Fetal Doppler Question

misspuppychow · January 2016

I just busted out the fetal doppler at work. I am 12+2 weeks. I am worried I did not find it even though I feel like I did. I found it in all of 2-3 seconds! I had heard that it can be hard to find. It sounded like the typical sound a doppler makes when I have used it previously (like on extremities to find pulses) and the rate was in the 170s. Could it really have been that easy?
I have never used a fetal doppler before so any hints/tips/advice would be greatly appreciated!

ReadyForaB · January 2016

I got my sonoline b in the mail yesterday and tried it out at 11+2. It took me about 20 minutes to find it and when I did, I could hear it for sure but the Doppler wasn't picking it up to give me a reading. It did very briefly then stopped, but I could still hear it very clearly. I watched a ton of videos and knew it wasn't the placenta or my heartrate as I found those too and the baby's was fast paced and when it did read it it was 150-160s but briefly. Anyone else have trouble with being able to hear it but it not registering on the Doppler for a reading?

As far as tips I would just say if it's in the 120s it's not the baby even though it sounds like a heartbeat.

kattyleigh · January 2016

There's no way your heartrate is much above 100 so 170 was definitely the baby!

ETA: 120 would be wayyyyy high for an adult heart rate.

misspuppychow · January 2016

ReadyForaB said:

I got my sonoline b in the mail yesterday and tried it out at 11+2. It took me about 20 minutes to find it and when I did, I could hear it for sure but the Doppler wasn't picking it up to give me a reading. It did very briefly then stopped, but I could still hear it very clearly. I watched a ton of videos and knew it wasn't the placenta or my heartrate as I found those too and the baby's was fast paced and when it did read it it was 150-160s but briefly. Anyone else have trouble with being able to hear it but it not registering on the Doppler for a reading? As far as tips I would just say if it's in the 120s it's not the baby even though it sounds like a heartbeat.

Baby was probably really active when you tried it! Maybe try it again and see if it's a time when baby is resting!

charmedlifex3 · January 2016

Mine said to assume it wouldn't be reliable until 18-20 weeks... a little earlier if you are thin, so I would say "trouble" on an at home unit at 11 weeks is super normal.

DoxieLove05 · January 2016

I am 10 weeks today and used mine a few times already. It takes a good bit to find the beat and the monitor wont give me a count on it. So I would say it is hard to find and the earlier you are the lower you have to go and it helped if I applied a small amount of pressure (nothing too hard).

WinterPumpkin · January 2016

I've been able to find mine since 8 and a half weeks. I have some experience doing it I guess as I used the doppler during my second pregnancy - so yes it's definitely possible and now at 11 weeks it takes me about 5 seconds to find it.

If you are not convinced, watch a youtube video to hear what it sounds like, it's hard to mistake it once you know what to listen for.

jmknox · January 2016

We had our first midwife appt @ 10w 1d... I had been hoping they could find the heartbeat via Doppler as I am not very fluffy but no luck

. Going back next week to try again.

beenabee · January 2016

I first found my baby's heartbeat when I was 8 weeks 4 days. Every time I've used it since then I find the heartbeat in less than a minute and I'm almost 11 weeks, you'll know if it's the baby's heartbeat or not! It's a sound you'll never forget and being 170 it was definitely the baby!!

MrsBSharp86 · January 2016

It is very possible to find the heart beat within a matter of seconds. I use my doppler every few days and it only takes me seconds to find. I'm 11w4d and have been using it since around 8 weeks. I used one in my last pregnancy as well.

tresamigos · January 2016

I used mine for the first time last night and after 10 minutes of searching, I finally found a heartbeat, possibly both heartbeats! Still not sure if I actually heard both heartbeats or if the second one was just slower due to me being further away from the baby, but one was 173 and the second was 152. Either way, it was so cool!

Want a personalized experience?

Fetal Doppler Question

Re: Fetal Doppler Question

Choose Another Board

Search Boards