To dopple or not to dopple - worrying like mad

[NewbieT]

I was just wondering what people's experiences of fetal dopplers are. I am getting increasingly worried (or perhaps irrationally paranoid) that something has gone wrong and was wondering how reliable they are. I am 9+3. Had some early bleeding at week 5 to 6. A scan at 7+2 showed a heartbeat which was a big relief, but I just don't 'feel' pregnant. I had very sore boobs for a few weeks, but no longer. My friend spent her whole first trimester throwing up, but I've had nothing. I have been absolutely knackered to the point I could barely lift my arms but I'm perkier now and actually feel like I can get through the day at work.

Sorry to sound so self-indulgent. Maybe I'm just having an easy pregnancy but if so, the associated worry is so not worth it! I'm so tempted to buy a doppler in the hope that it will allay my fears of a MMC but if it doesn't work it would absolutely do my head in.

I searched some old threads and someone said their sonographer told her she wouldn't listen to the baby's heartbeat "in case the baby doesn't like it". Surely they wouldn't be on sale if they carried any risk of harm?

And does anyone know of a good brand which works before 12 weeks? I gather angelsounds are for later on.

If anyone has any advice I'd be very grateful.

Thanks for reading,

T

Mw/ gp don't tend to listen before 14 weeks as it can be difficult to find. It's still taking them a while to get my babys at 22 weeks as the baby moves away.

If you couldn't find the heart beat it would probably make you worry more.

It's far too early for them to be at all reliable I'm afraid. Even many midwives won't bother trying for a heartbeat until 16 weeks.

You could pay to get a private scan for reasurrance.

Thanks ladies, sound advice, doppler probably isn't the way then. Private scan is a great idea, thanks Japhrimel you're a star.

t

I found it hugely reassuring as I managed to find the heartbeat the night before my 12 week scan, so instead of going there convinced that I'd had a mmc, I went along relatively happy and excited to see the baby. With my first pg, I found his hb at around 10 weeks. Once I found the hb once, I have never not been able to find it again, so for me they have been great, but I guess it's a personal thing.

Buying a Doppler was absolutely the best thing ive ever done! Its given me MASSIVE reassurance. I bought one after reading some advice on some old threads on here. I was the same, no morning sickness, no bump, didnt 'feel' pregnant etc and was constantly worrying.

My partner always does it for me (that we he feels more involved) and he finds the heart beat first time , every time

You cannot put a price on that little bit of added reassurance.

I went for the Sonotrax pocket fetal doppler...its a more professional one than the angelsounds. Apparently its suitable for use in hospitals, GP practices etc. Think it cost me around 35 or 40 quid.

Think I got it when i was 15 weeks ish. Im 20 weeks now though. Im not sure how early you can use it..the later you are the more likely you will be to find the HB.

A slightly different angle on this for me: I have some misgivings about sonographic technology. I didn't refuse ultrasounds but I did ask for only senior tech's and for scans that were not unnecessarily long. I understand the sound waves shake up the molecules at a cellular level and heat up the tissue, and there are questions around how this affects developing tissues I also read that doppler is more 'concentrated' than regualr u/s.

Basically there are 'unknowns' rather than evidenced reasons for concern.

I was very worried about other issues early on (I had pain one side, I didn't test positive until I was over 5 weeks convinced me of an ectopic or low HCG levels and I wouldn't sustain the pregnancy)Now thoug, I'm about to enter my 3rd tri

Putting this question of U/S or Dopplers aside, for me the worry doesn't end, there are lots of anxieties around being preg, and being a mum. I realise all the things I worried about haven't happened and worrying is not good for baby! Being postive, taking one day at a time and a bit of 'blind faith' (that all is well) goes a long way.

Wishing you all the best

A doppler wouldn't have worked for me. Rather than being reassured, I'd be checking it all the time for reassurance and would be scared witless the moment I couldn't find a heartbeat.

Plus it's possible to over-rely on them. [Sad story, avoid if it will trigger] A girl on another forum I go to was worried about her baby's slowing movements but could still pick up a heartbeat - by the time she went in for scans it was clear the slowing movements meant the baby was in distress/something had happened to it. She was told off for listening to the doppler for so long (not that it would've made any difference).

I understand why they're helpful for a lot of people - I just decided that I'd use one too much and that I'd be better off without.

I bought a "summer" or something like that heartbeat monitor from boots for about £30. its total crap. We started trying to hear the heartbeat about weeks ago and still haven't been able to pick it up (now 24 weeks). The only plus side, is that if I haven't felt the baby move for a couple of hours and I strap on the monitor in the hope of hearing the heartbeat she usually starts kicking at the monitor, which is all the reassurance that I need!

After a number of mc's I bought a doppler (v-tech). I first found the hb of both twins at 9 weeks (I know this is early, and I am overweight too, but I seemed to find the hb fine).

I used it often. It was wonderful to be able to listen whenever I wanted.

I think if you're looking for reassurance you're better off asking for professional help immediately as opposed to messing about with kit you're not trained to use or to evaluate the results it gives. I really don't get why people would buy them. And fwiw, have had a mmc.

