Baby heart monitor - waste of money????

[Shelli08]

Im 20 weeks pg & I bought a heart monitor today and cant seem to pick babys heartbeat up, is it too early?? or do you think these things are a waste of money? I could hear my heartbeat

He Shelli08 I am 20 weeks and I got a doppler. Makes are different and even my MW told me yesterday there is no guarantee she would be able to pick it up.

I found with mine that it works better if you use some lubricating gel, without it I can't hear much.

Good luck but don't worry if you don't hear much yet.

Smiles

Message withdrawn

What kind is it?

DH got me a Summer listener thing cheaply off ebay and then read a load of bad reviews and got a (pricier!) doppler Hi-Bebe. I love my doppler - don't use it now I'm being walloped all the time, but found the hb from around 15 weeks onwards. Last time I checked with the Summer, I still wasn't picking anything up (now 27 weeks)

yes it was the summer one that i got from argos, i might invest in the Hi-bebe one instead - not very reassuring with the summer one so if any1 out there is thinking of buying the argos one, i wouldnt bother!! x

Ah yes, Summer is rubbish! Dopplers are expensive but you can rent them relatively cheaply and you will probably only get about a month's use before you're being kicked all the time Be aware that you need to limit how often you use a doppler though (and your baby might not like it and kick it!)

i used mine from 10 wks and it never failed me once. However by 18 weeks i was feeling kicks so havent used it since (now 32 weeks). I wouldnt bother at this stage - as soon, if your not already will be getting kicked at all hours of the day and night and wont need a doppler!!

Message withdrawn

Definately use some ky jelly on the probe.

Less than 20 weeks can be difficult to hear, but if youre going to get it, you should be able to hear the hb if you find the top of your uterus, (round about your umbilicus), and press the probe against the top of the uterus, pointing down towards your pelvis.
You wont cause any harm or damage by pressing fairly firmly.

After about 20 weeks, you should find the hb lower down, midway between the umbilicus and the pubic bone, and out from the umbi about 4 inches, on the left or right.

If you can visualise a baby lying with its head in the pelvis and bum up near the top, you are listening through the back chest wall.

If you cant hear it, dont worry, try again later when baby may be in a better position.

I really wouldn't bother wasting money on such equipment. Unless you are brilliant and distinguishing between the fetal, placental and your own heart rate, it's really not a great idea. You just get worriedif you can't find it. Best left with professionals (even midwives don't always get it right first time, takes a lot of experience).

Seeing as the baby's heartbeat is usually around 150 bpm and mine is around 70, I've never really had a problem telling them apart! (You've got me on the placenta though )

I got the summer one from Argos. I couldn't hear anything till I was 21 weeks and then I was constantly listening in, I thought it was great, I'll be using it again this time too.

I leant it to a friend and she couldn't hear a thing all thru her pregancy but it still works.

ofcourse each to their own, but it can cause more anxiety (its a stressful enough time as it is without adding more stress into pregnancy!) than there needs to be.
I personally left it to the experts and was happy with hearing it now and again. It made it all that more special.