Can't find heartbeat on Doppler 13 weeks

[elle6]

Hi everyone

I can't find babies heartbeat on the doppler I've bought, a lot of Internet forums say from 11-12 weeks you should be able to find it and I'm 13 weeks.

Panicking a bit!

Shall I just not attempt to use it again and trust that all is well as no pain or bleeding/cause for worry or persevere?

never ever use a home doppler!!

its dangerous for your stress levels. throw it away and see your midwife at 12ish weeks

Throw it away. Even trained midwives struggle to find it using a Doppler before 15 weeks, you should not be using one.

Throw it in the bin where it belongs.

Have you ever found it? No? Probably because you really shouldn't use medical equipment if you aren't trained.

Throw it away and talk to your HCP.

Please do not use it. They are not reliable

I've had multiple miscarriages and stupidly thought this would reassure me.

I had my scan last week and everything was fine, I see midwife and consultant on Wednesday as I'm high risk.

I'll take everyone's advice and give it away or bin it.

Even midwives can struggle to find a heartbeat at later gestations. I remember my midwife saying she would try to find the heartbeat with the Doppler at 16 weeks but not to panic if she couldn't as it can be hard to pick up, so I wouldn't panic about not being able to find it yourself at 13 weeks.

They advise against home dopplers as it can cause unnecessary anxiety, it can also cause mothers to think everything is ok as they've heard a heartbeat and ignore other signs like reduced movements (obviously later in the pregnancy when you can feel regular movements).

The midwife may or may not listen at 16 weeks - and there was a push when I was pregnant for it not to be routine at 16 weeks, because often they can't be found at that stage by an expert.
Bin the doppler!

Because you’re not a medical professional.

Bin it.

I've read terrible things about dopplers and how they shouldn't be used at home for this precise reason.
I went to the hospital with bleeding at 14 weeks. They asked if I wanted them to try and find the heartbeat but warned me that it would be more unusual for them to actually find it at 14 weeks than not and only to proceed if I wouldn't worry that they couldn't find it. I let them look and it took 2 trained midwives about 40 mins of searching (bless their souls!). So at home, without the proper equipment and training, I am not at all surprised you can't find anything at 13 weeks. I really hope everything is OK with your baby but I wouldn't trust the doppler.

Sometimes trained midwives struggle to find the heartbeat even at 16 weeks +. Please step away from the doppler. I really wish they didn't sell them.

Many areas don't even try at the 16 wk midwife appointment as it causes such worry. Mine couldn't be found at 20 weeks until the head midwife tried. They shouldn't be sold

Throw it away. Honestly. People either can’t find anything, and worry; or find something they think is the heartbeat but isn’t; and it’s false reassurance. They shouldn’t be for sale to the public.

When I had bleeding at 13 weeks with my second baby the midwife at triage really didn't want to use a Doppler as a) it would worry me further if she couldn't hear anything and b) because it was far too early for her to pick anything up... that was from someone with years and years of experience and a degree. Please don't use one at home 😥

Hope you're okay OP - but don't worry! A trained nurse couldn't find a heartbeat in either of my legs with a Doppler, and I've definitely got a heartbeat 😊

I wouldn't worry. When I went for my 16 week check up, my midwife listened in with the Doppler. She did warn me that baby was so small she might not be able to pick up a heartbeat but would try. It took a while and heartbeat wasn't very strong as baby was still tiny, i was so worried after. She said to me before that point she wouldn't even have attempted to listen. 13 weeks baby is way too small to use a Doppler. But I'm now 24 weeks and baby is fine. definitely don't use it again.

A home Doppler belongs in a bin.

they are dangerous, dangerous, dangerous things that the lay person has no training to ever understand. They lull people into false sense of security and misplaced waves of anxiety.

people who manufacture and market these should hang their heads in shame

Thirteen weeks is too early. Even at 16 weeks you need to know where to place the doppler by palpating the uterus first. Even then it might not be possible.
At 13 weeks the uterus is only just appearing above the symphysis pubis, you can just about feel it.
Home dopplers are really not a good idea.

Absolutely agree

A home doppler will cause you more panic and worry than reassurance.

If you are concerned speak to your midwife.

Please throw it away OP. My midwife couldn’t ever find my DS on a Doppler. Speak to your midwife on Wednesday. Totally understand why you tried it but it will just make your anxiety worse. So sorry you have had losses. Let your midwife know how you feel too. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy 💐xx

I’m trained and I struggled to find a heart beat at 25 weeks recently.
Don’t use it please

Home Dopplers are just for fun. You shouldn't ever use them for reassurance or be concerned if you don't hear anything. If you do find a heartbeat, it's quite likely to be your own blood being pumped through your placenta.

I loved my home Doppler. But it shouldn't be used for reassurance.

Using it for fun, or bonding, crack on!
Using it to make sure your baby is ok is a terrible idea!

I used it for fun, so when I couldn't find the heartbeat (I usually could, not not always), I was able to shrug and get on with my day.

The fact that you are worried enough to make this post however, suggests to me that a doppler isn't a good idea for you.

No, that sounds very different. There are three distinct sounds - your own heartbeat, placentas sounds, and the baby's heartbeat. Over you've had some practice it's very easy to tell the the apart, the difficulty is that at this gestation, the baby is still very hard to find (and often a lot lower than you'd expect).

I had to give 'directions' to my midwife at 16w, after she gave up on finding the heartbeat. I told her where baby liked to hang out, and she found her.

But dopplers should only ever be used for fun.