early doppler success

EntropicEpona · October 2014

Today I'm 9w3d and was able to hear our baby's heartbeat, clear as a bell, on our home doppler. We've had a long, sordid history of infertility and losses, so hearing that sound is such a comfort. I know it won't tell us if there's something anatomically or genetically wrong (we're doing the Verifi test next week), but just knowing that the babe is still alive is sometimes just enough to get me through the day, KWIM?

Anyway, I know everyone worries. Some of us more than others, but I totally recommend a Doppler for some peace of mind. I never expected it to work this soon, though (I heard our daughter at 10w1d). And I'm overweight, to boot. Just prop your butt up on a big pillow and lean waaaaay back, look really, really low (in your hair line), and aim downwards into your ute. And be patient!

CTri17 · October 2014

oh that is great you got to hear it!

I have my first appointment tomorrow with my m/w and I'll be 9w exactly, I'm really praying we can hear it, it will put my mind at ease

EntropicEpona · October 2014

It really IS super early to hear anything, but we got really lucky. If you can't hear it at first, try the bum-in-the-air position!

coastlinemama · October 2014

That's so great!

Jerseymommy11 · October 2014

The home doppler really helped calm my nerves in between appointments last time. Cant wait until i can find the heartbeat again this time around!

MommySuperHero · October 2014

Where did you get your doppler? I want one

Unknown · October 2014

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kj808 · October 2014

Wow, that's great that you got to hear it so early! And @ramy3 you have the same due date as me and now you are SO tempting me to get one! I didn't think it was possible to hear it so early.

I've been debating with myself about getting one because i'm worried i'll freak myself out if I can't find the hb at some point. A friend of mine has one that she's willing to give me and I might take her up on her offer

MommySuperHero · October 2014

Just sent my man the link and he ordered it for me. So excited

This will really help me get past the "somethng is wrong" everyday since ins is still not kicked in yet

EntropicEpona · October 2014

I have the Sonoline B with the 3Mhz probe. I bought it over 4 years ago, on amazon. The TSA totally buggered the probe connection when we were traveling while pregnant with my daughter, but luckily my husband is handy with electronics.

They're cheap, and easy, and I figure if it keeps me from freaking our and calling my OB all the damn time, then it's worth it!

EntropicEpona · October 2014

Make sure you get some good ultrasound gel, though, or Vaseline aloe gel. Don't use anything with oil in it, as that can degrade the plastic. I like the aloe gel because you can just rub it in afterwards.

ryemo · October 2014

I have to ask those of you who heard before 10 weeks if you're sure it was the fetalHB not your placenta or insides or your own HB? It seems really unlikely and I wouldn't even try with a mom as the midwife. The HB sounds like horses hooves and should be between 110-160.

alaw0729 · October 2014

I've tried at 8 weeks and 9 weeks with no success, but I haven't really worried as that is still somewhat early to hear it. I, by no means, have a hospital grade doppler but It worked well with my last one (albeit 12wks on). At work I heard it at 10wks just trying stuff out. I'm sure I will try again in a few days but, I'm trying not to really stress about it.

EntropicEpona · October 2014

I know it was fhr and not my own arteries because I'm an experienced Doppler user. Fhr for this little one was 176bpm.

I even caught a bit of wind-in-the-trees placenta whooshing.

itsmevkb · October 2014

ryemo said:

I have to ask those of you who heard before 10 weeks if you're sure it was the fetalHB not your placenta or insides or your own HB? It seems really unlikely and I wouldn't even try with a mom as the midwife. The HB sounds like horses hooves and should be between 110-160.

This is my seventh pregnancy so yes, I know what a baby's heartbeat sounds like. I heard it during my 8th week with my last two pregnancies but didn't try until 9 weeks with this baby and found it one day, couldn't find it two days later but then found it again yesterday.

I can see why doctors/midwives don't try, because they don't have half an hour to spend doing this with patients, but I have all the time in the world at home (once the kids are all in bed of course.)

I love having a doppler but definitely don't recommend it to anyone who knows they will freak out if they can't find the heartbeat right away or at all before you're into your second trimester. If you've never used one before and this is your first pregnancy there are a million YouTube videos showing women using dopplers which will give you an idea of where to find the heartbeat and also exactly what it sounds like.

Leslie2003 · October 2014

I tried twice yesterday at 8w6d, knowing it would be completely useless. I didn't hear it, but the monitor did catch 146-148bpm quite a few times. I'm going to try every night until I hear it. It really does calm my nerves. This is my 6th pregnancy, my first 3 ended in m/c, so every little thing I can do to reassure me that my baby is still there, helps.

I'm fairly neurotic in early pregnancy...

I will say, once I feel movement, the doppler gets pushed aside and used for fun! Movement is my favorite part of pregnancy - I can't wait to get there.

PinkRoses53 · October 2014

ryemo said:

I have to ask those of you who heard before 10 weeks if you're sure it was the fetalHB not your placenta or insides or your own HB? It seems really unlikely and I wouldn't even try with a mom as the midwife. The HB sounds like horses hooves and should be between 110-160.

I was able to find it last time with my home doppler at 8w6d. I recorded it with my phone then compared it to youtube videos (since I was a newbie) and it was definitely the heartbeat. It took a little while of searching but after that, he tended to be around the same spot so it became easier.

maybaby0529 · October 2014

I want to get a doppler are they safe

MrsF0831 · October 2014

Ugh u ladies are making me want to get a doppler well see what dh says

mrs2mommy92 · October 2014

Purchasing mine today

I'm only 6wk 4 days, but at least I'll have it when I'm ready to use it!

MrsF0831 · October 2014

ramy3 said:
@kj808 I'm going to have to limit my use now because I know if I don't hear it every time I'll panic. Maybe just once a week for a few weeks.

