doppler question

GoMaltby18

I had an appointment today and had another ultrasound so got to peek in and see how the babies are growing.  After my appointment the nurse said that next time they will just listen for the babies with the doppler.  I had to speak with the doctor in his office, and asked him about it.  He said that they don't typically use a doppler with twins because it's hard to tell which baby they are hearing, so I should expect another ultrasound.

Anyone else get ultrasounds every visit to check heartbeats, or do you just get the doppler? 

Nmschultz

My OB always used a Doppler; however at 20 weeks I started seeing my MFM every 4 weeks for u/s. 

Annabelle7

My doctor always says to me, 'let's cheat' and we go into the exam room with the ultrasound machine to check.  It's just takes a while sometimes to get two heartbeats on the doppler and that way it's a lot faster.

karebearmccroar

I always got ultrasounds, every time, in my OB office. They were always super quick- just enough to check heartrates on each baby, and then a transvaginal us to check cervical length up until 34 weeks. My MFM's office did my NT scan at 12 weeks, and the more in depth growth scans every 4 weeks starting at 16 weeks. 

 My understanding is that it is difficult to find both babies' HRs with a doppler, that it is difficult to ensure that they aren't measuring the same baby's HR from different angles. I think that is why the majority of OBs always use ultrasound for multiples.  

yinyang124

Neither of my MFMs used a doppler before 28 weeks because of the reason you stated. They always used an u/s. Until they get bigger, it's really difficult to distinguish two heartbeats. Even now, they still sometimes have difficulty during my NSTs because my boys are always close to each other.

ETA: My MFM still uses u/s, but if I see the NP, she uses doppler. I always have an u/s scheduled for the same day, so it doesn't bother me.

CourtneySue

Annabelle7:

My doctor always says to me, 'let's cheat' and we go into the exam room with the ultrasound machine to check.  It's just takes a while sometimes to get two heartbeats on the doppler and that way it's a lot faster.

yep. this

tombomb84

I see both the OB and MFM on a monthly basis.  At my OB they always only use the doppler to check HBs and I get monthly u/s at the MFM.

wille2b

i have always had an u/s at every appt. starting at 25 weeks after my doc saw their position on the u/s she would try to listen to the hbs with a doppler, probably for no particular reason..

notallisonmarie22

I saw my OB every 2 weeks and my MFM once a month starting at 3 months. My OB did an u/s at every single visit (unless I saw the MFM on the same day) and at around 12 weeks he started using the doppler in addition to the u/s. The MFM also did an u/s at every visit.  I lost count of how many u/s I had.  Starting at 34 weeks I was having 2 per week (BPP with MFM and just a quick check with the OB).

Also, because I am neurotic, I had a doppler at home and listened to them myself every single day...sometimes twice a day. It was easy to tell them apart.  My son's HB was always in the 160's and my daughter's was in the 140's. 

dega9

I had u/s monthly at the MFM.  My OB did ultrasounds at my appts every 3 weeks until 28 weeks, then bi-weekly until 33 weeks.  I am now 34 weeks and going every Monday.  However, the OB u/s last a whole 2 min and are only to see the heartbeats - no good pics there :-)   No one has ever used the doppler.