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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

16 week appointment - could not find heartbeat?

37 replies

swivel34 · 23/08/2023 17:45

I went for my 16 week midwife appointment and asked to hear babies heartbeat. My midwife was reluctant and said it was too early, but tried - and could not find the heartbeat! She said she could hear baby moving around and not to worry, she was not concerned at all.

However this panicked me. I rang the hospital and they also just told me not to worry and it's their policy to not do this before 22 weeks for this exact reason.

But I am worried. Has this happened to anybody else?

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Elttek · 23/08/2023 17:50

My midwife struggled to find my baby's today and I'm 32 weeks! I could see and feel him moving in there though, and she could feel where he was off to so was able to 'catch' him with the doppler in the end. I wouldn't be surprised of it's even more hit and miss at 16 weeks

Absolutelynotfor2019 · 23/08/2023 17:53

Perfectly normal and many midwives do not even try until 20+ weeks . Your anxiety is the reason why . Try and relax.X

HollyBollyBooBoo · 23/08/2023 17:54

So natural to be worried and will make no difference for any of us to say 'don't worry'. Could you buy/borrow a Doppler and try at home, or get a private appointment for a scan?

nocoolnamesleft · 23/08/2023 17:56

And this is why the midwife was reluctant to try.

Original poster

swivel34 · 23/08/2023 17:56

Thank you. The earliest I can get a private scan is next Thursday (I'm going away tomorrow). I still feel pregnant (nauseas, tired etc) so I am hoping it's all fine. Going to be a long week... hopefully I will feel some kind of flutter to reassure me soon.

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OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 23/08/2023 18:00

So your midwife was reluctant as it is tricky at 16 weeks but you kept asking anyway and now you are panicking that she couldn't find it. This is why she was very reluctant! Midwife told you she could hear baby moving around and not to worry, so stop worrying!

Original poster

swivel34 · 23/08/2023 18:03

I did not keep asking, I asked once!? Naturally I'm a little bit anxious (you don't know my history - this is a high risk pregnancy), and I just wanted some reassurance to see if this happened to anybody else and all was ok in the end!

OP posts:

Mumoftwo2022 · 23/08/2023 18:03

if midwife said baby is moving around then there is a heartbeat. Ive had heartbeats listened to both times at 16 weeks but i would feel assured that midwife said baby is moving around she just can’t catch the heartbeat

Tiredmum100 · 23/08/2023 18:08

HollyBollyBooBoo · 23/08/2023 17:54

So natural to be worried and will make no difference for any of us to say 'don't worry'. Could you buy/borrow a Doppler and try at home, or get a private appointment for a scan?

I wouldn't do this. I think it's not recommended as people have picked up the mothers heartbeat, not the babies. If you're untrained, then it will open a whole load of further anxiety. I

NEMSparkle · 23/08/2023 18:09

HollyBollyBooBoo · 23/08/2023 17:54

So natural to be worried and will make no difference for any of us to say 'don't worry'. Could you buy/borrow a Doppler and try at home, or get a private appointment for a scan?

Please don't follow this advice, down right dangerous and ridiculous.

If a trained professional with actual medical grade equipment cannot find a fetal heartbeat then why would someone untrained be able to? And would they be able to tell the difference between maternal, placental and fetal sounds.

OP Please speak to your Midwife or hospital again if you have any concerns. Agree listening before 20 weeks causes more anxiety they are little and wiggly and difficult to pick up at 16 weeks.

buzzlightyearsgloves · 23/08/2023 18:11

My trust doesn't do heartbeats at any appointments anymore. Midwife told you no, you asked her to so she did it against policy and then you rang the hospital probably getting her into trouble. This is why the policy is not to do it.

pythongreenporsche · 23/08/2023 18:12

Don't buy a Doppler! It's so hard for pros to find the heartbeat at this stage and dopplers are so dangerous for giving you false reassurance later, even when you don't know what you're listening for and could easily be listening to blood flow to the placenta etc. Baby is still super tiny and I've honestly never known a midwife ro even try on a request unless mum is super skinny. If you're slightly more covered it's harder still

cryinglaughing · 23/08/2023 18:13

Don't waste your money on a private scan 🙏🏻
What will be will be.
I would be reassured that the midwife could hear baby moving, if she had any concerns, I'm sure she would have referred you to the hospital.