Oh yes, and what sedgiebaby said.

Thanks evreyone for your posts.

Domestic Goddess and 1TiredBunny, Good to hear, that's great they were so reassuring for you.

Sedgiebaby, thanks for that, definitely food for thought. And I think I'll adopt this as my mantra: "Being postive, taking one day at a time and a bit of 'blind faith' (that all is well) goes a long way" . You're right about the worrying. It never ends so I suppose it's bets to try and control it as best we can, as soon as possible.

FortunateHamster - you raise a good poitn about over-reliance on them. In the end I decided to 'compromise' and hire one for a month. I'll use it once as I wait for the 12-week scan, which is, ooh, about 8 years away, and then pack it up and send it back. It's just this week I really, really feel I need to do something? and what else is there to do?

Addie81, thanks for the feedback, very helpful. I went for a Hi Bebe BT200 hire one in the end. If it doesn't work, I WILL be philosophical and non-pacicky about it?
BosomsByTheSea, sorry for your losses, I'm really glad it worked for you too. Can't tell if they?ve been born yet, but wishing you all the very best with the twins.

LittleSilver, very sorry you've gone through a MMC. Thing is, I don't need immediate professional help. I did before, I sought it, got an early scan which I was very grateful for. But surelt I can't phone the hospital and say 'I don't feel pregnant any more'? Probably first-pregnancy paranoia, I know, but I guess, like me, people buy them because they've got a burning need to try andything that will give them reassurance.
Wishing you all the best.

Sounds like you've got it sorted

My twin boys are 9 months now - and wonderful

All the very best for your pregnancy

this is one of these situations where I wouldn't get a doppler because I've also worried but felt it would be even worse if I tried to find a heartbeat on my own. You have the fetal heartbeat, the placental heartbeat and your own to distinguish between and I'm not a MW so would not find it easy to know which was which tbh.

IMHO best left to the experts and if you are atall worried please contact a MW about your concerns although I'm sure everything will be fine.

OK, i hited one, a BT200, and could hear the heartbeat just before 11 weeks. I could hear it perfectly from 11 weeks till around 13 or 14, then there were 2 occasions I struggled to find the HB. I did NOT actually panic, cos I KNOW that midwives dont even try before 14 weeks (and in fact, I am 17w, and my midwife STILL hasnt used a doppler on me).

You actually CANNOT over-rely on them, as the guidelines state to use them every 2-3 days at most. I therefore wouldnt "risk" things by listening any more regularly.

Another point, you say you'll pack it up and send it back after your scan... I'm not sure you will. I still have mine, and I'm in no rush to send it back. After you've seen the baby on the scan, and all your pregnancy symptoms start to vanish (MS, boobs not so sore, not so tired etc), you will want the reassurance again! My current plan is to send mine back when I feel the baby moving around.

The sad story mentioned earlier - "A girl on another forum I go to was worried about her baby's slowing movements but could still pick up a heartbeat - by the time she went in for scans it was clear the slowing movements meant the baby was in distress/something had happened to it."
I'm not sure this is relevant to using a doppler at all, however - if there was something wrong with the baby, going in for an earlier scan wouldnt have solved anything. Presumably nothing could have been done anyway.

BUT as with anything in pregnancy, even if you hear the HB, if you think something is wrong, you go to the hosp/midwife to get it checked - dont dismiss something thats worrying you just because you have heard the HB.

Found mine really useful and picked up heartbeat from about 12 weeks. I'd had previous mc and it was nice to listen in every few days and hear baby. It's easy to tell your hb from babies as theirs is about twice as fast as yours.

Although I have heard the sad story re dopplers I can't see how having/not having a dopler would have made any difference to that particular outcome and personally I had stopped using mine once I felt movement as I didnt need to hear baby for reassurance anymore if I coud feel it.

I had a MC last year so know what it's like to lose a pregnancy too...but felt happier having a MW find the heartbeat (of current pg and 1st pg) as they do this day in day out and know exactly what they're looking for and check the strength of the heartbeat etc. I personally think some things are best left to the professionals.

If you're going to have a MC then it's going to happen - no amount of using a doppler is going to prevent it from happening. Sorry to be so abrupt but that's about the crux of it.

I'm still nervous after 2 MCs last year and am considering asking my MW at our 16 week appointment this week if I can come in a bit more regularly to check for the heartbeat to keep me reasurred. I know some people are fine with doing this for women with a history of MCs who are extra nervous. We paid to get an extra scan at 8 weeks for reasuurance as our EPAU won't do reassurrance scans until you've had 3 consecutive MCs.

I know dopplers aren't recommended because of the number of women who panic when they can't find the heartbeat, and the risk of being reassurred by a doppler when someone should have sought medical attention.

The bottom line is, some of us find them v reassuring and sanity savers. And other people would panic if they couldn't find hb.
Most of us would go to hosp if they thought something was wrong, even if the hb was there. Ultimately though, if something was very wrong, then there's more than likely nothing the hosp could do anyway. If u bear these things in mind, you can make a decision as to whether it is something you feel will reassure you. X