Pregnant after a Loss

Doppler Question? Please help?

I am 11 weeks and 4 days as of today. I work in a hospital and borrowed a doppler to see if I could hear a hearbeat this morning. I was unable to really pinpoint it however I did hear what I thought was it for a brief second and then just heard some sloshing around. I assume this was the baby moving and it is just to early to hear the heartbeat via doppler.

Basically, I am wanting to know if anyone else has experienced anything similair and everything been ok. My actual appointment for a doppler with my OB is Jan 8th so atleast I do not have to wait to much longer.

Please let me know your experiences, I am trying not to worry that something may actually be wrong explaining why I couldnt hear it.

Re: Doppler Question? Please help?

  • You should try laying on your tummy for about 20 minutes before you try it again... I hear that helps.
    BFP #1 4/2/09 EDD 12/6/09 -MC 4/12/09 BFP #2 6/2/09 EDD 2/14/10 -Ectopic in Tube, Surgery 6/23/09 BFP #3 10/15/09 EDD 6/27/10 -Daniel John 6/21/10 BFP #4 Oct 2010 Chemical Pregnancy BFP #5 8/19/11 Beta #1 82.8 Prog 17.25
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  • This is why I fear dopplers.  I know people that couldn't find the HB at 13, 14 weeks.  I know it's hard but I wouldn't worry it's not really an easy thing to find.
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  • PS-I also hear a full bladder helps.
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  • I recommend having a full bladder and lay on a firm surface when you try it.  You can also try putting a pillow under your butt to prop yourself up a bit.  I used to find that early on it helped to keep my legs straight out instead of bent at the knee.  Good luck!
  • Drink a ton of water, lay down on your stomach, and then flip over and try it, starting pretty low (at your pubic bone) and center (below the belly button).  If you hear a WHOOSH, WHOOSH, that's your heartbeat, at the placenta or the cord.  If you hear a galloping noise, that's LO.  S/he will be moving around so sometimes a little squirmy.

    Also, hold it in place for a while until you get a good amount of sound input (so it's not staticy), and rotate it around without actually moving it across your stomach.  Then move it a little to the right or to the left.  Go really, really slowly, or else you might miss it.

    If you can't find it in 20 minutes, call your doctor's office.  They will sometimes let you come in just for a fetal heart check.  That's what I did before I ordered the doppler so I knew it was there (and how to find it).  

    Don't worry.  There is a lot going on in there and it's hard to just pick it up and find the heartbeat.

  • At the point you are the baby is really really low. Also don't worry even where I'm at sometimes its really hard to find the hb so much so that sometimes I get so frustrated I want to throw my doppler. I got mine at 12 weeks and it took me a good 5 days to find the hb because I was not looking low enough. I'm sure everything is just fine!
  • Try not to worry to much. I was not able to find the heartbeat until 14 weeks. Before that I was searching for about an hour. The ladies have some very helpful hints. I have heard that the whooshing sound that you hear is the  the cord with blood rushing through. If you hear sounds like ocean waves, then that is the placenta.
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  • I know it's hard not to worry, but try not to.  My doc couldn't find the hb on a doppler yesterday during my 13 w appointment.  I ended up getting an u/s and everything was all good.

    When the baby is small like it is right now, it can be difficult to locate.

  • With my pregnancy with my son Dylan - I couldn't hear his heartbeat on the doppler until I was 14 weeks.  It was scary and frustrating, but it really did take that long.  Now he's a healthy and happy 3 1/2 year old. 
  • Thank everyone for your reassurance. This is a great board to bounce things off of. Happy Holidays!
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