Fetal Doppler?

BeckiLoo · February 2014

So I finally gave in (to my friends recommendation) and bought a fetal doppler for my own use. I got the "Sonoline B Handheld Pocket Fetal Doppler" from clinical guard. Has anyone had any experience with this? Or is anyone planning on getting one?

It was an online purchase but ended up being $52.72 all together. I feel like that's a good price for peace of mind

stephanie123456 · February 2014

Just bought one too for $53.42 I think. I can't wait to get it!! It came with the batteries and gel to use too.

MollyB0111 · February 2014

Just posted this yesterday. I received mine in the mail yesterday and found baby's hb 30 minutes later. It was wonderful!

AmandaR204 · February 2014

I have been using it a while. Just be careful, it's very easy to mistake your own heartbeat for baby's. Yours will be LOUD and slow paced. Bum bum bum. Baby's will be very quick, like galloping. You can watch YouTube videos to help you tell the difference. You will always find your own beat right above your pelvic bone.

Flowerchica · February 2014

Congrats on joining the obsessed momma's club. I was only able to survive my pregnancy last time because I bought one too! I got really good at finding my baby's heartbeat - to the point where I once helped my midwife find it in an appointment haha.

Your heartbeat is the slowest pace you'll find - so it's easy to rule out. The baby I believe is always faster than the placenta... so you'll get used to distinguishing the two. Happy baby hunting - it's the only way I could keep my sanity between doctor appointments

Oh and just remember - don't self diagnose as to what the heart beat means heehhe - stick with - Oooooh I found it - good enough for me... otherwise it will drive you nuts

arschm02 · February 2014

I'm borrowing the same one from a friend. I heard LOs heartbeat at 9 weeks and 3 days. I kept hearing my own pulse and the placenta heartbeat for a few days before I found LOs heart beat. Mine ranged from 90-120... When you hear the baby's you'll know. It jumped to 172!

Hward1015 · February 2014

I purchased mine a few weeks ago and used it yesterday when my SO was home. It took awhile but I finally picked up baby's heartbeat. The smile on my SO's face was priceless.

arschm02 · February 2014

If you run out of gel it's safe to use aloe.... A little money saving tip.

suitern · February 2014

AmandaR204, you can already pick up a heartbeat being so early? I was told I couldn't until like 9 weeks...perhaps I will try again today at some point!

AmandaR204 · February 2014

suitern said:

AmandaR204, you can already pick up a heartbeat being so early? I was told I couldn't until like 9 weeks...perhaps I will try again today at some point!

I'm sorry I mean with DS, I don't believe I can so early. Although the earliest I saw on YouTube was 7 weeks 1 days and it was the baby's beat, so you never know!

coffee bean · February 2014

Now I want one!

Soogerplum · February 2014

I was just looking at the ones you rent a couple of days ago. I'd probably become obsessed.

bridein08 · February 2014

suitern said:

AmandaR204, you can already pick up a heartbeat being so early? I was told I couldn't until like 9 weeks...perhaps I will try again today at some point!

I found my baby's at 7 weeks, 6 days this pregnancy and have been able to find it regularly since. It wasn't difficult at all

chusum · February 2014

I've had mine since my pregnancy with my daughter. I didn't try too hard to find her until around 11 weeks, and it still took a lot of patience. At 14 weeks she was easy to find and I used it for the remainder of my pregnancy even after I felt movement. With this one I was able to find it at just before 9 weeks, but I haven't found it consistently every time I try, and I usually get fairly upset when I can't find it! Definitely use YouTube videos to help you.

Ashleyrfiles · February 2014

My SIL is giving me hers since she is done having babies. I am getting a lot of hand me downs and feel very lucky!!

Flowerchica · February 2014

moose0512 said:

Just be careful! Sometimes it is false sense of security. if you feel like something is wrong always go to the doctors just because you think you found a hb it may not be what is wrong. I was trying to find the article I read on this where moms didn't seek medical help when they thought something was wrong because they thought they could still find a heartbeat when in fact the baby was struggling and later passed away because the mom had a false sense of security that everything was ok because they could find a hb.

so using them is ok but if your instincts are saying something is wrong do not use the Doppler as a check use a doctor.

https://www.examiner.com/article/doctors-warn-against-the-misuse-of-home-fetal-heart-rate-monitors

Very good point!!!! They aren't replacements for medical opinions!

MMason12 · February 2014

Flowerchica said:

moose0512 said:

Just be careful! Sometimes it is false sense of security. if you feel like something is wrong always go to the doctors just because you think you found a hb it may not be what is wrong. I was trying to find the article I read on this where moms didn't seek medical help when they thought something was wrong because they thought they could still find a heartbeat when in fact the baby was struggling and later passed away because the mom had a false sense of security that everything was ok because they could find a hb.

so using them is ok but if your instincts are saying something is wrong do not use the Doppler as a check use a doctor.

https://www.examiner.com/article/doctors-warn-against-the-misuse-of-home-fetal-heart-rate-monitors

Very good point!!!! They aren't replacements for medical opinions!

I was just thinking the same thing! This is more of an issue the further along you get 25+ weeks. A friend of mine thought something could be wrong, used her doppler at 32 weeks, heard the heartbeat and blew it off. The next morning she noticed there was no movement and couldn't find a heartbeat. Sadly, she lost her LO. Just make sure if you think something is wrong you act! A mother's intuition is there for a reason!!!

