Heard my baby's heartbeat today!

[Chaseley]

So I went and bought a fetal Doppler, after reading pretty good reviews.
It arrived today, was like a child at Christmas opening the box!
Took absolute ages, I was ready to give up, however my mother is no quitter! We finally found it, his heartbeat is so strong! Managed to record it too, so happy.
14+1 today :)

Sorry but you'll find a lot of us are against dopplers for home use. They really should only be used by healthcare professionals.

Agree with PP. dopplers should be use daily by those trained to do so

Bad idea!

How do you know it wasn't your own heartbeat , the placental flow or one of your arteries?

I agree with the others. I didn't even realise my own heartbeat could be heard from there until my midwife once said "well, your heartbeat sounds fine" :)

At 14 weeks it can be hard to find the HB. As the week go on it gets easier to find. Yes they do say not to use them as it causes concern when HB can't be found but I have one. I got it for reassurance as I had a mc last year. I think I got it around 16/17 weeks and found the HB easy enough every time. I was cautious not to get one too early as I knew I wouldn't be comfortable if I couldn't find it. Haven't really used it since about 18 weeks as he doesn't stop kicking now! It's nice to hear the heart beat though, isn't it? My gel has run out.

You hear your own HB at the bottom of you ribs. You can tell the difference.

Ah that's lovely

You also hear your own HB low down on your abdomen, particularly the sides which comes from your uterine arteries. Dopplers also double your HR to sound like a FHR. Even trained HCPs can think they're monitoring a FHR and it's actually maternal

Some of these posts are a bit

I'm glad you found it and enjoyed the experience OP

I would agree that it should be used with caution - however it is perfectly easy to tell the difference between your own and the baby's heartbeat - the baby's will be going at double the speed! If you locate the placenta it will have a similar pulse to you (60-80ish bpm). The baby will be 130bpm++.

Congrats OP! It's a lovely thing to hear.

I had one for the earlier weeks, but now I can feel her move I have abandoned it, which is what is recommended.

Dopplers don't double your heart rate, or that of the baby's. An HCP will often use the mother's radial pulse to distinguish FHR, which will be going around double the speed of the mother's. If a Doppler did double the mother's pulse (which it doesn't), FHR would theoretically also be doubled so there would still be a distinction (with FHR heard as 260bpm+!!)

Lovely! Wishing you a great pregnancy :)

As a hcP who uses dopplers every day, I can assure you dopplers have the ability to double a MHr as they are set up to pick up a certain range of HB.

It is good news.

OP you will find a lot of MN are against them, as are most healthcare practitioners, due to how easy it is to mistake either the blood flow in the placenta or your own heartbeat for the baby's.

We do have one, and I would say only use it as a sort of treat now and then, don't ever rely on it if, for example, you have reduced movement or extensive cramping or bleeding.

As just a nice added extra, enjoy it! If you are using it for reassurance when worried however, this should always be something you go to your midwife about.

I understand why people are against them after say 24 weeks, but why before then? If the Doppler reassures a mum at 14 weeks what harm can it do? Reduced movements aren't an issue until later in pregnancy.

Congratulations OP.

There was story (on here actually) about a lady who lost her baby but was convinced the doctors were wrong as she thought she was hearing on the doppler. Of course she was mistaken. Utterly heartbreaking and I really don't think should be sold.

Hey all, thanks for your messages....completely get people who are against them....I was so skeptic all at first, I was excited when I was "hearing" his hb, would record it and send it to my mum who would have to tell me what I heard was actually the placenta....however, i always have my mum listen for reassurance as after 6 kids I definitely trust her judgement!
I only use it for reassurance as other than that at this stage I don't feel anything yet.
Once he starts kicking me, I won't bother using it as I will monitor his movements to know everything is okay, I wouldn't ever rely on the Doppler to tell me anything should I genuinely be worried as I get I'm not trained and if anything would reassure me, it would be a scan