Fetal heart doppler, anyone got any experience?

[cinderellabelle]

I'm now 13+2 weeks pg. I have a 4 yr old DD then had 2 m/c and i'm very nervous hardly anyone knows i'm pg yet.

Had 12 week scan everything was perfect but it's so long till my nxt scan am wondering if the reassurance would be good?
I'm looking at an angelsounds doppler which claims it can pick a hb up at 12 weeks?

Anyone used one? Do they actually work?

Theres one on groupon today for £9 & postage if its any good for you?

www.groupon.co.uk/deals/nottingham/Chemist-4-U/7151447

I have the angel sounds one, piece of junk! I've tried all which ways and apart from until about 30 weeks it doesn't work. I think it causes more panic than help. If you really want one, go online and hire a proper one! It's not worth the money at all!

I dunno why they are allowed to call the angel sounds listening device a Doppler? it's misleading imho, nothing like the ones used by midwives. I used a similar one to the angel sounds one, it was made by summer infant and picked up nothing, total waste of money. I used the headphones for playing music to my bump and that's the most use I got out of the bloody thing!

Have a search online for a company called Anawiz, they hire the real Dopplers out at a reasonable price if you want the reassurance. I rented one in my first pregnancy, didn't bother during my second. I nearly hired one this time round as was so late feeling movement and this is a pg after a mmc last year, but by the time I dithered over it suddenly I was feeling movement all the time and now I'm nowhere near as scared. Bear in mind you'll probably see your midwife again within just a few weeks and she may well have a listen if you ask her (they don't all offer to do it for you tho!). Hope this helps :)

I got one, but no way did it work at 12 weeks - was more like 18. Nice to have, but if it's going to make you anxious if you can't hear anything, give it a miss

Hi Cinderellabelle, sorry to hear about your mc before but congratulations on your pregnancy. I had several miscarriages too so when I got as far along as a 12 week scan this time bought an Angel Sounds dopplar.

For me it has been such a comfort - there hasn't been one time that (with a bit of searching) I haven't been able to pick up a heartbeat (making sure it wasn't mine - it's very distinctive when you know what to look for). Particularly in the period between around 13 weeks and starting to feel the baby move at around 20 weeks, it really helped ease my mind. Staved off a few potential trips to A&E in panic!

I do know other people who haven't always been able to pick up a heartbeat though (baby has been fine!) so that has caused a bit of extra panic for them. I first managed to find the hb at around 13 weeks, but it took a good 5-6 mins (I was timing) to find it. It is very low at that time, more down towards the bikini line, and then as the baby grew the hb grew. If I search around with it I can hear the difference between the hb swishing through the placenta and the straight thumping of the hb.

Even now at 36 weeks pregnant I still get it out occasionally. Yesterday was one of those days as the baby had felt a bit quiet for a while. It was still moving, if it had really slowed down I would have gone to A&E, but I just wanted to hear the hb for added reassurance. I personally wouldn't have been without mine, but do bear in mind that other people have not had such reassurance from them. On the flip side I know a lot of people who have found them as helpful as I have. Up to you! For me it was £20-25 (on Amazon if I recall) very well spent.

I think they can cause more worry than reassurance. It can be possible to pick up a FH early, but if you can't find it you just worry yourself more... Can I not find it because its too low still, or have I lost this one too kind of scenario.

Many MWs aren't even listening in now because the information a 'quick listen in' gives is very limited. Fetal movements are much more reliable as an indicator of fetal well being. Unless you are on a CTG monitor, or are listening in through labout, of course.

If you do get one, I think you should wait until at least 15 - 16 weeks to listen in, especially if you are the kind of person who gets very anxious about it.

I have a sonoline one which I got from amazon. Exactly like the midwife uses and hasn't failed to pick up heartbeat since I got it about 13 weeks.

To all of you using these as reassurance do you know what it actually is you're listening for? Do they come with instructions as to how a fetal heart is interpreted? Genuine question because I have personally come across a woman who had one of these, had reduced movements and then used this to reassure herself and then ended up after a routine visit to the midwife having an emcs as her baby was very poorly which her midwife picked up during routine auscultation.

I have a sonoline one (£40 from amazon) which displays an average hb which we got around 16 weeks, after we had listening to what the hb should sound like when we saw the midwife. We also got an angel sounds one - managed to pick up the HB at 15 weeks and then never again.

