Using a Doppler...

[MummyMagic]

I hired a doppler which came yesterday, according to my AF dates I am offically 10 weeks today and it says you can use them from 10 weeks on the info. I did try yesterday and again last night with hubby to try and find the HB but couldn't find it. Do you think even though I'm 10 weeks it's still too early? xx

 

[MiissMuffet]

probably hun. You may find it if the "box" says 10 weeks, but the uterus is normally under the pubic bone until after 12 weeks anyways so can be really hard to find. MW found mine at 10 weeks, but she said it may be because i am quite slim too and just a lucky chance we found it. Don't stress if u cant find it for another few weeks. I just hope u didnt spend too much money on hiring the doppler if u cant use it straight away
x

 

[Misskitty]

I think it depends on a lot of things, i.e. what make your doppler is, how 'well padded' your belly is etc! I know a lot of ladies have been able to find the HB as early as 8 or 9 weeks. I didn't get my doppler until 11 weeks, but it did take about 20-30 minutes to find the HB the first time i used it. I also found it a bit tricky initially to differentiate between all the different sounds i was hearing. Make sure you're looking fairly low down in your abdomen as the bean will probably still be down below behind your pubic bone at this point, and move the doppler just a centimetre or so at a time. You may also find you need to angle it downwards a bit as well.

 

[MiissMuffet]

Mine arrived at 12 weeks and I found it easier to find if I had a full bladder! Just a wee tip! haha: excuse the pun)

 

[MummyMagic]

Thanks ladies, I'm a size 10 and have been doing it on the lower part of my abdomen. I'm trying not to worry at the moment because I know it's very early days, but it's easier said than done when you can't find a HB at all xx

 

[Janidog]

I went for a 8 week scan last week, so i knew where to look.

I am using the Angle doppler and found the heartbeat on Wed night, but i made sure i had a full bladder, lying down, used gel and turned the doppler up full volume. I found the heartbeat just above the pubic bone on my left.

 

[MummyMagic]

Thanks hun, I had an ultrasound not long ago too and got my dating scan Monday, so I've always got that to give me peace of mind if I still can't find it by then. I will try later with a full bladder etc and see if that makes a difference. Thanks again hun xx

Ps. Do you have alot of background noise on your doppler?

 

[Janidog]

There is a lot of noise, but once you found the heartbeat, you hear nothing else.

Cause we are borrowing ours, at first we couldn't hear anything expect when a text message was coming in, so change the battery and all was fine

 

[MiissMuffet]

Thanks hun, I had an ultrasound not long ago too and got my dating scan Monday, so I've always got that to give me peace of mind if I still can't find it by then. I will try later with a full bladder etc and see if that makes a difference. Thanks again hun xx

Ps. Do you have alot of background noise on your doppler?

if you have an anterior placenta the background noise could be this hun is it a whooshing sound like wind blowing through trees?
x

 

[fifie123]

when iw as 11 weeks the heart beat was right near my foof ( vagina ) lol rly rly low down as the uterus is still tucked away, but as time goes by the uterus grows and now i find the babys heartbeat nearer my belly button

 

[Mrs A]

yeah, juist reading fifie's post, at 10 weeks you will need to press and angle down and try at the top of your er "lady garden" hope this helps xx

 

[sarahchops86]

I havent got a doppler yet but was wondering, if baby is so low can you listen "through" your pubic bone? like instead of angling it behind from the top? hope this makes sense lol

 

[teal]

I found the heartbeat at 10 weeks + 5 on my doppler. I found I had to use loads of gel and the heartbeat was really low down - just above my pubic bone xx

 

[MummyMagic]

Thanks everyone for your tips, I'm going to try again with hubby later and see if we can find it. I do have a retroverted uterus which means that it tips back instead of forward. Could this affect finding the heartbeat? xx

 

[janejayandjj]

At 10 weeks hunni the baby is so small and will be bouncing about. So the best way to find the HB is to place the doppler in the middle at the top of your pubic bone and try and angle it in. Then leave it where it is and wait a few minutes as normally baby may move and you may catch it. If no luck move the angle of it, and repeat.
But do not get worried if you cannot find it hun, some people can't find it until way after 12 weeks. And all dopplers are different, some better than others. Plus everyone is different hun, so not everyones uterus gets higher up at the same time and so on.x

 

[janejayandjj]

Sorry just read your last post and I think it can def effect it that your uterus is tipped differently. Best person to ask hun is your mw at next appt x

 

[MiissMuffet]

I havent got a doppler yet but was wondering, if baby is so low can you listen "through" your pubic bone? like instead of angling it behind from the top? hope this makes sense lol

I don't think so hun x