At Home Dopplers

jlf1019

I know these can be kind of controversial, but I borrowed one from a friend during my pregnancy with my daughter and it so helped my PGAL brain. The first time, it took me several minutes to find the HB, but then I could find it really quickly from then on. I can't remember at what point in my pregnancy I first started using it, though. 

After having two more MCs in the fall, and after two weekends in a row of sickness (stomach bug and flu), I decided to order my own just so I could have peace of mind that even though I was miserable and sick, baby was okay. I'm 17+2 and I am pretty positive I felt several movements last week. We also had an appointment last Wednesday for our gender scan and everything looked great. But my doppler came in yesterday, and after three attempts at 10 or more minutes each, I cannot find the HB at all. I've looked all over -- down in my pelvic region and up. I can't help but get freaked out, BUT I swear baby has moving around like crazy as I'm trying to find it. Like I can feel her rolling around in there and pushing back against it so I don't understand why the doppler isn't picking up on anything, even for a second. Do you think my doppler is just crap? It was only $40, but it looked just like the one I borrowed from my friend last time. Even though I'm certain there's movement, my PGAL brain tries to convince me I'm dreaming it and I get so caught up in not finding the HB. I don't have another appointment for 3 more weeks, so I'm trying not to freak out. And my doc is an hour away, so I can't just pop in and ask them to do a doppler check. 

Anyone had any experience with this? I have a tilted uterus, so that can make it hard, but they were able to find it with the doc office doppler (which I know is much more advanced) at 12 weeks, so I expected to be able to find it on my own at 17. How do I get my PGAL brain to calm down? lol. 

Ae_Lovely321

I haven't had this experience before but I don't have and won't use an at home doppler for this reason.  I just let the professionals do it. If you feel movement I wouldn't worry or maybe try an elective ultrasound if you're that unsure. 

stephy_p

I have a love-hate relationship with my home Doppler because of this exact reason. when I find a heartbeat with it, it is comforting, but more often than not I have not been able to find the heartbeat. I have cried over this before. I am 17+5 and tried last night. It took me a good 10 or more minutes to find it. It's been frustrating. Try not to let it freak you out. If you are feeling her move, that is a really good sign!

wyomama0427

With home dopplers do you use the gel? Maybe if you're not using the gel that could add to some of the problems finding and keeping the hb?

mrsmarygs

@wyomama0427 I think the techs use gel so that the device doesn't stick to our skin and make it uncomfortable to keep moving it around. I could be wrong, but I don't think it enhances the doppler's range or anything.

beccam1230

Totally agree with @wyomama0427. Very necessary. I have to put a bunch of gel on.. it's easier to hear if I have more! If you're feeling movement, I wouldn't worry too much. But I know it's nice to have reassurance of the doppler. Good luck, little one is probably pretty good at hiding!

wyomama0427

@beccam1230 I was thinking about getting a Doppler and I had read that using ultrasound gel is reccomended because it reduces static and stuff. One place I read used the word "imperative". I mean it makes sense, they use it with the Doppler at the doctors office, I'd imagine you'd need it with home dopplers too! My doctor loves to dump the gel on lol

JNR6510

The gel helps to carrry the sound waves so you can hear the heartbeat better. Using it could help, also if baby is moving around a lot, you will likely have a hard time finding / keeping the Doppler in the right place since baby is so small and has a ton of space to move around in there.

beccam1230

@wyomama0427 haha I just use aloe gel.. it works just as well and is so much cheaper! But I've tried it without the gel and it just doesn't work, I can't pick anything up. Haha my doc loooves the gel too! 

wyomama0427

@beccam1230 I read that aloe gel works too! And I also read that oil based gels are a no go because they can hurt the Doppler? I don't know if there's truth in that but I mean I thought they couldn't put anything on the internet that wasn't true

mrsmarygs

JNR6510 said:

The gel helps to carrry the sound waves so you can hear the heartbeat better. Using it could help, also if baby is moving around a lot, you will likely have a hard time finding / keeping the Doppler in the right place since baby is so small and has a ton of space to move around in there.

