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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

To doppler or not

23 replies

sharond101 · 26/10/2011 15:31

What are your opinions and experiences of using a home doppler? I am considering purchasing one but do not know if it will freak me out if I cannot hear the heartbeat.

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IssyStark · 26/10/2011 15:35

I'd say not.

I hired one and spent a horrid afternoon thinking I'd had yet another m/c until I realised that I couldn't even find my own heartbeat and I knew it was beating!

GHAHSTLYGHOULYpants · 26/10/2011 15:41

no don't do it, unreliable and more unsettling than not.

My GP dopplered me when I was ill in pregnancy, could he find a heart beat? Nope.

i think it will worry you more than anything. If you have concerns go and see you MW, they will not mind at all, especially if it is your 1st.

mrsrvc · 26/10/2011 15:42

I have one and find it useful up until you get regular movements, after that I just use it if baby seems quiet. But wouldn't rely on it to say that all is ok. Tbh, most times I've used it the baby has started moving (in all 3 pregnancies). It depends on how likely you are to get obsessed with it too!

Original poster

sharond101 · 26/10/2011 16:46

I am a worrier. Fret at symptoms, lack of symptoms, disappearance of symptoms, frequency and intensity of symptoms so maybe not the best idea for me then?

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GuillotinedMaryLacey · 26/10/2011 16:59

I wouldn't bother. I have one and, tbh, it's useful for about 4 weeks from the point where you can actually confidently find the heartbeat till you can feel movement.

Fatshionista · 26/10/2011 17:05

I had one and it put my mind at ease sometimes but other times I'd worry. The whooshing of the placenta did send me to sleep though!

helgaw99 · 27/10/2011 11:10

I have one and thinks it's the best money I have ever spent.

I started using it at about 18 weeks, after seeing midwife and her finding it very easy to hear heartbeat with one. I have the AngelSounds one from Amazon- listen every few days just to reassure myself.

I also carry a lot of fat on my belly, so was worried about not finding the heartbeat, but found it first time after about 10 mins and can now find it within a minute or so. Also helps DH connect with the baby a bit. I can now also hear it tumbling around in there which is very amusing!

I love mine and totally recommend it for piece of mind, but wouldn't have used it earlier as I would have freaked myself out!

Franchini · 27/10/2011 11:40

I have got the angel sounds one from amazon £24.99 or similar. I found it invaluable before I could feel the baby moving, it's also nice to let the dad hear the baby when it is moving. You can hear the sloshing sound when the baby moves around as well - it's so cute.

I have never failed to find the baby's heartbeat even at about 14/15 weeks - it is really low down and can take a while to find, but well worth it when you find it. You will also hear your own heartbeat too and a whooshing sound which is the placenta/cord, so make sure you find a beat which is about twice the speed of yours.

dippyducky · 27/10/2011 12:35

I've got the angel sounds one, too.

I couldn't find the heartbeat first time, but now I'm possibly slightly addicted to it I didn't really use it because I was worried, it was more like a pick-me-up as I was feeling so poorly, I just like listening to it, it feels like we're bonding, I love the sloshing sound when the baby moves away from annoying mum who keeps prodding it with doppler

I think I first found the heartbeat at 11+5, it was really low down - I think I got VERY lucky in finding it this early! But a friend couldn't find it at 18 weeks which caused her to worry even though everything is fine. You have to get the doppler positioned exactly right, and it can depend upon position of the placenta, or sometimes how the baby is lying as to whether or not you can hear it, so often it's more down to luck. So I wouldn't get one if it's more likely to make you worry.

dooscooby · 27/10/2011 13:01

hi there
after 2+ m/c i seriously considered getting one this time, but dh was very cautious about it and thought it would cause more harm than good. I figured there was no use getting one until after 12 week scan anyway, then had my first appt where the Cons actually used the doppler at 14 wks. It took him ages to find the hb and this scared me and kind of put me off getting my own. I was lucky enough to start to feel movements at 16.5 wks and so focused on that from then onwards. I think it prob also depends on how 'supported' you are in the pg - ie. I had several early scans so felt less need for one perhaps then others who weren't able to get scans. I think there was also a part of me that didn't want one as I didn't want to know if the heart had stopped beating (ifykwim).

Lots of ladies in the FO room seem to have them and find them helpful though - so it's truly one of those individual things I think.

figgygal · 27/10/2011 13:16

I dont think they are particularly reliable until 16wks+ and cause more concern than anything else, i have been lucky to feel movement from about 18 weeks and so havent needed a doppler. If you think it would cause more worry or you could get addicted to it i wouldnt have one.

