OB appointment this week, doppler vs ultrasound

jojolh1003

Hi Ladies,

My first big OB appointment is scheduled for Thursday this week, I have been counting down the weeks since confirming my pregnancy on April 16th!  I should be around 8+ weeks at this time and have been nervously awaiting to hear our baby's heartbeat.  I got a call from the doctor office yesterday that my dr. has had a reaction to some type of medicine and will not be seeing patients this week but the PA will see me.  She however will not be performing an ultrasound, only my dr. would perform this in the office.  They did say they could schedule me for an ultrasound but couldn't make that appointment until I came in on Thursday.  The nurse said they would try to find the heartbeat with a doppler but I have heard that it's very difficult to find one this early on.  I am so disappointmented and the wait is so very stressful.  I am 42 and this is my first pregnancy and I pray everyday that I hear a healthy and strong heartbeat.  Should I forgo the doppler altogether and ask to schedule an ultrasound?  Has anyone else had the doppler?  So anxious!

QOTR

How disappointing!   I remember how difficult it is to wait in the early days.  I had many early ultrasounds since I was initially with an RE and then continued on with a peri & OB.   My OB didn't use a doppler until week 14.   I too have heard that it can be difficult to hear the heartbeat on a doppler that early, so try not to be discouraged if they don't find it.  I hope they can get you rescheduled for an U/S soon.

*edited to correct typo

moroccojade

8 weeks is really early.  Since I have such an overachieving uterus my MW tried when I was 8w2d.   but no luck.  The uterus was high, the baby was low.

I am not a fan of multiple US unless they are medically necessary....  Are you scheduled for an NT? 

harmonicbabe26

Def schedule an us appt! Not only to hear the heartbeat but to see your little peanut! We got some prints from our appt where you can actually make out the head from the rest of the body and little nubs of arms and legs! Too cool! With my DD at that point she just looked like a bean haha... @moroccojade‌ why would you be against ultrasounds?? I had K in Switzerland, we were there due to DH's job, and I had an us at almost every monthly appt and then closer to the end every 2 weeks to check position, size and amt of amniotic fluid. It seems so stupid to me they way they 'measure' your belly here in the US and tell you that everything is ok or not based on that... My friend had a few weeks of total freakout because supposedly she was measuring too big which can be a sign of Down. And then towards the end she always measured too small bc baby was so low. Btw she had a perfectly healthy baby this am. Seems like such a stupid inaccurate method to me...

rae76

At my appointment when I was 11 weeks, my doctor came in with the dopplar and said that he was going to try but not to panic because we probably wouldn't be able to hear it yet.  He was right, we couldn't so we went into the ultrasound room and he did a quick ultrasound to make sure all was well.  I would schedule the ultrasound, as they are too tiny to hear at this point.

jojolh1003

Thanks all, I rescheduled my appointment (actually found a new OB!) and my first US is next Tuesday!