At what point did you hear babies heartbeat with a dopler?

[Amy_jellybean]

Hi girls,

As the title suggests - at what gestation did you hear your bubs heart with a dopler?

I am thinking of buying one as DH works away so he might not be able to come to all the appointments and I would like him to hear the heartbeat

Did you find it hard finding bubs heartbeat or was it quite easy?

xxx

[No.5]

I had one when I was pregnant with DS - I wish I still had it I found it easy to find bubs heartbeat but didn't use it until I'd been to the dr and they'd heard it using it so I didn't stress myself out. Think it may have been around 15 weeksish.

[luna moth]

My hospy booking in appointment at 13 weeks, my midwife heard it.

But last preg, my GP couldn't find it at 16 weeks.

I wouldn't get a home one though. No matter how freaked out.

[MummyNaomi]

11 weeks, got one off ebay - angelsounds I think it was - don't get sucked into paying for the doppler gel though, baby oil (or vegetable oil if you are desperate ) work just as well

However I found I had to place the doppler much lower than I though to pick up the HB, eg right above the pelvic bone - they certainly aren't as sensitive as the ones OBs/Midwives use, and listen to your own heartbeat first, then search for a HB about double the pace, sounds like galloping horses, the swooshy pulsating sound is usually the placenta/umbilical cord I think

[Tanya]

Ten weeks with two pregnancies (one ended at 17.5 weeks) but I sold it because they are considered worse than u/s.

[sunshine 11]

8 1/2 weeks with this pregnancy, I used a doppler as my kids didn't move at all (snoozy bears in the womb), and like you, mine were IVF, so I never thought they would happen and found great comfort hearing a heart beat. I haven't used it very much with this pregnancy, however just this week used it after bubs didn't move for a day (or so I thought) and I was able to instantly hear bubs heartbeat. I have the same one as my OB and bought it off ebay.

My OB said it was fine as long as it wasn't that often, I think the consideration is how much fat you have on your tummy - if you are a larger person, then it will take longer to hear it (as the doppler has to get through a bit more before it can 'hear' the wee little hearbeat). I think generally they would say wait until 15/16 weeks so you aren't stressing if you can't find it, but as has been said, it's much lower than you expect it to be. If you do it too early, you will get confused between your own pulse and the bubs, hence it's worth waiting to make sure you aren't worrying about the 'heart beat' being too low, when infact it's your own pulse you are hearing! Some people find it more stressful to have one than not to have one, only you of course will know which side you sit on.

[~ Mylitta ~]

11 weeks, got one off ebay - angelsounds I think it was - don't get sucked into paying for the doppler gel though, baby oil (or vegetable oil if you are desperate ) work just as well

However I found I had to place the doppler much lower than I though to pick up the HB, eg right above the pelvic bone - they certainly aren't as sensitive as the ones OBs/Midwives use, and listen to your own heartbeat first, then search for a HB about double the pace, sounds like galloping horses, the swooshy pulsating sound is usually the placenta/umbilical cord I think

I got my angelsounds one off ebay as well. I was a surgical vet nurse at the time so I bought some ultrasound gel cheap through the clinic, lol. I also found that the heartbeat was much lower than I thought it would be early on. I almost had to point in down behind my pubic bone to begin with.

First pregnancy I found DS's heartbeat at 9 weeks. It took quite some time to find, and was faint, but once we found it we recorded it and it was magical.
Second pregnancy we couldn't find DD's heartbeat until 10 1/2 weeks. Of course I was getting a little nervous having found it earlier with DS, but all was fine
Third pregnancy we found DD's heartbeat at 10 weeks. Just as magical third time around ♥

I found that in the early days the doppler was amazing at calming my anxiety. Before DS we lost a bub so I was rather nervous in subsequent pregnancies. Before I was able to feel the babies moving around I found that listening to those amazing heartbeats even just for 30 seconds was enough to calm my nerves and reassure me that my baby was still alive. It also helped later in the pregnancy when I would have a period when a baby wouldn't move for some time, so I would just do a quick check to make sure they were just having a little snooze

[4cheekyboys]

my earliest was 12 wks. my second baby. the midwife i saw was so nice. my next baby i asked to hear the heartbeat but that midwife said it was too early and didn't even try.

[Mich8]

Hey Amy, I know this thread's a bit old now. Did you end up getting a doppler?
I got one around 14 weeks and for me, it's the best thing I ever bought! It's a Hi-bebe and I could find the hb quite easily at 14 weeks (and I have lots of belly fat!!) right down low at the pubic bone. There were a couple of times I couldn't find it early on but that was just due to inexperience. Within about a week, I could get it every time without fail and now can distinguish baby movement noises and everything! I really needed the reassurance because I had a subchorionic haemorrhage, then a UTI, then heart palpitations, then gastro. It was just so nice to be able to check that baby was ok, despite everything else. Now I really just use it occasionally, for fun

[Saffy]

I've been finding mine since 11weeks with a hospital doppler ( don't know if they are different from the ones you rent) Its quite difficult to find, sometimes takes me 10mins and I am used to using them at work, but I love hearing it!!!

[CKJ]

I found mine at around 12 weeks (when the Doppler arrived)
I have recorded some awesome ones for my mum to hear (she lives in the uk) and had her in tears.

Mine is also from eBay - angel sounds I believe. I used baby oil and would ease my mind because I didn't feel him move until well past 20 weeks (and also helped dd understand)

[Shanti]

11 weeks with both! Mind you, my dh is a nurse so knew where to find it, some people have trouble finding it early as they aren't sure where to probe!

[Lolpigs]

Every doctor I've spoken too dosent recommend to get one for home, they said it creates a false sense of secutiry later in the pregnancy if bubs movements have slowed or stopped and you are relying on the heartbeat, the baby can still be in trouble and the heartbeat dosent show it for a long time. People have lost babys apparently relying on it so no matter how anxious I've been with mine, I've always gone with movement.

It is lovley hearing the heard beat the first time at the dating scan however