Im 16.5 weeks pregnant and at my last 2 doctors visits my midwife took awhile finding our babys heartbeat.My husband and I stop breathing for the 2-3 minutes that it takes till she finds it. Does anyone else have this issue? Im freaking out!
I just had my 19 week appointment and it took my midwife a good 10 minutes to get a good reading. My placenta is anterior (on the front of my uterus) which makes it harder to hear.
You may have this too, as your uterus grows it will be easier to find quickly.
at my doc appt last week (21 weeks) the midwife was explaining to a trainee that quite often it's hard to find before mid 20 weeks, and that is TOTALLY normal
she eventually found the hb for my baby, but the baby isn't that big yet, so sometimes it's hard to find with a doppler
There's a lot of wiggle room for baby at 16 weeks! It doesn't surprise me that it took some time to find at first. The thing to Remember is that eventually baby will have less room to hide and it'll get easier and easier to find the heartbeat. Also- you will eventually learn baby's favorite positions (if she has them) and can direct the doc/nurse on where to look. For example- my baby has been hanging out head down in the same basic position for the past two months (that's actually not so typical- most babies shift around a bit, mine just happens to be lazy) so once the Doppler comes out- I know exactly where to tell the nurse to aim it to hear the heartbeat instantly. No need to hunt around. That kind of accuracy only comes with time and a bigger baby though- so patience!
Friends for 17 years. Married 10. TTC since Jan 2009.
2012: Lost "Peanut" at 17weeks to PTL/IC.
2013: IVF#3/FET#4 Elisabeth CJ born April 30, 2014 Cerclage, P17, and 3 months of bed rest brought us our Rainbow.
Many babies like to swim in there too. I am 21 weeks. I went in for my 20 week a/s scan and it took my tech 5 minutes to trap my little girl to get her heartbeat.
At 14 weeks, I had to run to my doctor for what I term an "emergency" appointment (I had excessive 'wetness' that my doctor told me was leukorrhea) and my doctor couldn't find the heartbeat, so I ended up having to do an ultrasound. I freaked out because I was already worried I was having problems.
Then at my last scheduled appointment (16 weeks), it took the doctor several minutes to find the heartbeat. I'm like "REALLY?! WORST.WAIT.EVER!!!" because I panic UNTIL he finds the baby.
He says, at least for me right now, the baby's still tucked behind my pubic bone, which makes it hard to locate. I know it'll get easier as time goes on, but, yes...I also hold my breath, like it'll somehow make it easier for the doc to locate the WeeNut's heartbeat. Rationally, I know that's NOT how it works...but I do it anyway.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proud Mother to 16 year old Austin (MCJROTC Sgt., Trumpet playing "Band Nerd" and hopeful Air Force Pilot!) Proud Stepmother to 12 year old Josh (Baseball playing, Saxophone playing "Band Nerd" and hopeful Doctor!) Proud Mother to baby Kaylee (Stuffed toy playing, Adorable smiling baby and hopeful Rodeo Princess!)
Mine doesn't sit still on any recent ultrasound so they know now they have to chase the kid around to find the heartbeat. It's quite hilarious, really.
I have the same NP that always does my initial check ups before I talk to the doctor and she is HORRIBLE at finding the heartbeat. I have a Doppler at home and can always find it within 30sec-a min but she takes forever and gets this concerned look on her face. Sometimes I have to tell her where the baby is and other times I can hear it, but because the Doppler doesn't pick up the bpm she keeps searching. I know what you mean about it being scary but as others have said, baby has a lot of room to swim still and a lot of babies will actually move away from the Doppler. It should get easier as the weeks move along!
My first appt she found it right away and after 5 seconds it was gone - baby had moved and she couldn't find it again. Last time she barely found it - every time we heard two or three beats before the baby would kick (we'd hear the thump) and would flop away. After 5x kicks we stopped searching lol. Depends on the position of your LO & placenta for sure. I wouldn't be worried - you were able to hear it in the end
Every single attempt with the hand held Doppler before 20 weeks with both viable pg was nerve wracking. I had anterior placenta with both & both babies were "runners & hiders".
Do you know about the position of your placenta?
When there is still a lot of room babies can hide & move away from the wand. I know it's frightening. Hang in there.
I went in on Wednesday right at the 15 week mark. My midwife couldn't get a good listen either. We had to go to the ultrasound room to do it. Apparently my baby doesn't like to stay still. As soon as you would hear something they would move away. You could see it on the ultrasound. It's a mover and a shaker.
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Mommy and Daddy miss you and love you so very much!
Mine took forever to find at 12 weeks (OB commented that she was doing a marathon in there), but she was easy at 16 weeks. I think she was just hanging out or sleeping right below my belly button.
It often takes a while to find the heartbeat...baby is so small at this point so it can take a few minutes. Just try to relax...if something was wrong...you would know it!
Agree with PPs. Mine moved and hid all the time. They didn't start finding my LO easily until after 20 weeks, because I too have an anterior placenta and I am also carrying some extra weight. Earlier on the doctor actually went looking for LO once with the ultrasound, only to find him/her peeking out from behind the placenta with a hand on either side of his/her head like it was making faces teasing us for being unable to find him/her. I laughed partially because I thought it was funny and partially out of relief because I was so terrified after those minutes of not finding anything. It does get better, so hang in there.
Re: Trouble finding heartbeat
I just had my 19 week appointment and it took my midwife a good 10 minutes to get a good reading. My placenta is anterior (on the front of my uterus) which makes it harder to hear.
You may have this too, as your uterus grows it will be easier to find quickly.
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Corin Andrew Dec 24/09
Ronan Edward Jul 9/12
Baby #3 EDD Aug 6/14
at my doc appt last week (21 weeks) the midwife was explaining to a trainee that quite often it's hard to find before mid 20 weeks, and that is TOTALLY normal
she eventually found the hb for my baby, but the baby isn't that big yet, so sometimes it's hard to find with a doppler
Friends for 17 years. Married 10. TTC since Jan 2009.
2013: IVF#3/FET#4 Elisabeth CJ born April 30, 2014
Cerclage, P17, and 3 months of bed rest brought us our Rainbow.
Dum spiro, spero.
My LO always moves away from the doppler, which made it harder earlier on.
Then at my last scheduled appointment (16 weeks), it took the doctor several minutes to find the heartbeat. I'm like "REALLY?! WORST.WAIT.EVER!!!" because I panic UNTIL he finds the baby.
He says, at least for me right now, the baby's still tucked behind my pubic bone, which makes it hard to locate. I know it'll get easier as time goes on, but, yes...I also hold my breath, like it'll somehow make it easier for the doc to locate the WeeNut's heartbeat. Rationally, I know that's NOT how it works...but I do it anyway.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proud Mother to 16 year old Austin (MCJROTC Sgt., Trumpet playing "Band Nerd" and hopeful Air Force Pilot!)
Proud Stepmother to 12 year old Josh (Baseball playing, Saxophone playing "Band Nerd" and hopeful Doctor!)
Proud Mother to baby Kaylee (Stuffed toy playing, Adorable smiling baby and hopeful Rodeo Princess!)
Do you know about the position of your placenta?
When there is still a lot of room babies can hide & move away from the wand. I know it's frightening. Hang in there.
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