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Original poster

how early did you hear your babys heartbeat on the doppler machine????

27 replies

lifesaboxochoccies · 21/01/2009 20:18

hi i am 11+4 days pregnant with second child and midwife has been unable to hear heartbeat so far on doppler. she tried almost 2 weeks ago and again today but cant get it yet. Is this ok??? she sais it is and i have read that it is but its just worrying me, i have my scan booked for teusday next week so only 6 days to wait but it just seems like forever while i am worrying if my baby is ok??? when did you first hear your babys heartbeat?

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ilikeyoursleeves · 21/01/2009 20:22

Hi, with my DS I didn't buy my doppler until 14 weeks and heard him right away. I got the doppler out to hear current baby in belly but haven't been able to find him on 2 occasions now (I think I tried about 10 weeks then 11ish weeks). I had my scan yesterday and all is well (now 13+5 weeks). I wouldn't worry, the baby needs to be in the right position with it's heart near the surface to hear anything. I know a friend who was sent to the hospital for a scan well into her 2nd trimester when the mw couldn't find the hb but it was fine, baby was just hiding!

mrsgboring · 21/01/2009 20:24

Your MW really shouldn't be stressing you out by even trying before 12 weeks. In our area now they won't listen at all till 16 weeks because they don't want to stress people out if they can't hear it. It's a horrid time to have to wait through, though, I do appreciate.

littleboyblue · 21/01/2009 20:25

With my first she picked it up at my booking appointment which was at 12 weeks, it took a while and she said that as baby was so small, it is difficult at this stage.
My 2nd they didn't attempt to listen in until 16/17 weeks.
I can understand your worry, but really, think how small your baby is. Try not to worry too much if you are not having negative symptoms

NimChimpsky · 21/01/2009 20:26

Our midwives won't try until 16 weeks as it's too hard before then. Try not to worry.

changer22 · 21/01/2009 20:28

My locum MW listened at 16 weeks only because there was nothing else she could do (I was fine, everything was up to date, etc.) at the appointment.

She said they were told not to try before 24 weeks because of the possibility of not hearing it and freaking the mother out. I promised not to panic and heard it It was loud and clear and then disappeared and all we could hear was mine.

It doesn't sound like your MW should be trying.

Original poster
lifesaboxochoccies · 21/01/2009 20:39

to be fair to my midwife the only reason she was trying was because i told her my dodgy lmp which could have put me a bit further along but it seems as though that WAS a regular period after all and she said they dont usually hear anything untill gone 12 weeks bu i have just heard of people hearing it at 9+ weeks and just a tincy bit worried but i suppose not long now untill the scan!

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HeinzSight · 21/01/2009 21:22

Hi from the Aug thread. I've hired one and I heard the hb at 10 weeks, BUT it took ABSOLUTELY AGES to find it, I almost gave up. There's no way a midwife would take that long to look. Please try not to worry, I know it's easier said than done! Congrats btw

highrise · 21/01/2009 21:39

Yup 16 weeks for me too, midwife warned me that even at that stage i might not have been able to hear anything. Midwife said they don't try until 16 weeks as its not always easy to hear before then. Sure it will be fine, hope the scan goes well.

Original poster
lifesaboxochoccies · 21/01/2009 21:50

Thanks for everyones reassurance and thanks heinz midwife tried 1st time for about 5 mins and today only a couple of minuites and we both decided to give up as there seemed to be no hope!! how much is it to buy your own doppler? and where do you get them from? i would love to get one!!

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RiaParkinson · 21/01/2009 21:53

7 weeks on my home one

midwife struggled at 16

Pinkbump3 · 21/01/2009 22:01

midwife didnt try till i was 16 weeks and even then she struggled to find it,took her about 10 mins!

Nemoandthefishes · 21/01/2009 22:04

MWs tend not to do it until 14/16wks because baby is so tiny and area is huge. I have had a doppler at home and found baby from 9/10wks however that is with half hour or so lying still and slowly goign over every cm I can around the pelvis.

Nemoandthefishes · 21/01/2009 22:06

life I bought my doppler on ebay for £30 as it si second hand. Just make sure you get oen with a LCD scream as it will show heart rate and that way you know your not catching your own pulse.

RiaParkinson · 21/01/2009 22:11

yes nemo takes ages but for a nervy stresso like me its worth it!

Nemoandthefishes · 21/01/2009 22:14

ria completley agree. Used one with both dds as I had 3 mcs by that stage and didnt know you could buy them when having ds..lol Then as soon as found out was pg this time I got another to much eyebrow raising from dh

ranirani · 21/01/2009 22:24

I would not worry too much. In our area they only check at 20 week appt (?) cant remember now although it was only 17 weeks ago, baby brain i guess
they do not recommend to check it before 12 weeks anyway.
I had all the pregnancy symptoms ( apart from morning sickness ) up to week 12, and then everything stopped and I started getting paranoid as usual ( my first, one you see), so I went and bought a doppler angel sounds on line. arrived next day.
They said in the instructions that for better results use it ( try to find heartbeat) on full bladder, preferably in the morning before you go to loo.
I did it 1st time in the morning, straight on- heartbeat. then emtpied my bladder , husband woke up , he wanted to have a go as well ( on checking of course ) as well, and guess what, could not find it. Afterwards on few occasions when I tried to check on empty bladder, would not hear a thing. baby is so tiny at that point, that even when you go for 12 weeks scan they ask you to have a full bladder.
I am so surprised your MW did not tell you that. Where did sheare suppose to know not to stress poor mums

HeinzSight · 22/01/2009 09:13

I hired one.

herbaceous · 22/01/2009 10:06

Hi

My MW couldn't find the heartbeat the other day at 17+4, and though she'd warned me this might happen, and not to panic, naturally I did (being a recurrent late miscarrier). She whizzed me up to the scanning people, with me in a right sweat, and he was there, grooving about. I think I must have a lot of fat. Or wind.

lizziemun · 22/01/2009 10:10

Not before 16wks as baby is to low in the pelvis, and would only pick up your own heartbeat before that.

RiaParkinson · 22/01/2009 17:26

lizziemum no you can pick up foetal heatbeat early with a deent machine and a lot of patience

Original poster
lifesaboxochoccies · 22/01/2009 21:00

how long did you hire yours for heinz? i looked on ebay but can only find hire for a month?

OP posts:
MoominMoma · 22/01/2009 21:33

I had my booking in appointment today (I am 13 weeks and 6 days) The MW said she would have a go but as it was so early I wasn't to be alarmed if I didn't hear anything. We heard the heartbeat briefly before she lost it and then again.
I don't think under normal circumstances I would have got to try to hear it today but the normal MW was not there and it was someone from the labour ward at the hospital.

brylbump · 23/01/2009 19:29

i had my first app with midwife at 24 weeks and thats the first time i heard babies heartbeat. however i had an early scan at 8 weeks 4 days and saw the heartbeat like a flashing light on the monitor, apparently this can be seen as early as 6 weeks!!! amazing!!

iMum · 23/01/2009 19:32

I got it with my 4th baby at 10 weeks, on my own doppler. It can take a while to find it tho.

ThePregnantHedgeWitch · 23/01/2009 19:35

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