@ramy3‌ The further along say 2nd tri its not easier to always hear? I just wonder how I'll tell difference between baby a and b. Imo hold off the bc I think I'll be seen by my dr often between them and MfM

mrshall1027 · October 2014

That's so cool that you got to hear it! I had been questioning getting a doppler and this post just pushed me over the edge. Ordered a doppler this morning and I'm hoping it gets here fast!

wlrtimes2 · October 2014

I am so jealous! Last time I heard baby's heart beat at 9 weeks and I am now 10 weeks and we still haven't found it. I will keep trying and try to be patient

I like the Vaseline with aloe idea. We are almost out of ultrasound gel... So I will definitely try it!

SnowFlake84 · October 2014

That's awesome! I want one but my OB said the home ones can be dangerous if they're not FDA-approved... She said hers is, but it cost $500. Eek.
I'll have to shop around.

SnowFlake84 · October 2014

Here's an article by the FDA on non-prescrition use. Now I'm sad because it also had a PDF file warning against the keepsake ultrasound boutiques.
https://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm095508.htm

EntropicEpona · October 2014

maybaby0529 said:

I want to get a doppler are they safe

According to the FDA, they're safe for continuous use. My OB and RE have no problem with them whatsoever. The sound waves are at a high enough frequency that they don't interfere with anything.

EntropicEpona · October 2014

SnowFlake84 said:

Here's an article by the FDA on non-prescrition use. Now I'm sad because it also had a PDF file warning against the keepsake ultrasound boutiques. https://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm095508.htm

My OB said she'd write a prescription for one, but that it'd be cheaper for me to just buy one online. Of course, I'm not using it for hours on end, either. I've never, in all my years of treatments and infertility, heard of a single Doppler-related complication.

teachnva · October 2014

I ordered the sonoline B yesterday morning. It shipped out yesterday. Can't wait to try it!

MommySuperHero · October 2014

ordered yesterday and it's already a few miles from here. Excited to try tomorrow night

SnowFlake84 · October 2014

EntropicEpona said:

SnowFlake84 said:

Here's an article by the FDA on non-prescrition use. Now I'm sad because it also had a PDF file warning against the keepsake ultrasound boutiques.
https://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm095508.htm

My OB said she'd write a prescription for one, but that it'd be cheaper for me to just buy one online. Of course, I'm not using it for hours on end, either. I've never, in all my years of treatments and infertility, heard of a single Doppler-related complication.

I, too, have had years of infertility and had never heard of it. But I can't find anything from the FDA saying they're safe. I did find the one I posted from the FDA saying they are not safe, but it was written in 2008.
My OB scared me out of getting one.

mh238911 · October 2014

I have the Contec Pocket Fetal Doppler- I can hear my babe's heartbeat, but the darn thing can't register what the heartrate actually is. It can't even read the heart rate on my radial pulse- which is weird. I'm not too worried about it because I use dopplers at work to find difficult pedal pulses and those don't actually tell you the rate- but it would be nice if mine would do what it's supposed to do. I can distinctly tell the difference between my heartbeat, the placenta, and the baby's- it's just weird that it won't register.

kaynix21 · October 2014

You ladies are making me want to get one!

I'm nervous I'll have a hard time finding it and freak out.

But my DH is going to be gone for basically my entire pregnancy (oh military) and it'd be nice for us to be able to hear it a few times together before he leaves.

momtosam · October 2014

A friend sent me her doppler to use, got it a couple days ago. I could not find the heartbeat the first time, but this morning I was able to find it. Sweetest sound ever. It helped having the OB appointment yesterday, so I knew where to look. Baby is still tucked pretty low for me. I am 11 weeks today.

kaynix21 · October 2014

Yeah I'm gonna ask my doc today where he/she is if he/she is in a good spot where I can find him/her.

lovebeingblonde · October 2014

Thanks to this thread.. just ordered a Sonoline B

Hopefully this will assist with my ever-present obsessing about everything being ok down there.

And with the excruciatingly long 4 week waits between OB appts lol

momtosam · October 2014

@kaynix21 I am 11 weeks. I picked up baby today right at my pubic line just right of center. Basically tucked in my pelvic bone. Just move really slow. I looked up some youtube videos and that helped to see how to do it as well. Mine is one a friend is lending me, but does not show the heartrate on the screen. Still wonderful to have and be able to hear the heartbeat.

MommySuperHero · October 2014

we found it tonight but it was hard lol. Baby is hiding behind MY heartbeat just like my last baby did so it's hard to tell and doppler doesn't pick up the heartrate(number) at all bc its so soft compared to mine

If we listened BETWEEN the beats of MINE we could totally hear it and just by timing it ourselves got a HR of about 161 which is awesome since last weeks US showed a HR of 158

alaw0729 · October 2014

I decided to try again last night at 10 weeks and after about 20 mins and at the point of quiting, low and behold there it was. Very cool.

mrshall1027 · October 2014

Got my doppler today and was able to find the HB. The baby kept moving around though and I kept having to move the wand around to find him/her again. We ended up telling my stepdaughters so they could hear it too. They were so excited and happy!

teachnva · October 2014

Got my sonoline B yesterday tried briefly yesterday with no luck. Today with an extra 15 minutes or so I was able to find it about two inches below my belly button right in the center. Screen read 150-179 and I'm 9w2d. It was reassuring to hear. Recorded the sound on video and was disappointed when hubby said he didn't want to hear it when I asked him. :-(

mpiemont · October 2014

Got my doppler today (a friend is lending me hers) and I couldn't find the HB. I'm trying to stay calm- I'm 9w5d so I know it's still early. Should I try again tomorrow? Wait a few days? Any other tips/tricks? I watched a couple youtube videos and read some online tutorials...

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