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Feotal heart beat

8 replies

Hayls · 13/07/2003 11:39

i already posted a message on the 'Anyone due Jan 2004' thread but wondered if anybody else had some wise knowledge to pass on. My mw heard the heartbeat on Friday (12+2) and came back on Sat to let dh hear it but couldn't pick it up. She came back a few hours later to try again but still no luck. She wasn't concerned and is coming back at 14 weeks to try again but as a 1st timer I'm worried! I can't understand why it would be heard one day and not the next, even on two attempts, although I was told that it is normally difficult to hear at this stage. Mw (with dh's reassurances since then) said that he/she was either hiding or swimming about and that we were lucky to hear it on Friday. Would I know if there was something wrong at this stage? Or were we just unlucky yesterday?It's preying on my mind a bit and still have more than a week to wait to try again.

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pie · 13/07/2003 11:44

I thought that the fetal heartbeat could only be picked up on a doppler from 12 weeks as this is when the uterus rises out of the pelvis. I would have though Hayls that the m/w was not concerned because depending on anatomy and the position of the baby you uterus was still largely sitting in your pelvis and so beyond the scope of the doppler. Perhaps it was luck on friday then.

But if you are really worried then surely you m/w would understand coming out sooner, or even referring you for a scan. If you are truly freaking out then please don't be scared to ask for extra reassurance.

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jojo21 · 13/07/2003 11:51

you don't usually get to hear the babys heart beat until 14 weeks as it is very low down in your pelvis! i was worried when i couldnt hear my babys heartbeat and im now 41+4 but it was there so dont be alarmed!

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eidsvold · 13/07/2003 16:01

My dd ( in utero) was a notorious wriggler and more often than not they would find the heartbeat and then she would move and they would not have it and so on. Right up until taking me into theatre - they were monitoring her heart beat and she moved so the machine stopped picking up the heartbeat - I wasn't concerned as she hated any monitoring equipment being used on my tummy any time.

It is still early days like others have said and again I can only stress what they have said - if you are really worried then contact the midwife for extra reassurance.

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Marina · 13/07/2003 19:05

Hayls, having successfully survived a couple of "no-heartbeat" scares at 17 and 19 weeks believe me, even quite a big baby can find corners to hide in or a placenta to duck under! My best scare so far was at 22 weeks when the mw and I could both see a little foot sticking out below my navel and waggling about, but could not pick up a sound on the doppler. As the mw said, you don't normally try and find a pulse in someone's heel...
I know how worrying it is when you hear a good beat at one appointment but not at the next, so do check again with your midwife if it is stressing you. But she was being very honest with you when she said you were lucky to get a response using a standard doppler at just over 12 weeks. Your little one must have been right up front with his or her arms uncrossed!

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Hayls · 13/07/2003 19:22

Thanks for all your advice. I'm starting to calm down a bit but have decided against going back to the mw before 14 weeks as, although it sounds silly I'd rather wait until I know that we should definitely (or more likely) hear the heart beat before re-trying. I think it would just worry me -hopefully unnecessarily- if I went back and we still couldn't find it before then. So fingers crossed for next time. thanks again.

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mears · 13/07/2003 21:08

Can I say this is one of the reasons I don't like the idea of mums having their own fetal monitor. The heartbeat can be difficult to pick up. I wouldn't attempt to listen as early as 12 weeks because it is a hit or a miss. Raises expectations of it always being achievable when it is not. From 16 weeks is much more successful. You are right to wait a couple of weeks longer Hayls. I am sure all will be well.

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SueW · 13/07/2003 21:51

I agree mears. Would many mums-to-be know whether they were listening to their own heartbeat or their baby's?

I was told my baby's heartbeart was hard to find at 42 weeks - because she was posterior - let alone trying to find it any earlier!

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Hayls · 23/07/2003 18:08

Thanks again for all your advice. Just to say that I had an appointment with my mw today and we heard the heartbeat (at 14 weeks now). So as expected I was worrying unnecessarily! Glad I heard it anyway