Shows how much I know   

HollyGolightly09

mrsmarygs said:

JNR6510 said:

The gel helps to carrry the sound waves so you can hear the heartbeat better. Using it could help, also if baby is moving around a lot, you will likely have a hard time finding / keeping the Doppler in the right place since baby is so small and has a ton of space to move around in there.

Shows how much I know   

I didn't know that either, lol.

wyomama0427

lol hey it's okay I didn't connect the dots until I was looking at dopplers on amazon and in the also purchased area was the gel and I was like wait you need that? And started googling lol

Swazzle

I use aloe with mine too and when I tried it without, I couldn't hear anything. Sometimes I'll find the HB and I won't move the doppler at all but then I guess the baby moves and the sound disappears so I'd assume if yours is really active it could definitely be hard to find! 

jlf1019

With my daughter, we used KY jelly whenever we used the doppler lol. This doppler did come with a small tube of gel. I tried with it the first time, then also tried with the KY, and then with the provided gel again. I may give it another shot tonight, but then I'm sending it back if I still can't find it. It was so easy last time, but it's doing nothing but freaking me out this time. 

OmSweetOm

When my tiny tube of gel that came with the Doppler (Sonoline B ) ran out I also used Aloe Vera and works like a charm. It's odd because I can find my heartbeat with the Doppler without any gel but if I try to use for babe, nothing. So I agree it makes all the difference! Also making a big difference is the quality of the device you are using... from what I have read there are several that seem to only really be reliance much much later on. I got mine from Walmart online for around $40 also, but it seemed to be the go to on many of the boards I stalked about them and I would highly recommend it. I shockingly found the hb just a few days into my 9th week. But, I would def say first just try to really lube up first and see it that makes a difference. Also, trick I learned is sometimes even just twisting the wand in one spot makes a difference too... like keeping it in the same spot just rotating it, if that makes sense. 

ellemnop90

I wouldn't worry too much.  I've gotten pretty good with mine and can generally find the heartbeat within a minute or two (and have been since 12 weeks or so).  With that said, it took a long time to get good at it and some days my little babe is moving around so much it take much longer.  I'm sure your little one is wiggling around a ton too.  Try again tomorrow but try not to stress, I've heard of some people say they never had much luck finding it at home.

jlf1019

I finally found it last night! I only kept track of her for about 10 seconds or so, but she was beating away at 162. I think she genuinely just moves a lot. At my appointment last Wednesday, she was also breech. So maybe that positioning makes it harder?? Who knows. I might try one more time today, then I'm making myself give it a break for a few days lol. 

Sprite2012

I don't have and won't buy a home doppler. I'm 16 weeks today, and the doctor hasn't been able to find the heart beat with their doppler the past 3 appointments. With DS, the thing couldn't find it until at least 20 weeks. I'm sure if you held it in a couple places for an hour, eventually with baby moving, you'd hear something. My opinion, put the thing away until 20+ weeks. I think it'll make your PGAL flare up for no reason. 

BecauseLove

I was a somewhat "spoiled" IVFer...so I had 3 ultrasounds up until week 9. So I was lucky to be able to hear and see baby ahead of time but once I switched from my RE to a regular Dr...they weren't able to hear her on the doppler for many weeks which freaked me out. I am somewhat plus size so that might have been why or she could have just been hiding out to low in my pelvis. But my need to know if she was ok led to me buying a doppler. We have only used it like 6 times. The first few times we didn't hear anything either....but then we thought we found her...and a few days later I went to the Dr and they found her on the doppler too...since then we have (we only have tried 1 other time) found her fairly easy...as she moves up higher it seems to be getting easier. 

For sure a lot of Pro's and Con's about owning one and the anxiety it causes and sometimes reduces.

PKFMommie

No doppler for me.  Realistically, what am I going to do if I can't find it? I try to stick to paying attention to movements, which my 18 weeker has been generous with.

jena333-2

PKFMommie said:

*Snip*
 movements, which my 18 weeker has been generous with.

How lucky for you.

Sugargirl1019

jena333-2 said:

PKFMommie said:

*Snip*
 movements, which my 18 weeker has been generous with.

How lucky for you.

