No heartbeat on doppler

[Charlie14]

I'm 12 weeks and can't find the heartbeat...should I be worried or just leave it? I never used one of these with my first pregnancy but my friend gave me one and I cant find a heartbeat...I had a scan at 9 weeks and all good. I've got my 12 week scan on Monday...do I just wait? Thanks

Yes you wait.

and you do not use the machine again

You could book a private scan if you want to for reassurance but most Epu’s are shut weekends and some would tell you just to wait.

this is exactly why midwives says people shouldn’t use them at home. My trust doesn’t even do the heartbeat check with them at 16 weeks anymore to avoid cases where it can’t be found and panic happens

I think you'll drive yourself crazy over the weekend so if it was me I'd book a private scan. Please stay away from home dopplers they cause so much stress

Before 16 weeks the HB is very hard to find, even for a professional. I’m 15 weeks and it took a while to find mine, if I tried myself there is no way I would have even put the Doppler where my Dr did, so much further down than I thought it would be.

Okk thank you. My friend was like "I found the heartbeat at 9 weeks and listened everyday its soo good" but obviously doesn't work like that for everyone. I'm going to wait till Monday morning and try relax. Thank you x

The sound of the placenta and your own heartbeat can also be mistaken for baby. Home Dopplers are more dangerous than reassuring

Some midwives, who are professionally trained on how to use these things, won't use them until at least 16 weeks, my midwife wouldn't use it until 20 weeks, because they can't always find a heartbeat and it just causes anxiety.

OP I'm a midwife and I would likely take a while to find the fetal heart at 12 weeks, we don't usually listen in until 20 weeks.
I strongly advise that you don't use the Doppler anymore, it can cause unnecessary worry (like you have experienced today), but it can also provide false reassurance when people should be seeking medical advice. This link gives further information. www.kickscount.org.uk/why-we-want-home-doppler-sales-to-be-regulated#:~:text=The%20most%20significant%20risk%20of,delays%20in%20seeking%20medical%20assistance.

You can't find a heartbeat because you're not a trained sonographer. Would you try to give yourself surgery or take blood? Presumably not, so don't use a Doppler.

These machines should be banned! It can be very hard to detect the baby's heartbeat. Even if they do pick up a heartbeat, you might be picking up your own heartbeat or the placenta, not necessarily the baby's. It can cause unnecessary panic or false reassurance.

Thanks for the helpful comments...not thanks to the sarcastic comment.

There wasn’t sarcasm from the PP, just being forthright.

when did you get the machine?

My friend gave it to me. I've had it since 6 weeks but only just used it today. I guess I didn't realise how bad they where when my friend said she heard the heartbeat everyday from 9 weeks x

So you have never used before and so presumably never heard a heart beat before?

Put the machine in a cupboard and try to distract yourself

Throw out the doppler, and destroy it so no one else uses it either

Why do they even sell these things and it's all over the Internet telling you how to do it etc. I will put it away and not use it and just wait for my scan Monday.

Corporate greed.
There are lots of things for sale that are unsafe/dangerous but profit comes above all else.

Also, your friend sounds like a bit of a bullshitter.

I’ve heard this story so many times. Health services all over the world strongly advise NOT to use home Dopplers.
your mental health as a mum to be is so important.

Also, your friend sounds like a bit of a bullshitter.

why? I loved mine. Worked just as friend described.

Whilst I would never ever ever give one to a friend, I certainly had a very positive experience that echoed what the friend said.

If its any reassurance the trainee midwife at my appointment couldn't find mine at over 16 weeks no matter how hard she tried in various positions and she had watched several and had some practice prior to mine, she had to wait for the midwife who had years of experience to find it and all was fine just hard to get the right angle, even in trained hands they can be difficult to use.

Why is alcohol sold? And cigarettes? Money > safety and they expect people to do their own research

I have a Doppler been using it since 9 weeks found rhe heart beat every single time. I’m 33 weeks now so I don’t use it anymore as baby is always moving. There are a few tips I can give if you want to try again
make sure you have full bladder, this lifts up your uterus close to the surface
lay flat…. Flat flat FLAT!! Best place actually is with your feet on the floor and lay back on the bed. Use a fair amount of the gel. And take your time very slowly moving it slowly and pointing in different angles as you go. It will be significantly faster than yours at around 170.

They need to ban these things.

Nah, she didn't.

You can hear a lot of sounds through a Doppler - placenta, your own heartbeat, gastrointestinal sounds. Consistent heartbeat at 9 weeks gestation? Nope.

A Doppler in untrained hands is at best useless and at worst dangerous.

My advice would be to throw it out.