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thread: How far along were you when heard baby's heartbeat?

  1. #1
    Platinum Subscriber. Love a friend xx

    Jun 2006
    Gold Coast, Australia
    1,618

    How far along were you when heard baby's heartbeat?

    Hi all

    Just wondering how far along you were when you heard your baby's heartbeat?

    I am 11 weeks today and my GP tried, but to no avail. She couldn't even hear the blood through the placenta, which she expected due to me being on the thin side. She of course told me not to worry and it was optimistic to hear it this early on, but of course I'm worried.

    I don't think we even tried with a doppler until about 15 weeks to hear the heartbeat with DS, and it was only because a friend of mine who is the exact same gestation heard a heartbeat a couple of days ago did I decide to ask.

    Now instead of being excited about my NT scan this coming Friday, I'm petrified.

  2. #2

    Mar 2008
    Where dreams are now reality
    2,318

    I dont think the midwife even tried with me until I was about 18 weeks, but it could be heard then

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Jan 2008
    Brisbane
    5,039

    I have had people try at 16weeks but havent heard it. Totally normal huni. Keep looking forward to your scan

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Mar 2011
    Sydney, Australia
    1,240

    I didn't hear it until my NT scan. I saw the baby on a quick scan the OB did at 10 weeks but that was it.

    Don't stress I'm sure they will let you listen at your NT scan

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jan 2009
    pakenham, victoria
    3,660

    they tried at 17 weeks in my last pregnancy and couldnt find it, but all was well

  6. #6
    BellyBelly Member

    Sep 2010
    North West Victoria, Australia
    3,003

    At my 17 week appointment I first heard DD's. It was awesome!!
    My OB wouldn't even TRY before 17 weeks.

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Add EsJay on Facebook

    Jan 2009
    Hunter Valley
    609

    i meant to add this to our thread earlier but completely forgot sorry hun, my ob didnt try till the 20 week visit, she would have tried at the 16wk visit but i needed a quick scan to check the amniotic fluid as id had an amnio the week before, she said its unlikely to hear it before 16weeks. easier said than done, but try not to stress

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Sep 2005
    In the middle of nowhere
    9,362

    I didn't hear this one until my 20week visit.

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    Caroline Springs
    2,341

    I heard all 3 bub's heart beats during the 6th week, but that was using my Obstetrician ultrasound machine, so not just with a doppler.

    I bought a doppler to use at home when I fell pregnant with my DS.

    With DS I first found and heart his heartbeat at about 10 1/2 weeks. It took quite a while to find and was very faint.

    With DD we first heard it around 9 1/2 weeks and again was very soft and took a while.

    With this bub I started getting worried because it took until 11 weeks to hear it on the doppler. I just expected that I would be able to find it earlier because I did the other times. Everything was perfectly fine though.

    You have to remember that it definitely depends on things like the amount of amniotic fluid between bub and the uterus wall, how much you weight (the bigger you are the more tissue the ultrasound from the doppler has to penetrate both going to the bub and then bouncing back, placenta position etc...). Also, when it comes to finding bub's heartbeat during an appointment with you health professional you have to remember than they are under time constraints and can't just sit there probing around until they find it. It can definitely take a lot of patience and time to find such a teeny tiny heart. I asked about our bub's heart at our 12 week scan and when the sonographer measured the heart it measured a tiny 4mm. How amazing is that?! Something that tiny is pumping blood around the baby's body already

    So basically, I wouldn't stress yourself. There are so many factors that come into finding the heartbeat on the doppler. The recommendation on most dopplers is that the heartbeat "may" be heart from 12 weeks of age. Obviously sometimes you get lucky and hear it beforehand, but I'd say in most cases you'd have to wait at least 12 weeks.

    I hope you have an absolutely wonderful 12 week scan and that you little one gives you a beautiful wave during the scan

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    Caroline Springs
    2,341

    Double post, oops.

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Dec 2007
    Hork-Bajir Valley
    5,722

    I just snuck out the back and had a sneaky listen myself. took a while to find but i deff heard Spock for a good 5 sec! very faint tho. im 9weeks 3 days. =)

    it depends alot on your uterus, where bub is, the skill of the person doing it, and also on the maternal habitus (more padding you have the harder it will be)

    sent via my vortex manipulator

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Nov 2005
    Ontario, Canada
    1,624

    I posted a similar thread a couple of days ago when my midwife couldn't pick anything up at 9 weeks. Sounds like it's pretty common not to hear anything until later. So I guess we'll both have to try not to stress, and wait a little longer...

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Jul 2008
    Melbourne
    3,244

    i'm sure they didn't try until i was about 15 weeks with DS (lots of padding though ). the ob couldn't find it, told me not to panic & then went into a panic herself trying to get an u/s machine to check (this was in a public hospital)...then she couldn't work out how to turn it on. thank goodness there was a midwife there i wasn't even worried till she worried and everything was fine - i rekcon it was more like 17 or 18 weeks before we heard it, but my memory is awful!

    is your scan today? good luck & i hope you enjoy seeing your baby

  14. #14
    Platinum Subscriber. Love a friend xx

    Jun 2006
    Gold Coast, Australia
    1,618

    Tei I weight 57kg so it's not about padding

    Cricket - I posted this thread a little while ago now and then noticed your thread after that, I was going to link you but got distracted lol

    Off for my NT scan today so hoping for the best and that my mind is put at ease!

  15. #15
    Registered User
    Add helle on Facebook

    Sep 2008
    Bunbury, Western Australia
    3,963

    I heard ds at around 9 weeks and this one about ten, and I have some lady lumps
    BUT these babies are all about positioning, so don't stress! Everything is probably just all tucked back there hiding in a corner
    Midwives don't even like going there til about 20 weeks because even then it can be tricky to pick it up.

  16. #16
    Registered User

    Aug 2011
    120

    When I had my first midwife's appointment she said "at every visit we will listen to the heartbeat..." so I was excited... and then she followed it up with "except this one as the baby is too small, but don't worry you will hear it at the 12 week scan"

    I did hear it at the 12 week scan and I think that was my favourite part of the scan :-)

  17. #17
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    brisbane australia
    840

    14 weeks exactly at the GP and I aint the thinnest of people!

  18. #18
    BellyBelly Member
    Add Tobily on Facebook

    May 2004
    Brisbane
    1,814

    Don't worry...it's very tricky to pick up with a doppler at 11 weeks. It's like trying to pin down a fish in a fishbowl, the baby is basically swimming in there and they can still move around A LOT.

    I think I heard my first one at about 15 weeks but I don't remember them trying to listen before that.

    With my second I hired a doppler and I first heard him at 11 or 12 weeks - BUT it took me a good a twenty minutes, on and off, to find him the first time. No midwife or OB is going to mess around that long at 11 weeks . I had a couple of missed miscarriages so I was pretty paranoid at the time. You'll hear it at your next appointment, most likely.

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