Using a doppler for the first time

res932 · June 2011

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.

HeatherBHG · June 2011

Sorry can't give you advice but I was just looking at that exact brand this morning to possibly try. Would love to hear how it works. I'm w/ you. Totally worried all the time and wiating a month between visits is torture!

christinaramirez08 · June 2011

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.

fierynut · June 2011

I have no advice or tricks to offer you but just a word of caution.. You are still early in your pregnancy and don't panic if you can't find the heartbeat. My Dr. has a hard time sometimes still finding my LO's heartbeat because of all of LO's moving around.

iluvmylab · June 2011

I didn't find mine until 13 weeks. It was much lower than I expected it to be, right above my hairline and a little to my left. I have the sonoline A, which doesn't have a digital readout because I've heard they are often incorrect, so I just count the HB for 15 seconds and times by 4. Your HB will be much slower, less than 90 beats/minute in most cases, baby's will be much faster. It sounds like galloping horses to me. Yes, don't freak out if you can't find it. Babies are fast and can move before you get it. My doctor even took awhile to find it and that was at 14 weeks. Good luck!

res932 · June 2011

My thoughts in getting it were that I can order it (I didnt think it would get here in only 2 days) and try it on my own some, and if I can't find it on my own when I go to the doctor in a week and a half I can have her show me how to find it with my doppler. I just have to remind myself that it is ok if I don't hear it for a while Tongue Tied

arobertson072409 · June 2011

res932:
My thoughts in getting it were that I can order it (I didnt think it would get here in only 2 days) and try it on my own some, and if I can't find it on my own when I go to the doctor in a week and a half I can have her show me how to find it with my doppler. I just have to remind myself that it is ok if I don't hear it for a while

it is hard to remind yourself not to freak if you can not hear it. I heard my baby's HB around 10.5 weeks... However... I could not find it again relatively soon after. My husband put the doppler away till after the next doctor appt. He said that the stress was too much and he was right... They can be extremely reassuring (used mine last night when movement was less than usual), but they can be terrifying as well if you are looking in the wrong spot.

sagoon · June 2011

I've been using mine since about 11 weeks with no problem finding the heartbeat. The only advice I'd offer is make sure you are lying down when you do it. I can find the HB within seconds lying down, but if I sit up even a little bit it is impossible to hear. Also, make sure to use plenty of the goop they send with the doppler - it really makes a difference in sound quality. I've been told that aloe gel will work as well as the stuff they send, though I haven't tried it out yet.

jaeleigh25 · June 2011

As PP have said, don't be surprised or worried if you can't find it at first. I had a doctor appointment at 16 wks and even he couldn't find it then, when I heard it at my previous appointment at 12 wks. But that did give me another opportunity to see my baby girl, so I was worried at first, but then excited once I saw her! Hope the doppler works out and eases your mind and heart!

Froggy76 · June 2011

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

Janeausillo · June 2011

Hey there is also a great pregnancy app i've been using..try it with your husband..it's called my babys beat..it's like a fetal monitor..and don't forget to put it on Airplaine mode or else it's not gonna work :-) only for iphone..:-)

Using a doppler for the first time

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