How early did you hear baby's heart on a doppler?

balletshoes

Molly41 wrote: »

The thing with a doppler is that they only tell you for the time you are listening that the baby is ok.

.... if you know what you're listening for in the first place.

lilymay1

I was 8+3 this time but it is my 5th pregnancy and 3rd that has been viable. It took me about half an hour to find it the first time but I had tried and failed times before and after. I also know what I am doing and have a very expensive medical grade doppler.

I would also advise against you buying one. It will cause you stress and anxiety that you don't need. Just enjoy looking forward to your midwife appointments

MarilynMonroe_2

I dont think I ever found mine but then my (abnormal!) placenta was on the front.

Toto

I'm a midwife, I hate these things! As the others have said it can be tricky to find the baby when it's so small. Home sonicaids aren't as sensitive as the ones used professionally so they really can cause lots of anxiety. However, anxiety isn't the problem I have with them.

I've known a couple of occasions when mums have had these things in the house but have had concerns that baby hasn't been moving as much as usual, so, rather than 'bother' anyone they whip them out of a drawer and listen in to the baby. They pick up a heartbeat so think all is well and go about their day. Only, that isn't always the case, false reassurance can be really dangerous. One of these ladies sadly didn't get a good outcome, it breaks my heart to think that she was, through no fault of her own, led to believe all was well when what she really needed was to trust her instinct and get medical attention. I can't say that the outcome would have been any different, but I really believe that without the Doppler she would have come in.

Most people would say that they wouldn't use it if they were worried, but it's very tempting isn't it.

notanewuser

My DD used to move as far away from the midwife's Doppler as she could. At every appointment my bump would practically move to my side as she flung herself away from it.

At 2 weeks overdue and in slow labour I was induced to speed things up. I was put on a trace, but every time they located her and put the strap on, she would move out of the way. My 20 minute trace took almost 2 hours to get.

Because of that experience I'm not convinced that excessive ultrasound isn't harmful/painful to (some) babies, and would never subject a baby to anything unnecessary. DD was obviously very sensitive to it, and there was something about it she didn't like.