Home dopplers and early heartbeat

[Jenjen85]

I'm 11 weeks today and thought I'd have a go at trying to find babies heartbeat with the doppler I have was bought for me when pregnant with DD wouldn't have bought one myself and I know it's still early as it says to use from 14 weeks but I managed to find little ones heartbeat after about 5 minutes definitely babies and not mine lol not told my husband yet going to surprise him later. Super excited

[SweetSuz]

Thanks Disillusioned for a very fair post. I have a doppler. Used it with DS in 1st pregnancy when too early to feel movements but wanted to know he was "there" and feel connected. I also had an anterior placenta, which made monitoring movements very tricky and as they were far more sparse to feel, it was lovely to be able to connect to him in this way.

Using again (though far less often) now pregnant with DD. It grates on me the amount of people who lash out at the majority of women who use them, who like me, are fully aware of importance of counting the kicks/monitoring movement (when this starts) but occasionally just feel like hearing their babies heartbeat. And if you get a decent one, no they are not hard to use, with regular use it becomes very clear what is what and when it is the babies heartbeat or something else.

[TheDisillusionedAnarchist]

I am a HCP and don't have a problem with sensible use of home dopplers. I used my own in my pregnancy. I can't stand medical paternalism, the
'don't use this you're too stupid, they're only for us elite professionals' stuff.

HCP's should openly discuss home dopplers with parents in antenatal appointments, so they can make an informed choice about their use. They should be told that they tell you precisely nothing apart from the fact that there is a heartbeat present. Midwives can't tell variability from a doppler either, nobody can and infact midwives only listen with a doppler in pregnancy if the mother requests, there is no medical reason to do so. They can be used for fun only but is not clear whether there is any risks to the increased ultrasound exposure for the baby.

Home dopplers are not 'dangerous'. Using them for reassurance when there are signs of problems is dangerous. If health care professionals are clear about when women should seek professional advice and about the risks and benefits of a home doppler then this minimises problems. Banning them merely implies women are too stupid to judge risks and benefits for themselves and their children.

[JudgeBooby]

What's to stop a woman picking up a stethoscope during her later months, and using that instead of a doppler? Just because 'some' women will use a doppler to reassure themselves, it doesn't mean all will, and it doesn't mean they are dangerous and should be banned.

As I've said, there is more than enough information out there about the importance of monitoring movements. If that's something you ignore, then that is your prerogative, with or without a doppler in hand.

With all that said, I'll agree to disagree.

[lynholmerpark]

I see it as offering sensible and evidence based advice judge rather than scaremongering. Good luck with your pregnancy.

[ThursdayLastWeek]

I'm with Lj8893 on this.

I cannot imagine why anyone would want to use one.

[Lj8893]

There is a fine, fine line between using them for fun and unintentially using them for reassurance.

[JudgeBooby]

I'm 4 months into my 4th pregnancy and have never been told not to use one, despite discussing it openly with a midwife and consultant in the past, so it must depend on who you speak to really. There is enough information out there for people to make their own decisions without others scaremongering.

[Lj8893]

That's exactly is lyn. I have infact cared for women myself in those circumstances. The companies that manufacture and sell those things should be ashamed of themselves.

[lynholmerpark]

I think the point Lj8893 was making was that numerous hcp's have found themselves sadly caring for women who've been unintentionally reassured by the use of a home doppler and consequently not sought early medical advice. You are correct that it is not an either or thing but I personally feel they should not be marketed to women at a vulnerable time in their lives as a tool for reassurance. You wouldn't have an ECG machine at home for reassurance would you?

[Lj8893]

Well since medical advice is not to use one if not trained to do so, then yes I do question somebodies ability to listen to medical advice if they use one.

[JudgeBooby]

You don't know if it's too fast or too slow, but you wouldn't know that without a doppler either. So what difference does it make?

Your argument assumes that everyone who uses one lacks the common sense to listen to the medical advice, about tracking movement and trusting your own instincts. It is not an either or thing really is it?

