Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

16 week midwife appointment

44 replies

Burtiebojangles · 17/12/2018 17:41

Did the midwife check your baby’s heartbeat at the 16 week appointment?

I know every area is different but I’ve read different things that sometimes they do but also that they shouldn’t until you’re much further along because of new guidelines.

I’ve got my appointment in the morning and just curious as to what to expect. 😊

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Original poster

Burtiebojangles · 18/12/2018 12:58

Thank you everyone. Had my appointment this morning and my midwife offered to check. I asked if it would be easy to find and she explained that it’s not always and some midwives wouldn’t do it but she likes to offer it.

I decided not to. I’d got myself worked up already and figured that her not finding a heartbeat would cause me more stress than the reassurance I’d get if they did. She was lovely and said that was fine and she’ll check at my 25 week appointment when it would be easier to find.

OP posts:

SassehMonsta · 18/12/2018 13:25

Mine offered at 16 week appointment, with the understanding that she may not be able to find it and not to worry if she couldn't.
Pleased to say she did after a few minutes, and baby was very wriggly in the meantime!

Unicorn234 · 18/12/2018 16:35

Mine did 🙋‍♀️ I was 15+2
I'm in the Midlands xx

JustMe18 · 18/12/2018 18:00

@Burtiebojangles You should have taken the chance.. My placenta is anterior and she was able to find my baby girls heartbeat. See if you can go before 25 weeks as it's pretty amazing 💗💗

Orlande · 18/12/2018 18:10

Just - but what if she couldn't find it? So much stress and upset.

JustMe18 · 18/12/2018 18:40

@Orlande Why wouldn't she find it?

Orlande · 18/12/2018 18:55

Have you not read the thread?

It can be difficult to find the heartbeat this early which is why some areas/midwives don't try until later.

Unicorn234 · 18/12/2018 19:14

Yes I agree with PP
It took the midwife a while to find my baby boys heart beat but she said not to worry as the baby is still quite small at that stage anyway. But once she found it, it was lovely 😊
I went into my appointment feeling so nervous and also with my scans but I just think it's natural. I would of never not wanted to hear it ❤💙

Beckyv88 · 18/12/2018 19:27

Mine did in London. But like others, she said there was no guarantee she’d find it. I insisted anyway and luckily she found it.

JustMe18 · 18/12/2018 20:09

@Orlande Yes. I've read the post.

I'm speaking from experience! I had my 16 week appointment, with an anterior placenta, and she found it.

SoyDora · 18/12/2018 20:12

I'm speaking from experience! I had my 16 week appointment, with an anterior placenta, and she found it

So because they found yours (one person), there’s no reason they wouldn’t be able to find everyone’s? Even though the policy not to check at 16 weeks in some trusts due to the difficulty of being able to find it was brought in because of their experience in trying to find it for thousands and thousands of women?

JustMe18 · 18/12/2018 20:14

@SoyDora How about the other ladies who DID hear the heartbeat. I'm not the only one.

SoyDora · 18/12/2018 20:15

Of course you’re not . But you said ‘why wouldn’t they be able to find it?’. Obviously there is a strong risk of not being able to find it, which is why the policy was introduced.

JustMe18 · 18/12/2018 20:26

@SoyDora I'm trying to be positive. If OP has anxiety over her appointment (I was nervous before mine and will continue to be until baby is in my arms) I'm not going to be pessimistic and add to her nerves.

Lazypuppy · 18/12/2018 20:29

Nope didn' get to hear it until 24weeks

SoyDora · 18/12/2018 20:30

The OP had already made the decision not to let them try and find it as she knew that it would add to her anxiety if they couldn’t. As there is a significant risk that they wouldn’t be able to find it at that stage due to the baby being so small and potentially in the wrong position, that seems like a sensible decision.

JustMe18 · 18/12/2018 20:33

@SoyDora Cool.

Boobahs · 18/12/2018 21:04

I had my 16 week appointment 2 weeks ago and she asked if I wanted her to check, I did but she couldn't find it. She did warn me that she may not be able to (I was 15+6) but I was still worried. She asked me to go back the following week and said if she couldn't find it then, she would send me for a scan. In the meantime, I found it at home with my doppler a couple of days later which relieved some of the worry and when I went back to her, she found it straight away!

mortifiedmama · 18/12/2018 21:07

OP I think you made a sensible decision.

I had a tiny bleed at 28 weeks. Ended up at maternity assessment. A senior, very experienced midwife couldn't find the heart beat. It took her so long she was about to refer me for an immediate scan, with the belief she would be delivering bad news. Thankfully I could feel him wiggling like mad so whilst she was worried, I wasn't. She did eventually find it.

They don't always find it. It is worrying.

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread