My doppler is supposed to arrive in the mail today. This is my first pregnancy and I have been having so much worry and anxiety it was suggested that maybe I try the doppler to calm my nerves. This is the first time I will have ever attempted to use the doppler. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to find the heartbeat? I ordered the Sonoline B with the 3 mghz probe. I have a uterus that is tilted slightly back so I know that makes it trickier. Any advice would definately be welcome.
Re: Using a doppler for the first time
I have the Sonoline B as well and heard the heartbeat almost as soon as the wand touched my stomach. I was abot 14 weeks then. Try to remember where your doctor typically finds the heartbeat with their doppler. However, the baby does move around a lot so be patient. Having your own doppler can also create more anxiety if you can't find the heartbeat, so just take it easy and ty to relax.
I just noticed you're only 12 weeks, so it also may still be too early for you to hear it on the dopler, which is even more reason to be patient and not stress. I recommend waiting until your next appointment to see where your doc hears the heartbeat. Then go home and do it yourself. That way you know the baby is okay and it's just your lack of experience if you can't find the heartbeat.
BFP #1 3/13/13, MMC 4/17/13, D&C 4/19/13
BFP #2 8/7/13, Beta at 4w6d = 3,796
Jan17 Sept Sig: Pumpkin Spice gone too far
This is what has worked for me- I'm not sure how your tilted uterus will affect things, but here are some tips:
Empty your bladder (try a full bladder later if you have trouble)
Make sure your stomach's not too full or too empty- growling stomach makes things harder to hear
Lie on your back with your knees bent
Use lots of gel
Start really low- around your hairline (it's so much easier if you just take off your pants or pull them down really far)
Move slowly and try tilting the wand in different directions before moving to a new spot
If you find a HB, check it against your own pulse (on your neck) to make sure it's not yours
Don't rely too heavily on the bpm on the screen- count for yourself for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to get bpm