Another Doppler question/your experience

coreysmomma · September 2011

I came home to my Doppler today!!! And I told myself I would not try it... But I did. I am only 9w2d.

So, it sounds almost like a faint h/b, but I am guessing it is mine. How do you position your dopper and how much gel do you put on it? Do you push on your stomach, or move it lightly around? I will try to wait until Tuesday when I am 10 weeks to try again.

Thank you ladies.

Danielle

jen629 · September 2011

At 12 weeks I was really low in the pubic hairline and pressing a little harder..baby is usually in the 120-170 range your heartbeat is usually the 60-70 range..but at 10 weeks I would imagine you have to be really really low

EntropicEpona · September 2011

Your heartbeat will match your own pulse, and it's a LOT slower than baby's. The baby's heartbeat is really, really fast. Once you find it, it's obvious.

I use pure aloe gel instead of ultrasound gel, just because it's more convenient for me to rub it into my stomach afterwards. But use a good glob of it. If you don't use enough there will be a lot more static and interference.

I had to push really hard to get to the heartbeat that early, but I've got a lot of chub to have to penetrate through. Also, it was a lot lower than I had expected it to be...down in the hairline low. And at 20w it's still only a few inches higher than that.

Good luck, and don't freak out if you can't find it reliably in the beginning. Baby is still tucked well behind your pubic bone, and the heart is so tiny. It's a tough target to hit!

mundayem · September 2011

At 10 weeks I had it super low, angled far down, and had to press really hard and even then it still was really hard to find. Don't worry if you can't find it, some don't until 12 wks or more.

emd2887 · September 2011

I didn't even attempt until 11 weeks, but even then it was still really low. I definitely had to angle it all sorts of directions, move it around, etc. before I was able to find LO's heartbeat. The best way (in my experience) to tell if you're hearing your heartbeat or not is to simply use the doppler on a different area of your body- that way you know how fast your own heart is beating and can rule it out. GL!

julesjb · September 2011

I heard LO at 9wks 3 days. I basically followed along my pubic bone and angled down. I went veeeery slow and was able to find it. It was 174ish around that time. Every uterus and baby position is different though so it's more common to find it closer to 12 weeks! Good luck!

easjer05 · September 2011

Early on, I used a lot gel and pushed a lot (granted, I am fat). Keep a clock nearby to check your pulse. Generally my h/b was loud & clear (I was right on top of it) or there was nothing. Placenta sounded like whooshing/wind through trees, and the baby's h/b was really staccato, which surprised me.

sweepie412 · September 2011

I don't have any advice since my doppler just came yesterday but I did want to say that the Dr. had no trouble finding a HB with the doppler today in the office (9w5d). I mentally marked right were he had it positioned and how...came home and tried ours...and found nothing.

Obviously the dopplers they have in the office are more powerful than ours but I took comfort in knowing baby's heart was beating away it is just a matter of not being able to find him/her yet, if that makes any sense.

corndog8 · September 2011

I don't have any advice yet - just got mine this week and DH and I are going to try tonight.... GL!

Another Doppler question/your experience

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