fetal doppler....help before I lose it!

[babifever]

So I'm using my fetal Doppler Baby sound B from www.fetaldoppler.net

I tried it Monday, didn't hear anything.

I do it tonight I found it! But the rate is 84... That's can't be right!!
I moved it to my upper stomach I hear nothing, move to my chest I hear mine at about 90. Am I doing something wrong, is it off because its faint?

No way its 84.....Tuesday it was 179 via ultrasound.

trying not to panic.

I've done it twice for like 15 mins already, no change. Once it did go up to 135.....

I'm 10+3 today ...

 

[orionfox]

That is why they sometimes dont recommend people use one unless they know it may take time to find or if the baby is hidding a bit. It can be worrysome to some people if they dont hear it or if it sounds way slower. Chances are it wasnt positioned in the right spot where baby was, and im sure baby is just fine Try not to worry yourself too much.

 

[babifever]

That is why they sometimes dont recommend people use one unless they know it may take time to find or if the baby is hidding a bit. It can be worrysome to some people if they dont hear it or if it sounds way slower. Chances are it wasnt positioned in the right spot where baby was, and im sure baby is just fine Try not to worry yourself too much.

the thing is I heard it, it was around the same pace as my heart rate. I hate that its causing me to worry, between this, the diabetes and my Subchorionic Hemorrhage. I've been spotting since last Saturday. I must confess I'm worried.....

 

[spunky84]

What did the sound sound like compared to the read out?

I don't go by the readout because it's not always (if ever) accurate. It can pick up many sounds that might give it a higher number. You could be hearing the baby while showing a lower rate if the doppler is primarily picking up other sounds but you can still hear the baby's heartbeat.

Sometimes it's very faint (depending on positioning), but I can still hear it just barely under my own heart or other sounds, but the screen will reflect the more dominant sounds.

The best way is to count for 5 to 10 seconds then multiply by whatever number would take you up to 60 seconds and that's your baby's estimated heart rate.

Try not to get anxious as it's still early. If it's just faint, it's possibly just still so early so hard to get it nice and loud, wonky baby position, or just that the other sounds are still just more dominant (also possible depending on baby's size/location/position).

You'll get the hang of it and learn what's usual for you/baby.

 

[babifever]

The sound was faint but clear, but not as potent as mine.....i know it was the baby because when I moved it at the top on my stomach I heard nothing, at my chest I hear mine

 

[PinkPokaDots]

You have an artery with the sound of your own heartbeat down in your pelvic area as well, typically I can find my heartbeat in my pelvis, and lots of other sounds. When it is baby's heartbeat it will literally sound like a choo choo train. Chug chug chug chug chug really fast. Try watching a few YouTube videos on how to find baby's heartbeat. It really really helps determine what sounds are what. And I have found that I can best find baby's heartbeat if I've been lying down for at least 10 minutes and my bladder is semi full. And if baby moves around, which they do a lot, the sound will get louder and softer as they swim from surface to deeper inside.

 

[PinkPokaDots]

And also, the read out on the display doesn't mean anything till your further along. When I first started finding the heartbeat I could hear baby, but it didn't even register as a heartbeat on the monitor. If baby is swimming deeper inside the heartbeat registers as lower...so don't even bother looking at the display yet. Just listen for the sound of baby's heartbeat. It helps if the monitor is laying next to your ear

 

[orionfox]

Yeah it might be what spunky said...its not as easy to hear in the early weeks as baby is still small and like spunky said the babies hb may not be the more dominant sound. If you are that worried, you could call up your dr and have them take a look to reassure you. But when you are using the doppler for the first time, it can be worrysome if you arent unsure of things.

 

[wlovew]

Baby's heartbeat will not be the same as yours! It will sound like a galloping horse, or a chugging train!! Much faster than yours! Don't fret, it's not uncommon to not be able to find it at home!! Watch this video!! It's what helped me to be able to find my baby!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhRp0KGsy9A That's the same doppler I have, it's AWESOME!!!!!!!

 

[bunnyhop]

Please try not to worry that will not be the baby, you will have your HB which will be around 80, the placenta which will be about 120 then baby which will be 150 plus.

Took me ages to find mine as they are still just below my pelvis.

 

[IchigoMewMew]

Try not to worry, the baby is very small, and its heart is even smaller, you will have to line up the Doppler beam exactly with the heart to hear it. And as the other posters have said you have a large artery and large vein in your pelvis which feed your legs amongst other things! I scan heart in my job, we have an image probe and a Doppler probe, the Doppler probe is a pig to line up with the individual valves even though we know where they are because we use the image probe first!
If you try again make very small movements and try tilting the beam in different directions in each position

 

[flowergirl7]

I didn't get my fetal doppler until I was almost 15 weeks along. Even then it was hard to find the heartbeat. I didn't realize how far down I'd find the heartbeat. It was right above my pubic bone.

 

[Khadijah-x]

Hun are you using the digital screen to count? If I'm honest I don't find that very accurate. You will know when you find your baby's heartbeat.. its like a sound you've never heard. Extremely fast like galloping horses (youtube some videos) Once I found mine I recorded it and counted the beats via stop watch. That's a lot more accurate. My machine says numbers when the doppler is in thin air lol!!!

Just because when you moved the doppler the sound went, doesn't mean it was the babies hun. There are alot of arteries, pulses, placenta, down in the pubic area. I have only picked babies up once and other sounds like thousands of times! Babies will not sound like yours. You picked up your own

But it takes alot of practice and patience to find it and it's very easily missed. If it's making you anxious I would stop using it. When I couldn't find mine I just knew it was too small or hard to find and didn't get worried x