14 weeks, didn't hear heartbeat

[taylor2]

ok, so I finally had my first appt this morning and my Doc couldn't find the heartbeat with the doppler. He did an ultrasound, and THERE IT WAS! I saw my little peanut in there, and the heart was beating, but I wonder why I couldn't hear it on the doppler? You know how you always think of things to ask AFTER you leave the doctor? Well, he told me I have a low lying placenta that he will keep an eye on in the coming weeks, could this be the reason we couldn't hear the baby? Also, has anyone on here had a low lying placenta? Should I be "taking it easy" until my next appt? Oh, and the doc said i get to find out the sex in 6 weeks!!

 

[RachieH]

Most health practitioners won't even try locating the fetal heartbeat with a doppler before 16 weeks gestation, as before then it can be difficult to detect.
Factors which make it harder to locate the heartbeat with a doppler will be things such as empty bladder, overweight mother, position of baby, sensitivity of doppler etc....or even a combination of these factors.
-A low lying placenta is more likely to result in a problematic birth rather than anything else. Many low lying placentas in early pregnancy will actually move up as your womb gets bigger.

 

[horrorheart13]

Yeah, I had a low-lying placenta and was told about it after my 13 wk scan and I just had another scan at 19 weeks and my placenta moved plenty upwards and out of the way. I was freaked out but asked around and it seems quite common. Yours will probably move too.

 

[luckyme225]

I'm glad you got to see your little one. It was really hard to find my sons heartbeat in the beginning because he would run away from the doppler!

 

[PitBullMommy]

I'm extremely overweight and they didn't think they'd hear the HB, but they found it at 12 and 16 wks with the doppler. I'm so glad you got to see your peanut!

 

[Samantha675]

Glad to hear the baby is good!!!

 

[Always&4ever]

Glad all is well