What's your opinion on home pregnancy dopplers?

nmd9168 · June 2017

I know I'm only 8 weeks, 5 days, but I was considering getting one of the home pregnancy dopplers to check for heartbeat. Does anyone have any experience with them? I fear that with my past MMC, that I will become obsessed with checking and get upset if I can't find it. What do ya think?

byrneme · June 2017

PLEASE, I beg you, to wait. It is way too early and will cause you more stress than comfort. I think I actually started a thread like this myself

I held out until 16 weeks though and it was the best decision ever. I also made myself only use it as frequently as I NEEDED to (not wanted to) - I aimed for 1x, 2x max, a week. However, I wouldn't have traded having one for anything. It eased my mind many times. But I'm super glad I waited as long as I did b/c I never really had an issue finding the heartbeat that far along.

It's also only really useful for about two - three months. You do get to a point where, while the heartbeat is great, it doesn't show that the baby could be in distress. They liken it to checking the pulse of someone having a stroke - sure, you'd feel their pulse but they are obviously in distress. It's a fine line.

I'll step off my soapbox now.

magnolia305 · June 2017

I have one and I agree with everything @byrneme said. I used mine after 15-17 or so weeks? I can't remember exactly. It was also a way for DH to hear the baby if he couldn't make it to an appointment. Before you use it--just remember not to freak out if you can't find the heartbeat right away.

optbaby2017 · July 2017

Ditto what the others said. I got mine ~11wks and set a limit with myself of no more than 2x per week. It was super reassuring to have, but sometimes caused extra anxiety early on when it took longer to find her.

I have the Sonoline B, and found it easy to use, but not as clear as my doc's.

NYTino24 · July 2017

@nmd9168 *TW* Background - I had a NMC at 7w6d with loss of symptoms a few days later and 4 days of bleeding before I lost the baby. My baby still had a heartbeat when I went to the doc, but was measuring two weeks behind. */TW* I got my Sonoline B and started using it after 10 weeks with this pregnancy. It wasn't always easy to find HB because LO is very active and plays hide and seek with the transducer. However, it reduced anxiety until I could feel movement, which luckily for me started about 1-3 times a day from 12 weeks on. I used to cry before appointments, but I was confident from my 12 week appointment on because I know where baby was and could hear the HB / movement easily. I could definitely tell it was baby moving around 15 weeks. (I'm 20 weeks now and docs have confirmed we have a very active son.) The heart rate does appear to decrease when baby flips or turns. You have to know yourself and make a decision on whether it will make you more or less anxious. It's really a personal decision. Good luck!

HGRich · July 2017

I would wait a bit. I got one to use at ten weeks. I told myself if I didn't find anything, I wouldn't worry, since it was early. I also gave myself twenty minutes to try to find it, then planned to give myself a break for a day and try again the next day. I actually found it on the first try, but it took all of those twenty minutes. And this was like 10w4d or so. I then used it a couple times a week, and no more, until around 26 weeks or so and then I didn't need it anymore. It can produce anxiety if you don't find anything. So be sure to tell yourself to trust your doctor, not your own skills with a Doppler. But I was always able to find it within ten minutes after that first time. Overall I'm glad I got one. But I'm also glad I didn't try before ten weeks. And I'd probably recommend waiting even longer.

KyCade3013 · July 2017

Hey! I started a similar thread I think too lol. I have a sonoline B. Got it at 11 weeks and used it until 20 weeks a couple times a week. It helped tremendously and I will likely bring it on my vacation Saturday even tho I'll be 36 weeks because I won't be by my hospital in case I need piece of mind, likely won't use it, but a good back up for sanity. My baby is also very active, but after a certain point it gets easier to find even with the movement/ activity.

mommyx11 · July 2017

I have one and used it my last pregnancy. I'm not sure if I would or wouldn't. I guess I need to talk to my ob more about risks. I used it for very short times. No more than a minute or two at a time. I first picked up the heartbeat at 8 weeks 4 days easy no issue. I lost the baby at 14 weeks. I'm glad i had it because I knew walking into the office she was gone but it was heartbreaking. Someone said after that using them have risks and can cause a mc. That's something I need to discuss with my ob

byrneme · July 2017

There is no proven risk of miscarriage using a Doppler. These are used at every OB appointment. While I'm sure overuse has some issues, using occasionally is not an issue.

ryannenikole · July 2017

I borrowed one from a friend and found baby's HB at 9 weeks and I've used it occasionally since then (I'll be 15 weeks tomorrow). I personally don't really like the stress of being able to find the HB or not, so it's once in a great while that I use it. I did use it twice this week because I had two really long days and I decided that I wanted to hear him. But that is unusual.

laurenjt808 · July 2017

My husband gifted me one after I had my NT scan in celebration for seeing a hyper baby. Baby was measuring as expected and showed us his/her little dance.

I spoke to both my family practice doctor and OB. My appointments alternate between them and I asked both about their thoughts on purchasing a doppler. My FP doctor was more against the idea thinking it would cause me more anxiety if I did not heart a heart beat. She said most non-medical grade dopplers can be tricky to use and without proper training, it could be difficult to find a heart beat. If it was just for fun and I wouldn't feel so bad not hearing anything, she said it would be okay to purchase one..if however, I know I'd freak out, then not to get one. My OB was all for it! He even showed me how to use his handheld doppler (it looks similar to mine. I have a Sonoline

. I asked how frequent I could use it and he said no more than once a day or so. My at-home doppler is not as great as the one at the doctor's office but it gets the job done! I was able to hear baby as early as 13-14 weeks --that was the earliest I tried. It took some time at first. I learned from my doctor, to start low and at the center. From there, turn the doppler slowly around and baby is usually there. Sometimes though, I'll find baby's heartbeat a little off to the side. 20 weeks is when the uterus reaches the belly button, so start low prior to that!

I've found that the doppler has helped eased my anxiety and after a long work day, coming home to listen to my baby for a few seconds makes me feel all better. I'm glad my husband got me one!

ngolimento · July 2017

Honestly, you just have to be extremely honest with yourself about your own personality. If you know that not being able to occasionally catch the HB will send you into a spiralling panic, then that isn't good for you or the baby, and you shouldn't get one.

For me personally, I am a data person, and NOT having even occasional information sends me into panic. So monitoring was ideal for me, and greatly comforting. Plus it was fun to let family members hear it.

mrsjdl · September 2017

I really am thinking of getting one. I think it would help me.

nmd9168 · September 2017

@mrsjdl I bought one at 14 weeks and it has been really nice and reassuring to hear the baby's heartbeat. I recommend getting one, for sure. Just make sure you are at least 13 weeks.

sassygirl51486 · September 2017

I swear by mine, and this pregnancy was able to start picking up the heartbeat pretty consistently from 9 weeks! I love it and give a listen just about every day, it is a godsend and makes me feel so much better. Just having that reassurance between appointments helps tremendously

toesinthesand-2 · October 2017

Most doctors shy away from it, mostly because of the potential for mom to get anxiety/fear if they can't detect a heartbeat.

I bought one secondhand from someone I know, I think I got it around 8 or 9 weeks. After my 9w appointment I tried it a few times and never could get a heartbeat so I stuck it in the drawer. I'm now almost 16w and think I might give it another try.

alemarie1 · October 2017

I'm awful at using it and it gives me anxiety when I can't find the heartbeat so ive basically have up using it.

Knottie1474566509 · March 2018

I really want one I had a still birth in November at 24 weeks and i know i am going to have anxiety either way so if i can ease it with this i find it worth it

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