16 week midwife appointment, did you get to hear the heartbeat?

[howmanyroads]

Got my 16wk appointment tomorrow and I just wondered how many of you got to hear the heartbeat at yours?

(I realise a lot of these aren't being done face to face at the moment depending where you live)

I did. But I am extremely lucky that my midwife is very hands on and contactable and cross about all these restrictions.

From what I have read on here it is quite rare. I am 34 weeks though so things may have moved on.

Yes I did, I was 16 weeks in july. But I have had super good midwife care in my area, no different to my other pregnancies without a pandemic!

No - I didn’t in any of my pregnancies (pre Covid)

I did :) if you are still being seen in person you will get to hear it at every appointment from now!

Regardless of Covid the nice guidelines say that midwives should not listen for the heartbeat as routine.

@JacobReesMogadishu not all midwives seemingly follow this though so its pot luck, I've had heartbeat done at 16 weeks all three of my pregnancies.

I did. I was 16 weeks only last month and she listened in...x

OK thanks all. I would love the reassurance so I will ask anyway, and if they say no/can't find it I think that'll be me booking in for a private scan next week!

Why would the guidelines say not to attempt to get the heartbeat? As an anxious mother-to-be I was relieved to hear it each time. Is the mental health of the mother not important?

My midwife explained that as the baby us still so small at 16 weeks, depending on position, it can be really difficult to find the heartbeat and so it is not always recommended as not finding it would cause more worry, even if theres nothing wrong other than baby being in an awkward position. Having told me that, she gave me the option whether I wanted her to try or not, whilst being clear that it might not be possible.

I think it depends on your trust. In mine they don’t listen for heartbeat until 24 week appointment. That’s not to do with Covid, it’s written in the appointments schedule.

Apart from 2 scans I didn't get a face to face appointment till 25 weeks. You should get to hear the heartbeat though.

I did at my 16 week appointment. I’m with Kingston Hospital and my 16 week appointment was early June !

Mine did, this morning. It seemed like it was my choice and she did warn that at 16 weeks there is no guarantee she'd find it.

I heard the heartbeat. Prior to doing it my midwife said we might be able to hear a heartbeat so I knew that it wasn't a given that we would be able to hear it.

Nope, my trust don’t offer it until the 25 week appt.

Nope, my trust don't offer it until 22 weeks or so

No heartbeat for me. I only did blood pressure, urine sample and a whooping cough vaccine.

I got to hear my baby’s heartbeat via a doppler at my 16 week appointment. The midwife did say that I wasn’t to panic if she couldn’t pick it up as it depends how the baby is lying.

I had a face to face 16 week app (based in Scotland) and it isn’t standard to do the heartbeat. Mostly because it can cause unnecessary worry. The first time I heard it was the 20 week scan x

Mine was on the phone but they don't offer it here until the 24 week appointment as so often they were struggling to find it at 16 weeks and causing unnecessary worry.

No in my trust they refuse to try as the baby is so small it's hard for them to consistently hear it xx

Mine did (pre-Covid). She did make it very clear that hearing the heartbeat wasn't a guarantee since baby is so small still, and that not being able to find it was not an indication that something was wrong.

Yes I did but only because I asked... my midwife said it isn't usually offered because it can be hard to find and that causes unnecessary anxiety.

My midwife didn't listen to the heartbeat at any of my appointments which was pretty disappointing.