Home Doppler I know I shouldn't !!

[SamRwl]

I really do understand that I shouldn't be using a home Doppler, I had one from my first pregnancy and I've been using it for the past few weeks, been able to find baby's heartbeat and was around 130 every time, I went to use it last night and this morning (I'm now 12weeks) and it's showing at around 75bpm I'm getting really worried and my scan isn't for another week !!

Could this be the babies heartbeat slowing down! I'm getting myself so worked up and don't know how I'll cope waiting a week until my scan!

Any advice appreciated xx

Bin it!!! Then call your midwife. Unless you are a trained professional you shouldn’t be using them. Midwives don’t even listen out for it until 16 weeks earliest so you could be causing yourself worry for no reason.

75bpm is your heart rate. There's an artery running close down there that dopplers pick up.

Yeah that sounds like you are probably picking up your own heartbeat. This is exactly why you shouldn't use them.

You know logically at this stage it can still be difficult to find the heartbeat, and even if you heard it previously, baby can easily move position so you can't find it again. But of course when you suddenly can't find it, it is really hard to think logically and you can't help think the worst.

I honestly believe home dopplers should be banned.

They're so unreliable. Proving false reassurance, when actually things should be checked out. Then at the other end of the spectrum, causing unnecessary stress and worry when actually everything is ok.

*Providing not Proving please give us an edit function

Bin the Doppler, sounds like your heart rate

You a picking up your own heart beat that’s why Dopplers shouldn't be used. Even an experienced midwife would struggle to fine a heartbeat using a Doppler at 12 weeks.

Please stop using it!
They shouldn't be used in this way. I will admit that I bought one and used it but only as a bonding thing. You're not a medical professional (I'm assuming!) so don't have the training or knowledge to use it properly. It's just going to cause you unnecessary stress and anxiety.

If you are concerned please go and get checked quickly
The Kicks Count campaign gives excellent advice and they don't like Dopplers

I'm with the others, it's likely your heart beat and just don't bother with it you'll end up more stressed!

Pretty sure that is your heart rate. Try taking your pulse at the same time or get someone else to do it. I imagine is very difficult to get a good heart reading of a tiny foetus anyway.

If you are worried call your midwife and discuss it with her.

I'm torn on home Doppler. If I'd had one and checked breech DSs heart rate at 37.4 weeks (and had abdominal pain dismissed by the midwife) I may have picked up a falling heart rate and demanded I was seen. Instead I have a disabled child. Very, very torn on these machines. Totally get where all the negativity is but as a nurse myself, i just see it as a tool which may or may not give false readings, and something that would be just one part of my decision making.

IMO it's fine to use them at this stage if you're very clear that there is nothing that could be done anyway AND you're aware of potential issues of false reassurance, own heartbeat etc. I found it a really useful thing in between very far apart scans etc. I didn't have a heart rate reading on mine though.

I do disagree with the previous post about using at 37 weeks (very sorry to hear about your son's injury) - if you have any doubts at that point you need to be seen properly with relevantly qualified medical staff etc - it's just as likely that someone could use at home in that situation, find heartbeat and be reassured, unaware that a falling heartbeat is reason for concern. In fact stillbirth has happened due to this in the past which is part of the reason why they are not recommended for home use.

Stop using it,does sound like it was your heart rate. Babies heart rate goes up and down when they are moving too. Im 25wks & took my midwife a while to track my babies so for u just being 12wks it will be hard for u to know whats yours,your babies and even the cord gets picked up on it.
Save driving yourself crazy bin it, i agree with kick counting the further along u get,im on baby no.6 & this is what i go with.

I've used one all the way through this pregnancy but you do need to know which heartbeat you're picking up. The 75 will be your own. If any doubt please go to hospital, don't allow a home Doppler to reassure you if you are worried.
I mostly use mine because I just like to hear my baby. If I had any worries I'd go straight to triage x

Probably your heart rate. At 12 weeks you can't really do much even if there is a problem, but if you need reassurance you can usually book in a next day private scan.

Thanks everyone! I'm going to stop using it! I've had no other reason to worry!! Still got the morning sickness and everything else my scan is a week tomorrow so not long to wait really x

I’ve got one that a friend gave me but I only use it for fun, if I thought something was wrong I wouldn’t use it for reassurance. But yes it is obviously very important to be able to tell the difference between your baby’s heartbeat and your own.

Found babies heartbeat today at 140bpm relieved is an understatement ❤️excited about Mondays scan now x

Oh good, glad you're calmer now.

I've got one and it saved me. I had loses and no successful pregnancy so time between two scans was an absolute nightmare for me. Since I got doppler (16w) - my stress levels are WAY lower and whilst I know that it is not a guarantee that everything is 100% right - it does give me strength to survive until next scan. I'm 19+5 now and I am feeling my baby move - so I'll stop using it for reassurance - but in all honesty, I really don't think me and my baby would have gotten this far if I wasn't able to hear her heartbeat when I needed to over the last few weeks.

@Aneley I know what you mean. They can be very reassuring before you start to feel movement.

So I had a Doppler. I didn’t use it for reassurance with regards movements, but I did use it occasionally between 12 week scan and feeling movements. I’ve not touched it since until last night (41 weeks!) when I thought I’d try. Honestly it’s a bloody nightmare. I couldn’t find the heartbeat for love nor money despite seeing baby moving around and knowing where the heartbeat really should be. However I wasn’t using it for reassurance or anything, just saw it in the corner and thought I’d have a go. Anyway the moral of this story is- put the Doppler away and leave it to the professionals. Even with an overdue baby it was hard to find the heartbeat, so at 12 weeks it’s going to be even harder!!