ErinLillian · February 2014

Yes I love mine! I haven't used it this pregnancy yet but it really gave me a piece of mind last pregnancy before I could feel movement.

prncsz · February 2014

I just got mine yesterday tried it I used half the gel so I have to get more gonna try to listen like once a week.

Flowerchica · February 2014

MMason12 said:

Flowerchica said:

moose0512 said:

Just be careful! Sometimes it is false sense of security. if you feel like something is wrong always go to the doctors just because you think you found a hb it may not be what is wrong. I was trying to find the article I read on this where moms didn't seek medical help when they thought something was wrong because they thought they could still find a heartbeat when in fact the baby was struggling and later passed away because the mom had a false sense of security that everything was ok because they could find a hb.

so using them is ok but if your instincts are saying something is wrong do not use the Doppler as a check use a doctor.

https://www.examiner.com/article/doctors-warn-against-the-misuse-of-home-fetal-heart-rate-monitors

Very good point!!!! They aren't replacements for medical opinions!

I was just thinking the same thing! This is more of an issue the further along you get 25+ weeks. A friend of mine thought something could be wrong, used her doppler at 32 weeks, heard the heartbeat and blew it off. The next morning she noticed there was no movement and couldn't find a heartbeat. Sadly, she lost her LO. Just make sure if you think something is wrong you act! A mother's intuition is there for a reason!!!

Seeee... I found the doppler less useful after I was feeling regular kicks. In fact..... I sort of stopped using it by then because the kicks were what I was supposed to monitor anyway....

NYGirl02 · February 2014

I'm tempted to get one just for fun, but I can't justify the money for just a play thing. I don't think it would give me piece of mind, and I worry I would stress if I couldn't find it. But I still want to play with it! I wonder if anyone has one I could borrow.

Also, can you get them at buy Buy Baby?

NYGirl02 · February 2014

Peace, not piece

MrsLaLaBug · February 2014

I am 9w and change, I just tried my Doppler the other day and still couldn't hear the hb yet, fwiw. I have the Sonoline, and it's obviously not a hospital-grade Doppler. If any of you are picking up something sounding similar to a hb in the 115-130's range, be aware that I you might be listening to your femoral artery - the Doppler picks up the blood swooshing in and out which is basically double what your heart rate is.

Flowerchica · February 2014

Lala - did you aim really low, just above the pubic bone but aiming downwards? You gotta work a bit to find it but you should be able to with the Sonoline home ones. I think at this point we are looking for something around 140-180 . Also .... sometimes you can catch it before the sonoline measures the rate ... so I don't take the rate so seriously this early ... but the sound is so fast it's unmistakable.....

SweetMonty19 · February 2014

@AmandaR204, you can already pick up a heartbeat being so early? I was told I couldn't until like 9 weeks...perhaps I will try again today at some point! I'm high risk, so my OB checked the HR at 5 weeks 6 days.

AmandaR204 · February 2014

@AmandaR204, you can already pick up a heartbeat being so early? I was told I couldn't until like 9 weeks...perhaps I will try again today at some point! I'm high risk, so my OB checked the HR at 5 weeks 6 days.

Not me, some other people can. I found a HB with DS at 13 weeks. It's worth a shot if some people can maybe you can.

AM926 · February 2014

I need to get mine back, I lent it to my SIL when she was pregnant over the summer and forgot about it!

bumpuser10024844 · February 2014

I'm kind of interested in buying one after hearing all your stories. Are they easy enough to use and can you find the heartbeat every time? I'd freak out if I couldn't find the heartbeat.

MrsLaLaBug · February 2014

Flowerchica said:
Lala - did you aim really low, just above the pubic bone but aiming downwards? You gotta work a bit to find it but you should be able to with the Sonoline home ones. I think at this point we are looking for something around 140-180 . Also .... sometimes you can catch it before the sonoline measures the rate ... so I don't take the rate so seriously this early ... but the sound is so fast it's unmistakable.....

Yep. I couldn't hear it until around 10+w mark last time either. Maybe my fluff gets in the way.

LTMama · February 2014

I found mine two days ago, but now I'm wondering if it wasn't the femoral artery I heard? I think it was around twice as fast as my heartbeat. But not as loud. It was hard to hold onto the sound, so I wasn't able to check my pulse while I listened to it to compare. I did pick my own heartbeat a lot while I was searching, and it was a lot slower than the little fast one I found. Took me a long time to find it and it was below my pubic bone (I was pointing it down) and slightly left of center.

I have an angelsound something or other, the pink one, that I bought last pregnancy. It doesn't measure the heart rate, just lets you listen.

BeckiLoo · February 2014

Mine finally shipped

Can't wait for it to get here!

stephanie123456 · February 2014

Update... Just got mine and watched some YouTube videos and found baby's heartbeat after about 10 minutes. He's wedged somewhere and keeps moving but it was so sweet to hear that thumping. The videos definitely helped me to distinguish the HB versus artery or other grumbles.

kirstynikole · February 2014

I juuuuuust now ordered one.. yea I'm late on the band wagon but I guess I'd like some peace of mind too.

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