Doppler at 12 weeks

[allisgood1]

So against my better judgement I tried using my doppler that says "from 12 weeks". I don't have ultrasound gel so I used spermicide gel anyway, once a 178 flashed up, then I saw 143, 134 the nothing only my heartbeat. I know it's notoriously hard to get a hb at this stage but were those flashes it? I have a scan tomorrow so trying to ease my nerves!

I would guess that those were flashes of your baby's hb. I first used my Doppler at 13 weeks and was able to detect the hb quickly because a midwife had done the same for me a few days before. It was much lower down than I would have thought it would be (right on my bikini line).

I don't find the display on my Doppler particularly good - the numbers jump up and down. Mine is borrowed from a friend who warned me this would happen. Instead I just record the hb and then time it using my iPhone to figure out the speed (always around 150 beats per minute).

There are some good videos on youtube about how to use dopplers. Also, you can make sure that what you are listening to sounds like other recordings of baby's heartbeats.

Thanks! I usually use it much later (from 16 weeks), but I did get those flashes when I had it low on my bikini line. I didn't really try much higher as I knew it would be pretty low still. Fingers crossed that was it!

I'm sure it was. It's difficult to find at 12 weeks though. Very best of luck with your scan tomorrow.

I always just listen and when I find it (chuffing train or galloping horse) I count beats for twenty seconds and then multiply by three. Do that a couple of times to get an average and I'm pretty content with my reading.

I used hair gel today because I couldn't find the Doppler gel. Obviously very good conductive material, as I found my 9w6d fetus in a couple of minutes...I've had a lot of practice though!

I found my heartbeat using a doppler at 11 weeks just about. I used baby oil works really well early on

34 + 1

Panicking now that I only had flashed of numbers. Definitely didn't hear anything. Third dc so should be used to finding it by now (although never this early). Scan will tell I guess

Sorry you are stressed, but this is why it really, really isn't a great idea to be using a home Doppler at 12 weeks. Even an experienced midwife wouldn't expect to reliably find the heartbeat this early. Now you are all worried and there is nothing that you can really do

I hope you don't have long to wait until your scan and that all is well

It's really hard early on - you have to press very hard on the pubic bone/bikini line and have it turned right up and even then you can not hear it. I couldn't find it a couple of days ago and I won't look again for a bit, because it's so variable this early on.

So don't worry, and good luck for your scan :)

Thanks. Scan was good baby was very wiggly which would examine my flashes of hb! I don't think I'll try now again until 16 weeks!

Congrats on the scan! That's wonderful. Sorry you had the worry beforehand.

Glad your scan went well I used a Doppler every day from 10 weeks to 24 when I could feel DS bouncing round. Just for info, baby lotion works really well instead of gel and you can rub it in afterwards . The smell of baby lotion now reminds me of all those evenings before my shower lying on the bed listening to my bump

He's now 4 months old and snoring in the corner of the room

That's really lovely hopelass :-)

glad it went well hb are really hard to find.