Clefable · 23/08/2023 18:15

I went in for my section at 39 weeks and they couldn't find my baby's heartbeat during their pre-checks! My whole stomach was moving, she was kicking away, so it wasn't scary as obviously she was alive and well, but it took them a while to actually find the heartbeat. They even wondered if she had turned breech but they eventually got it.

Tbh though like you I would be concerned and wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it so would probably pay for a private scan 😬 so you can see why the guidance has changed as if it hadn't been offered, you wouldn't be worrying.

AKAsomeoneelse · 23/08/2023 18:16

@swivel34 - I know PP have advised against it but I bought my own Doppler when I was pg with DD following multiple miscarriages. I found it very reassuring and I always managed to find the heartbeat, though it could sometimes take a while earlier on. Obviously the midwife can’t spend ages trying to find it during your appointment hence why she initially refused. I never mistook my heartbeat for baby’s - baby’s is much faster.

Original poster

swivel34 · 23/08/2023 18:18

Don't worry I will definitely not be buying a Doppler. I would not have a clue how to use one.

I definitely have a little junk in the trunk 😂 so that could be a potential reason?

I will probably have a private scan next week just to take the nerves away. Thank you all.

OP posts:

PlaneMum19 · 23/08/2023 18:18

My area don’t do heartbeats at 16 weeks for this exact reason.
don’t buy a home Doppler you don’t know what your doing and you could pick up your placenta not the heartbeat! It will make your anxiety worse, listen to the professional advice not someone on MN!

WantingToEducate · 23/08/2023 18:24

I had a really big bleed when I was 16 weeks pregnant - it came completely out of nowhere. Coincidentally, the building I was in was hosting community midwife appointments and I went up to see one. We had a good chat and she told me that she wasn’t going to try and listen for the heartbeat as it would be very unlikely she would hear it at this stage and she didn't want to unnecessarily worry me.

I had to be taken to hospital because of the bleed and I was seen in Maternity Triage where thankfully they scanned me and so I could see the baby was fine.

So please, please try not to worry!

(In reality though I would be going for a private scan too 😂)

rainbowtea23 · 23/08/2023 18:33

I had my 25 week appointment last week and midwife struggled to find the heartbeat as he kept moving so much 😂 we could both see and feel him move just didn’t want to cooperate for us

Toddlerteaplease · 23/08/2023 18:35

HollyBollyBooBoo · 23/08/2023 17:54

So natural to be worried and will make no difference for any of us to say 'don't worry'. Could you buy/borrow a Doppler and try at home, or get a private appointment for a scan?

If a trained midwife couldn't hear it. The OP certainly won't be able to!

Flubadubba · 23/08/2023 18:36

Midwife warned me that often they can't heart it at 16 weeks, so if she tried and didn't hear it, then it meant nothing.

ASGIRC · 23/08/2023 18:38

I dont understand the whole "its tricky finding a heartbeat at 16 weeks" thing, when I had a scan at 7 weeks and the heartbeat was clear as day.
And literally everyone who has ever undergone fertility treatments and as a result had early scans to check progress, has seen and heard the heartbeat.

Does it get harder? Are they less competent at doing the scans? What is the reason?

Original poster

swivel34 · 23/08/2023 18:44

@ASGIRC this was not a scan. Just trying to find the heartbeat using a Doppler.

We saw the heartbeat at our 12 week dating scan.

OP posts:

ConfusionIsNothingNew · 23/08/2023 18:45

The OP wasn't having a scan though, presumably the midwife was using a doppler to listen for the heartbeat.

I had similar at 17 weeks, community midwife couldn't find the heartbeat and sent me to the hospital (I think she felt for me as this was a Clomid baby). The midwife at the hospital found the heartbeat straight away, she pushed down at the top of my tummy to almost 'trap' the baby in one spot, she said it's something they learn to do!

Original poster

swivel34 · 23/08/2023 18:46

@ConfusionIsNothingNew thank you, this is reassuring :-)!! My midwife did say she thought baby was moving around too much to catch the heartbeat. Glad everything was okay for you.

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