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Fetal Heart Doppler Question
Added: 966 days ago.
Added by: mrs.riddle
Section: General.
Status: This question is Closed. (Questions will be closed after 10 days.)


I am 12 weeks pregnant and just purchased a Fetal Heart Doppler. Got it today and just used it. I bought the same kind they use at my OBGYN office, so I know its top of the line. It was only reading in the 120`s and then dropped down to the high 90`s. Last week at my doc appt it was in the 150`s. I was told thats where I should be. I am kinda freaking out right now. Should I be worried?? My hubby was like well maybe the baby is napping. I am freaking out. I miscarried at 13 weeks a few years ago so now I am stressed. Should I call the doc?? Thanks.

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mellowyellow - 965 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) Id say bub has moved and you're picking up your own heart beat. Very early on it is very hard to pick up the babies h/r with a doppler, even trained midwives have trouble!

wwatters18 - 965 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) a fetal heart rate in the 90s is very low. i would be concerned if it kept reading that. but be careful b/c you may actually be hearing yourself (either your femoral artery or your placenta swooshing). i work in the er and i constantly used the fetal heart doppler when i was pregnant and it was easy to think i was hearing the baby but only to find out it was me. the baby will be a very rapid (hoarse trot) type of sound. ive never heard a fetal heart rate being in the 90's

MrsStrickland74 - 966 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I have one like that and when the heartrate is that low it is always mine. Keep trying, but it might be a little longer until it can be found. 12 weeks is still very early for a doppler no matter how 'good' it is. Good luck!

nikki80 - 966 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) sounds like u found ur own heartbeat with it

mamalvs4 - 966 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) no i wouldnt call the doctor, im sure everything is fine. it sounds like you might be picking up your own heartrate, or the possibility that the babies heart rate dipped for a while all of which is normal. unfortunatly those home dopplers can be confusing and not real easy to use if you arent trained and if your not very far along. im sure your okay :)

xolblondieox - 966 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) It's normal for the heartbeat to drop periodically, in fact you want it to decelerate and then accelerate- this means that the baby is responding well. When I went to my peri for ultrasounds/NSTs they WANTED to see my babies' heartrates drop and then pick back up again. They were not satisfied until they could see them do this over and over (4-5 times in half an hour). Personally I think you're going to drive yourself nuts with the monitor. Twelve weeks is waaaaay too early to be using one, especially because you're not a professional. Pack it away for a while and bring it out during your 3rd trimester when the heartbeat is stronger and easier to identify. Too many people get caught up with them and freak out (understandably so!). And no matter how top of the line they are, they're all prone to fail and misread. Countless times the nurses could not even find my babies' heartbeats with the OB office monitor! But that's totally normal. Anyways, a stressed out pregnant mommy is not good for a growing baby :-/