BelleRomford74 · 27/10/2011 15:13

I bought one from ebay..new Angelsounds approx £22.00 & it is fab!! I am 22 + 6 & carry quite a bit of weight around my lower abdomen & don't usually scan too well but find heartbeat very easily with this machine. I will openly admit I am a neurotic worry wart (dd2 was born poorly & died aged 2) this is a unplanned surprise pregnancy & from day 1 I worried non stop about all sorts of things going wrong.. this baby is a good mover but I like the added reasurance of hearing him!! Plus my dd1 loves listening in too... However I would never use this machine instead of professional care... if I was ever worried I had'nt felt any movement for a while I would still most deffo go to hospital.

AheadlesswomancalledHorse · 27/10/2011 15:18

Another person with the angelsounds.
It was useful for the earlier stages of pregnancy, as I was having trouble 'feeling' pregnant so it helped me 'bond' with Stomach Squatter.
If you do get one, and you're quite early on....the heartbeat is alot lower than you think it would be!

Am 32 weeks now and haven't touched it for atleast two months as the constant kicks are more reassuring

neverinamillionyears · 27/10/2011 15:24

I got one at 14 weeks and never had a problem finding the heartbeat. Again it was the angel sounds one from amazon. I got a bargain at £12. For me it was invaluable as I was a worries and it made me stress less. My thoughts are that if you are that much of a worrier and think something is wrong then even if you can't find hb then you are already worried and you should contact mw. The doppler settled my anxiety as its my 1st baby. I'm now 36 weeks and really only used it from 14-20 weeks. On occasion ill use it as I love the sound and can share that sound with dp and dsd :)

Bue · 27/10/2011 20:16

Any particular reason you want one?

I would say if you're a natural worrier then please don't do it - they can be such a source of unnecessary stress and worry! Our midwifery lecturer was telling us the other day about women who call her in a blind panic thinking their baby has died, when of course everything is right as rain.

Catsycat · 27/10/2011 20:59

I could never find the heartbeat when pg with DD1, despite ages trying. I think mine was the Angel Sounds one too. I got well acquainted with what I think was the sound of my intestines, then I ebayed it [hgrin].

pregnantmimi · 28/10/2011 04:49

I always wanted one and the midwife told me not to as can give a false sense of security she said that you can sometimes hear a "echo" which is like a heartbeat but not well that freaked me out so i didnt get one. Also I worried I would get a bit obsessed with using it and stressed out. Its up to you sometimes wondered if I should have got one.

VFVF · 28/10/2011 10:12

I really wouldn't. You are not trained to recognise the sound of your baby's heartbeat as opposed to your own Aorta.

article about the controversy

If you are a worrier (like me ) you are better off seeing your midwife, even if you feel you are being a pest, they are professionals and are there to reassure you.

ilianora · 28/10/2011 11:28

by the time your baby is big enough for you to hear it he/she will be kicking anyway which is the most reassurring thing. dont waste your money and cause yourself more stress :)

Wormshuffler · 28/10/2011 20:44

I hired one from ebay for the inbetween stage from 12 weeks until I could feel kicks. Paid for 3 months so £30 quid.
Even if I couldnt find the heartbeat I could usually hear it moving around in there.

Ains16 · 29/10/2011 07:44

I used mine from 13 wks, my 12 week scan was really late I ended up being 13+6 and into the 13th wk I had really convinced myself that I had lost. I had a missed miscarriage previously and so had no signs. I made sure I got a doppler that had a 3mgh probe as they are more sensitive, if you type that into ebay a selection will come up. My DH found babys heartbeat within minutes, cant tell you the relief as I know I was really spiralling that wk. I listen every couple of days at times its not as clear but you can hear it in the background, you can hear baby moving and the sound becoming louder. I too swithered over whether to buy one and for me it was the best thing to do. My other 2 DC's love listening to the baby and they really feel a part of things. Its for some people and not for others though, I know. Good luck with your pregnancy :)

blueskydrinking · 29/10/2011 13:23

General opinion on this is always not to bother. However....

I bought one on ebay as I spent most of my first pg in a state of anxiety. It wasn't until about 20 weeks and I did give myself a firm talking to first incase I couldn't hear what I wanted to. It took a bit of practice but I could clearly hear DS's heartbeat (faster than my own) and I loved to listen to it during the rest of my pregnancy, it was another way of feeling closer to the baby growing inside me.

Sandra2011 · 29/10/2011 13:51

I got a used one from Ebay for my first pregnancy and also now in second pregnancy have been using it in the early pregnancy when you cannot feel baby kicking yet.

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