So, I haven't felt any movements yet, and I've been pretty vocal about how I've been using my doppler for the past 9 weeks and loving it! My favorite favorite part now about using it is baby girl will kick the doppler!  I can hear just how active she is even though I can't feel her. She will move away and do flips and kick it and it sounds SO neat! It's a little window into the movement that I don't get to feel yet. And I'm so amazed at HOW wild she is in there! Can I really not feel any of that? 

jena333-2

I'm also SUPER happy I have an at home Doppler. I can't hear movement so much, but that gorgeous heartbeat puts my pgal brain at ease. I was warned against it by my NP and DH, but it has been amazing.

I'm sure that wasn't her intent, but the "home Doppler are silly bc if there's something wrong you can't do anything about it, I can feel my baby" tone I read into it rubbed me the wrong way.

Sugargirl1019

@jena333 You know how that static sound happens when you move the doppler? Her kicks are static sounds popping against the doppler even though I'm holding it completely still. I do love to hear that precious heartbeat like a galloping horse!

jena333-2

I just thought that was something intestinal burbling up

Becky012016

Sugargirl1019 said:

jena333-2 said:

PKFMommie said:

*Snip*
 movements, which my 18 weeker has been generous with.

How lucky for you.

So, I haven't felt any movements yet, and I've been pretty vocal about how I've been using my doppler for the past 9 weeks and loving it! My favorite favorite part now about using it is baby girl will kick the doppler!  I can hear just how active she is even though I can't feel her. She will move away and do flips and kick it and it sounds SO neat! It's a little window into the movement that I don't get to feel yet. And I'm so amazed at HOW wild she is in there! Can I really not feel any of that? 

Do you know if you have an anterior placenta? The movement with an anterior placenta is much different than what others describe as early movement. It was more like light tapping internally that I only realized was movement in hindsight.  

Sugargirl1019

jena333-2 said:

I just thought that was something intestinal burbling up

Oh god I hope not.. 

But when she does it, the hb also moves away and disappears so I know she's moving So, not gas. Please not gas. Hahaha

Swazzle

@Sugargirl1019 @jena333-2 I don't think I've felt any movement yet at 17w (FTM) but when I've used the doppler over the last 1-2 weeks, I've definitely heard weird noises that weren't there before so I also thought maybe that's the baby moving around? My mom insists that it's just my bowels but I swear I didn't hear these sounds the first few weeks I was able to find the heartbeat at home! 

labby18

My friend gave me a doppler yesterday. I am 17wks today. I can find the HB rather easily. I have a tube of ultrasound gel also. I listened really carefully today and was able i think to hear baby moving around especially because the HB got faint right after a woosh or bloop type noise that isnt intestines bc i dopplered over there for reference lol. I recorded the HB on the computer and sent it to myself so it's on my fone
  i can listen to it whenever 

beccam1230

@labby18 that's so wonderful!! It's so exciting to have that security of hearing your baby when you want to  I definitely notice that when mine moves, it's that static/whoosh sound! I'm so happy that you are able to experience it now!!

labby18

@beccam1230 after *tw* 3 losses its nice to have that security. I didnt plan on buying a doppler myself bc of PGAL brain and what if i cannot find it. When she gave it to me i was a little anxious but when I found the HB right away i was like THANK GOODNESS! 

awildrose

@labby18 I originally bought my doppler for my pgal brain. It has been worth it to me. I plugged mine into a portable speaker with this baby and recorded it on my phone. Lol. The sound is so soothing to me. 

I busted my doppler out tonight for some reassurance. I have an appointment tomorrow, but I haven't felt baby move much at all since Friday night. Granted, it's been a super busy weekend and I could just be missing it, but my "what if" anxiety was starting to get the best of me. Found the HB immediately and strong.

LaceyC1020

I ordered  doppler this morning  DH joked about making up a contract that I have to sign in order to use it lol!! No freak outs if I can't find the heartbeat every time. 

mamaii

I use my fetal doppler once a week, soothes my PGAL brain. Have been using it since I was 10 weeks along. It's a wonderful feeling hearing the little heart beat.<3

LaceyC1020

My Doppler came in today!!! Took me a little bit to find her, but it was so soothing once I did!!