people think? Presumably there's a risk that I won't be good enough with one to hear anything (I'm only 17 weeks) and freak myself out? The baby seems to be in a good position as the midwife heard the heartbeat at 12 and 16 weeks without much difficulty. If I do get one, any tips on various types and the best place to get them?

I'm 17 weeks and bought the Angelsounds Doppler. My placenta is positioned at the front so I can always find it but some days it's clearer then others. I have had mine since I was 14 weeks. I'm really pleased with it. The first few times it took ages to find and I had to position it really low down and you have to tilt it forward and back slightly. I tend to use it now first thing in the morning and after I've had a bath as this is when it's clearer. You can listen to it through head phones and speakers!

i asked the mw today about when you can hear the heartbeat, since I'm thinking of getting a doppler. She laughed at me when I asked if I could hear it now (I'm 13.5) and said no one hears anything until at least 16 weeks. I think I've heard of plenty of people hearing it earlier... when's the earliest you can hear it? I think this mw is a bit crazy anyway.

They're not recommended because so many women freak out when they can't find the heartbeat and, more importantly, because you should never use it for real reassurance and not see your MW if you're worried - there have been cases of people doing this and not getting medical advice when they should've done.

My CMW wouldn't look for the HB before 16 weeks as it's hit-and-miss before then and not hearing the hb can stress Mums out unnecessarily.

I've got the angelsounds one too and managed to pick up the heartbeat before the Dr. did so sometime between 16 and 20 week appointments. There were times I couldn't hear it but I just put that down to my incompetence or baby in a strange position.

i got the angelsounds one and have heard hb every time from 16 weeks, i do agree with japhrimel though and would stress that you must seek medical advice if you feel something not right and not use doppler to reassure yourself on that alone. Disclaimer out the way!! Its fab

i have angel sounds and picked up heart beat at 11 weeks. Midwife is wrong, you can definately hear it, and I know its the babies because it is nearly twice the speed of mine! I only found it useful until I could feel movement, as then you use that as in indicatr that all is well.

I mostly want to use it do the kids can hear. I don't want to take them anywhere near a scan and it's such a long wait for them until they'll feel anything. I wouldn't use it for medical reasons though-wouldn't dismiss anything!

My midwife listened at 12 weeks because I told her how nervous I was about finding a missed miscarriage at my scan. She did it with the proviso that I not panic if she didn't hear anything and we were both very excited when she did! Her partner in the team said she wouldn't have tried but the other midwife was very experienced. The second midwife listened at 16 weeks and said even then sometimes you can't hear but again she did, thankfully. She said my baby was clearly not shrinking from the Doppler, which lots do, which makes me hope it might behave for me!