[Lj8893]

It's not hysteria at all. Hcps advise against them for very good reasons, not because they are hysterical.

Yes, a fetal heartbeat is much faster, but do you know how fast is too fast? Or how slow is too slow? Can you hear a variability in the heartbeat? Accelerations? Any decelerations? No probably not. What might sound fine and healthy to you may sound worrying or poorly to a midwife.

[JudgeBooby]

I don't get the fuss, common sense applies when you use them. I have owned one since being pregnant with my second child in 2009. I have always first detected the heartbeat at around the 10 week mark.

There is a very easy way to differentiate between your own heartbeat and the baby's - it is MUCH faster!

Obviously, it's important to track movements later in pregnancy, and not to rely on a doppler, but they are a bit of fun and a good tool to help your partner share and enjoy small moments of the pregnancy with you.

Ignore the hysteria OP, they are not dangerous at all.

[Lj8893]

Nobody called you stupid. Even if you don't aim to use it for reassurance, the subconscious can trick you into thinking all is ok because you have heard the heartbeat when in fact all is not ok and without hearing the heartbeat you may have noticed a change in movements or an intuition. That can happen to even the most intelligent or logical person.

I really really hate that those things are for sale to the general public, they should be banned in my opinion. I have seen and heard too many sad stories and "close calls".

[Jenjen85]

Ladies thank you all for your concerns but I'm not stupid. This is DC2 and I would never dream of using it for reassurance. I had to be monitored quite a few times in my first pregnancy due to fast heartbeat/lack/more movement and all were advised by the midwife. Never did I once think to just pick up the doppler and check for myself. It has only ever been used so my husband could have a little listen later on in pregnancy as he never got to hear it at the scans. I didn't even think I'd hear anything but it was 100% babies that I heard yesterday and not my own.

[sizethree]

jenjen85 I really hope that you don't feel upset by these posts, or that anyone's halving a pop at you. Huge congratulations on your pregnancy, and it must be very exciting hearing a heartbeat so early. But I agree with other posters that a home doppler is a really bad idea. Please take a moment to have a read of the article on the Count the Kicks website. It's so imperative to understand how dangerous they are.
I had a massively anxious pregnancy (following 3 miscarriages) and was sorely tempted to buy one for reassurance. But was 100% talked around by my midwife as they cause more harm than good.
To be blunt, the heart is the last thing to stop if a baby is in distress, so a Doppler really can't be counted on for reassurance at all.

[Lj8893]

I'm so glad everyone is saying the same as me, I usually get shouted down when I say how dangerous they can be.

[Muskateersmummy]

I had many issues with my pregnancy but was always advised not to use a home Doppler. Please don't it can worry you unnecessary or worse, lull you into a false sense of security. Once you feel movements that is a much more reliable guide to your baby. If you are concerned at all, contact your mw.

[UterusUterusGhali]

Please. No.
Just no.

[BatMobile]

These things should not be available to the general public. Fucking ridiculous.

[lynholmerpark]

Echo what others have said OP.

Dopplers should be for professional use only. For example, how will YOU know the difference between a healthy heartbeat and pulsating placental vessels....?

Read this:
www.kickscount.org.uk/mums/your-babys-movements/why-shouldnt-i-use-a-home-doppler/

[honeysucklejasmine]

Noooo, please don't! Even midwives don't routinely listen until 16 weeks. This is the way of madness or potentially dangerous consequences if you use it improperly.

[Lj8893]

No Space, it must not be used for reassurance!

[Lj8893]

It's not just about the driving yourself mad trying to find a heartbeat.

It's when you might have a worry about lack of movements so use it and find a heartbeat so don't bother getting checked out by a professional, when actually you haven't found a heartbeat at all, or you have and it's a poorly heartbeat but you don't realise that and don't get help before it's too late.

Please don't use it again, it's so dangerous.

[spacefrog35]

As long as you know the dangers (which you clearly do) and are not intending it as anything other than a little bit of fun/reassurance then enjoy. & congratulations