Found heartbeat on a Doppler but it’s very low?

[Beckyxox12]

So I’ve been trying to find a heartbeat on this Doppler for weeks and I found it today at 15 weeks 4 days but it’s only the number has changed but it’s been from about 60-80bpm and I’ve heard it should be much higher than this

Are you sure you are picking up baby's heartbeat? Does the rate you are getting match your heart beat rate? It's common with home dopplers to pick up your pulse as it feeds the placenta.

60-80bpm is likely your heartbeat

Honestly it's very early. Some nhs trusts won't listen in with a doppler for weeks yet for this reason. :)
If you need some reasurrence give your midwife a call

Sounds like you're picking up your own heart rate not the baby's heartbeat

You're getting the wrong hb there. Babys will be 130 minimum, most are between 140 & 160.
Try placing the doppler over your own heart, you will clearly hear how the chambers sound when pumping. You are looking for a similar sound but around double the speed with baby.

I also think you're definitely picking your own heartbeat up and not baby's.

Throw the Doppler away!

They cause panic if heartbeat isn’t right, or false security as you might miss something is wrong that a midwife would detect

Honestly I wish these weren’t sold to the public

Definitely your own heartbeat.

This is why they don't suggest using home dopplers. Especially this early. It's more worry than it's worth

Please don’t use a Doppler. As people said, you won’t know what you’re listening for an will probably pick up your own.

You are picking up your own hr, which is one of the many reasons it isn't a good idea to use them at home. There have been instances where they have given women false reassurance that the baby is ok and it hasn't been. Please don't use it, leave it to the midwives who know what they are listening out for.

Another person here saying please don’t use one. You’ve already stressed yourself out by picking up your heartbeat not the baby’s. A heartbeat doesn’t always signal everything is ok. Once baby is bigger and you can feel movements, always go by the movements you feel and any changes there then seek help straight away, don’t rely on a Doppler to reassure you.

Put your Doppler in the bin. The sale of them to non medical professionals should be banned.

It’s almost certainly your own heartbeat you’re picking up but you can contact your midwife if you’re still worried.

Your finding your own heartbeat.

Why do people do this to themselves? Professionals can’t always find the hb at this stage so what makes you think you can? Throw the Doppler away.

Put the Doppler down. Nothing but an anxiety inducer.

You're definitely picking up your own heartbeat!

I'm obese and managed to pick up baby's heartbeat at eleven weeks - it isn't easy to find though. At this gestation they're close to the public bone.

I know people advise against using a home doppler, but having had previous bad experiences, it really helped relieve my anxiety in the period between first finding the HB and regularly feeling movement.

You're probably picking up the placenta or umbilical cord.

I don't think home dopplers are bad - but would defo make sure to put it away somewhere out of reach that you can't be tempted once you're feeling regular movement. After that milestone it's best to let the professionals check.

I felt fairly pragmatic about it earlier on as even if something was wrong it's not like anything can be done at that stage. So there's no increased danger from a false sense of reassurance.

Youtube has videos which show you the different doppler sounds so you can work out what you're hearing. And try not to stress if you can't find it, it can be positioning at this stage. If it is making you stress it might be worth getting rid of the doppler!

@Soubriquet

Throw the Doppler away!

They cause panic if heartbeat isn’t right, or false security as you might miss something is wrong that a midwife would detect

Honestly I wish these weren’t sold to the public

Yep!!!!!

I’m a midwife and I must echo what others have said. There’s a reason we don’t recommend using home dopplers. Without sounding like a knob you aren’t trained to use one and are going to end up causing yourself massive unnecessary anxiety.

Many people have said not to trust dopplers for reassurance once movement can be felt (and rightly so), so I wont echo that too much.

I use one, I have been using it since 8 weeks (to anyone reading this thinking about trying to find the HB at 8 weeks, go to youtube first, there are ladies who show you exactly how to angle it to pick up the sound to early, and you also have to have your doppler at full volume, and once you find the heart beat, don't linger on it for ages, just reassure yourself for a minute or so then turn it off), because I have had a MMC before and found it very reassuring. I am not one to panic quickly if the HB eludes me though- so not finding it quickly didn't cause stress.

At 15 weeks baby is still pretty adept at hiding. I suggest you go to youtube and find some videos of ladies finding HB's with their dopplers at or around 15 weeks, this will show you how to angle it and such to get the best chance of picking up the sound.

My midwife is fine with me using a doppler because she knows I am aware that it is NOT to be used to reassurance once movements can be felt, and she agrees with having some reassurance for people who have had MMC's while in the very scary first trimester.

I'm 31 weeks now and actually still use my doppler for a minute every day, but this is because I'm really enjoying knowing what my baby's "normal" is regarding their heart beat and it's like a little bonding thing. One time I even picked up their hiccups on it! Gosh that was so cute. Often times baby is awake while I'm listening and I'll also hear the whooshes of movement, and sometimes the doppler probe gets kicked!

That's your heartbeat or the placenta

I used a Doppler during my twin pregnancy but I know what I'm listening for and how to tell the difference between a baby heartbeat and the placenta/my own heartbeat. To the point I often had to show community midwives and midwives at my hospital when I was in for monitoring where my twins heartbeats could
Be found and also when the heart rate machines were picking up the same twin heartbeat not 2 different ones

16 weeks is still very early and baby has likely just shifted position

@Peacefulspirit

I no this thread is old but could you help, I have the implant in and have been taking test and all positive I will attach pic been to see family planning they took test negative, so a don’t no what’s going on, I bought a fetal Doppler and I’m getting my heart rate around 68/70 ish but also getting between 127 up to 141 is that the baby’s heart rate? I Carnt hear it just the number show up I place it on the hair line in the middle and that’s where it picks it up
Thanks

I would only be a few weeks if I was pregnant

shock123 with absolute kindness, there is no way you're picking up a fetal heartbeat at a few weeks pregnant. I would suggest you phone your GP or EPU and ask for a hcg blood test.

Home Dopplers should be banned!

You're not trained on how to use it, you might think everything is OK when it's not... get rid of it!

I'm currently 22 weeks pregnant and I'm ashamed to admit that I have a Doppler and use it sometimes.

Now that I can feel movement I rely more on movement though and use the Doppler less.

I believe there's different things you can hear on a doppler:

The placenta (sounds like a washing machine), your own heartbeat, the umbilical cord and the baby's heartbeat.

When you found something that sounds like a galloping horse at a speed varying between 120-160 beats per minute, its your baby's heartbeat.

Once you know what it sounds like, it's almost impossible to confuse with anything else.

It's basically a fast racing techno track. Very "tacktacktacktacktacktack".

I agree though that Dopplers can give a lot of anxiety! Especially in the early weeks where babies can hide as they are so small and you can't find the heartbeat.

I also find that my baby kicks the Doppler sometimes, so I wonder if Doppler use can be distressing to a baby?