March 2016 Moms

Doppler usage

I couldn't find a board to ask this on, but if there is an appropriate one, I apologize for starting another.
But i suffer with anxiety very badly and there for use my at home doppler frequently and I just had the sudden thought and fear that maybe the doppler might affect growth and movement. Has anyone read this or have heard from their dr or anything about this? Or maybe can point me in the right direction. Thank you

Re: Doppler usage

  • soxfan9968soxfan9968 member
    edited November 2015
    Don't quote me on this but I believe that research area is somewhat inconclusive and long term effects if any are still unknown. Most ob's will advise you to not use one at home but if you must make sure it's FDA approved.

    ETA: fda does not recommend at home use of these devices.
    https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm095508.htm

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  • My doula (also a midwife, but I have an OB) is highly opposed, but she also has concerns about ultrasounds. She says we don't really know how it affects the baby, but there were some studies that suggested that they actually can distress the baby some. This hasn't deterred me from having my scheduled sonograms, but I also don't schedule any elective ones either, and the ones I have are brief. I don't think there's much evidence either way, but I'm not too worried since im not constantly using them - it's just at appts for me.

    March 2016 siggy: babies - expectation vs reality

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    to Evan (7/'10), Clare (8/'11), Dean (3/'14), ^F(12/'15)^, Rose (3/'16)
    *no longer a Timelord ~ WibblyWobbly BabyWaby is here!*
    <3 but i still feel bigger on the inside <3
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  • I have a doppler (given to me by my cousin) and the only time I broke it out to use is when I fell down the stairs and DH took over and found the heartbeat for me.  Baby was perfectly fine.  Dopplers are sound waves so don't do harm (that we know of), but babies seem not to like them so who knows what they are feeling in there. 
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    BFP 11/16/20 (EDD 7/31/21).  "Round 3 FIGHT!"
  • Thanks ladies. I'm sure most can relate about worrying 24/7. I'm gonna try to relax as I can pick up the heart beat most times. One more question though if you all don't mind, if the baby's heart stops will the placenta continue to pulsate? Or if you find the placenta beating, the baby is also beating as well?
  • The opinion on these has changed since I was pregnant with my first and purchased one.  I used them sporadically throught the first 16-17 weeks of all of my pregnancies.  Maybe once per week.  As soon as I found  the heartbeat I listended for a a few seconds and then turned it off.  It kept my anxiety at ease until I could feel consistent movement and hopefully the limited amount of time I used it struck a good balace of being good for me (mentally) and not being harmful to the fetus.  I guess my only advice would be to do your research and come to your own conclusion about what you are comfortable with.  
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  • I'm assuming you're due in March, so are you feeling movement at this point? Perhaps you can scale back on how often you use your doppler now that you have the reassurance of movement? I hear my baby's heartbeat at appointments roughly every 4-5 weeks and I like to record it on my phone so that I can hear it again in between. I wouldn't personally feel comfortable with using a doppler at home, but the recordings are reassuring for me after a loss. (I realize that they aren't "current" but just knowing that my baby had a strong heartbeat at a prior appointment helps a lot!)
    It's a boy! Born 42 weeks, 2 days.
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  • @ClaireBear90 I am due in march, I'll be 21 weeks on Friday (11/6). And i have felt some movements here and there (which do not feel like flutters, more like quick like pokes or jabs lol) but they are not yet consistent and do not happen every day. Thank you for your help! Do you happen to know anything or have read about if the placenta would still beat if the babys heart was not?
  • I believe in some cases the placenta can continue to beat when the baby is no longer living.  Maybe ask doctor google.
    BFP 2/11/15 (EDD 10/13/15). MMC 3/30/15 D&C 4/3/15 "We will always love you"
    DD1 - BFP 7/23/15 (EDD 3/31/16).  "We believe in you rainbow" DOB 4/2/16
    DD2 - BFP 2/9/18 (EDD 10/19/18).  "Grow baby grow!" DOB 10/24/18
    BFP 11/16/20 (EDD 7/31/21).  "Round 3 FIGHT!"
  • I second what @bntfroggie have said in both her replies. I too have a doppler at home and I use it maybe once a week. I also thought that the placenta had a lower heartbeat than the baby and more like your own heartbeat. I have had two mmc and at the us with both of them the ob told me that my placenta had kept growing after baby's heartbeat stopped, so I assume that the placenta continued to beat for as long as it kept growing.
  • I don't know. And yes, the movements are certainly inconsistent in the beginning. Maybe you could limit yourself to using the doppler only on the days when you don't feel any movement? I'd talk with your OB/midwife about this though and see how often he/she would want you using a doppler at home, if at all.
    It's a boy! Born 42 weeks, 2 days.
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  • I wouldn't use a home Doppler, the FDA advises against it so I just leave all that stuff up to my doc. I can feel my little guy regularly, but I'm wondering at this point if a stethoscope might be a better/safer option?
  • Definitely nothing unsafe about a stethoscope! :D

    March 2016 siggy: babies - expectation vs reality

    Brian's Whovian wife (5/'09) 
    AP, BF, BW, CD, CLW, CS, ERF, Catholic mama 
    to Evan (7/'10), Clare (8/'11), Dean (3/'14), ^F(12/'15)^, Rose (3/'16)
    *no longer a Timelord ~ WibblyWobbly BabyWaby is here!*
    <3 but i still feel bigger on the inside <3
     Autism mama! 
  • @bntfroggie I have heard that sound waves do have an effect on the body. Depending on the type of sound produced. Some sound waves are therapeutic and some are disturbing. The doppler sound wave is not too strong, but it's still disruptive.
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