When did you hear your baby's heartbeat?

[lisa1014]

I guess the clinic I'm going to does not do a u/s until about 20 weeks of pregnancy. I have an appointment on the 16th of Jan. to hear the baby's heartbeat but I'm nervous it will be too early to hear it. How soon did you hear your baby's heartbeat? I know some get a u/s earlier than 20 weeks so they can see the heart beat, but when did you get to hear the heart beat on the doppler?

 

[Margerle]

My 8 week appointment. It took doc a few seconds to find it, but when he did...

I was so happy.

 

[cupcake]

i saw the heartbeat on the 8 week ultrasound but only heard it at my 14 week appointment and even then the doc said it was borderline and she would not have been worried not to find it. it was really cool, keep in mind it takes a bit of time to find so dont freak about like me after 5 seconds!

 

[Rachel]

I heard it at 8 weeks at home with my doppler it got louder at 10 weeks though and even louder and easier to pick up now at 12 weeks

 

[lilmumma]

i was scanned every 4 weeks during Kabe's and got to hear it for the first time at 9 weeks, it was so awesome to hear, never heard the girls until about 18/20 weeks. It's amazing, you'll deffo hear it at the 20 week scan hun, Good Luck

 

[Madwolf3]

It was 8 weeks for me too- we heard it and saw the heart beating on the u/s! It was loud and clear!

 

[marshmallow]

We bought a doppler when I was 11 weeks pregnant with DD as we weren't scheduled for an u/s til 20 weeks and picked up her heartbeat at just after 11 weeks.

This time, we tried to pick it up starting at 8 weeks and couldn't find it. Tried again at 9 weeks, and picked it up but it was pretty faint. Tried again on Christmas eve at 9w 6d and picked it up immediately and it was loud and clear!!

 

[PitBullMommy]

We saw and heard it out our 8wk scan, and heard it via doppler at home and at the docs at 12wks

 

[mummy_moo]

With dd i brought a doppler and picked hb up at 13 weeks but mw found it at 11 weeks. I have been using my doppler loads this time round but only found it twice for about a secound, so not having much luck. I had my scan on christmas eve and everythings fine, i got an appointment with mw next week so im going to ask her to find it. I saw the twins hbs at 6 weeks on us scan.

 

[Pearl]

how comes some of u had an 8 week scan, i thought the standard first scan was at 12 weeks (in the uk)

 

[PitBullMommy]

I had an 8wk scan cause I was on clomid to get pregnant. They wanted to confirm pregnancy visually, and make sure there was only one in there and not a lot more!

 

[cupcake]

my answer is same at pitbullmommy about the 8 wk scan but also i dont live in the uk so here ( israel) they do them at 8, 20, and something else weeks.
8 to confirm, 20 to scan for different things and the sex and then the last one im not sure yet.

 

[lisa1014]

That is really interesting! I guess here they only do a scan at about 20 weeks unless there is something unusual going on. I could be wrong though. I guess I'll know more when I go for my 8 week check up. I hope to hear the heartbeat on the doppler!!!

 

[tinytoes]

i also live outside the UK and seem to get scans very often. I was lucky enough to hear the heart beat around week 7. So by 20 week I can't see you having any trouble at all! Good luck and enjoy!!

 

[Margerle]

That is really interesting! I guess here they only do a scan at about 20 weeks unless there is something unusual going on. I could be wrong though. I guess I'll know more when I go for my 8 week check up. I hope to hear the heartbeat on the doppler!!!

Most US insurance companies will only pay for one ultrasound so Docs in the states use that one around week 20 since all baby systems are in place, and most cardiac problems would be apparent by then. Obviously this is a good time to determine sex as well if the parents so choose.

The first US appointment at 8 weeks or so usually includes a urine test, a blood test, finding the hb with the doppler if possible and a pap.

Then appointments happen around every 4-5 weeks and include the measurement of the fundus height (at about 15 weeks), a palpation of the abdomen to determine uterine size, urine test, and doppler to find the heartbeat.

If I remember somewhere around the halfway mark (20 weeks or so) they check your cervix once more with an internal exam, and that's about when they schedule the ultrasound.

From there depending on any complications or whatever appointments are determined by the doc and do not include another ultrasound unless they are medically necessary.

 

[Spunky Cupkake]

on benjamin it was 16 weeks
morgan 8 weeks
angharad 15 weeks

 

[cari28]

The baby's heartbeat can usually be heard on doppler around 8-10 weeks. Don't be nervous. Good luck to you!

 

[Tam]

It is very rare to hear a heartbeat before 16 weeks with a doppler due to the size of the baby and position of the uterus as it is still well inside your pelvis before this stage. I heard mine between 16 & 17 weeks at my MW appoinment.