I found it very helpful 21 ish weeks when bump had appeared and baby had started to move but it was not in any sort of pattern. I'm not sure i'd get one really early, but thats just me.

Tbh I think there should be far more routine visits to see midwives. 10, 16, 24, 28 feels like a long streach in between. Its all very well saying 'you should go see your midwife to hear the hb as they know what to look for' but if (like me) you got one for no reason other than reassurance there would be no reason for me to see the midwife in between appts anyway!

Based on the above it might actually be more helpful for midwives to try and educate couples who get a doppler on how to use it, what to listen for etc, and stressing the importance of movements being more important once they are establsihed / regular.

I have one, but my sister got it for me at 19 weeks and I've always found it easy to find heartbeat. I know which one is mine and which is beans, as I had a private reassurance scan at 17 weeks and the midwife let me listen to baby and explained what to listen out for. It's an angel sounds one, mine, and I've not had any problems. Having said that I tried using my sisters when I was about 15 weeks and couldn't hear anything, but I can't remember what brand it was. I do think that if you use them early you can risk being upset if you can't find the hb early on so probably wouldn't use one too early (but I'm not sure when is too early).

I've got the angel sounds one, had it since about 14 weeks and found hb each time - but it has often taken a fair bit of searching. also I gather if the mother is overweight or if the placenta is at the front it can make it harder to hear.

I wouldn't rely on it for medical purposes though, eg if there were other signs something was wrong I would still see a mw even if hb sounded fine. And I wouldn't panic if I couldn't find the hb as it could just be in the wrong position.

Really it's just a toy, but it's helped the whole thing seem more real to me and especially to DH.

I have an angel sounds and I picked up HB very early on. (around 9 weeks) It doesn't give you a heart rate so if you already want reassurance get a better one. I just counted for 15 secs and for a guesstimate. Once I had regular movement I stopped using it. Movement is far More important. I've had multiple losses and for me it did give peace of mind. I had a bleed at 16 weeks and the Doppler saved my sanity whilst I was waiting to be seen....

Im pregnant with dc2, didnt use one for ds. My sister lent me her angel sounds this time round and I picked up the hb about 13 weeks. Im 19 weeks now and I can feel the baby moving but not regularly yet so I still listen every day.

I had one last time and heard dd from 8w4d. I used it daily until I felt regular movements and then sold it. I found it very reassuring but took on board what my mw said about false reassurance. Up to 20 weeks which was when I was confident feeling movement everyday the mw only saw me once and listened to the hb for about 15 seconds, if there had been a problem at that stage they wouldn't have done anything anyway!
It gave me peace of mind and assuming my 7w scan goes ok on Friday I will be coming straight home and ordering one again !

I have an angel sounds one (cheapy thing) picked up HB at 9 weeks! Saved me lots of worry between 12 and 20 weeks

i borrowed this dopplerfrom my sister:
www.mumstuff.co.uk/acatalog/Hi-Bebe_BT-200_LCD_Fetal_Doppler_.html
there is no way i would have been able to afford it myself but would have looked on ebay for one and here's why: i've had two miscarriages, about a week before my 12 week scan was due i was frightened i was having a miscarriage - period like pain coupled with back pain, very simiale to how i felt the last two times. i spent 2 hours at the walk in centre waiting for a referral to the hospital. after another 4 hours in A&E, at 1am they sent me home without giving me a scan or even checking for a heartbeat. i was distraught and frightened but the next day i dug out the doppler which we had packed away but couldn't remember where, within a few minutes we found the heartbeat! if i hadn't had the doppler i would have spent that whole week in a desperate state. so i would def recommend one but if you are going to use one get a good brand otherwise you might just be causing yourself more panic...
Sorry that went on a bit :/

I've got a sonoline B one...use it about once a week, and just if I'm feeling panicky. I'm 20 weeks. I find it very reassuring. (previous late mc) Definitely worth the £40 it cost me. It has a screen so that you can see the HB. Baby is definitely lower down, more near the bikini line, than you think though, bear that in mind when you're trying to find the heartbeat.

Thanks for all your great advice (nets been down which is why im just replying.)
I decided to get one best desicision found it in 10 mins and wow it was emotional. So glad i got it