Doppler advice

[mvp529]

So I have contemplated buying one this time around. Any thoughts on whether you feel like it caused more stress or was reassuring? I had access to one a few pregnancies ago and I liked having it but I did not own It. Should I just not get one since I am used to not having one anyway?

[ashleyo]

I have been very reassured by mine. I have had two losses before this baby and hearing the heartbeat comforts me. I found the HB at 10 weeks

[papoosecaboose]

I bought one for my last pregnancy and have been very reassured by it. It was fun to hear the heartbeat so early, but it also came in very handy later in my pregnancy. There were two times as I neared my due date when I just felt like something wasn't right and I hadn't felt baby move all day long. My doppler reassured me baby was still okay, but did have a lower heartrate than usual. The HR was just at the threshold of having to go to the ER. If I hadn't had the doppler, I think I would have felt it necessary to go get checked out. I think it saved me from doing that. My MW caught that decreased heartrate at an appointment a few days later and sent me straight away for a NST. Everything was fine and we don't know if baby was just laying on the cord or something. No problems after that, but I was so glad to have my doppler. This pregnancy I've been able to hear the heartbeat since 10 weeks. I only try to use it once a week or so, and just for a few seconds. I highly recommend them!

[KelseyH]

I would do some research on the impact of ultrasound frequencies on your unborn baby. I have a lot of info compiled into a Word doc if you don't have time to do research yourself - just pm me your email. Even the FDA is concerned about personal fetal doppler usage, which I think says a lot. :/

[greeneyedambe]

Originally Posted by KelseyH I would do some research on the impact of ultrasound frequencies on your unborn baby. I have a lot of info compiled into a Word doc if you don't have time to do research yourself - just pm me your email. Even the FDA is concerned about personal fetal doppler usage, which I think says a lot. :/

Yes this is very good advice. Did you know that 1 minute of fetal Doppler is equal in exposure to 20-30 minutes of ultrasound? I cringe every time I read about how someone used their personal Doppler to find baby's heartbeat and searched for several minutes before it was found. That is a lot of radiation exposure for a developing baby.

[rverrone11]

Originally Posted by greeneyedambe Yes this is very good advice. Did you know that 1 minute of fetal Doppler is equal in exposure to 20-30 minutes of ultrasound? I cringe every time I read about how someone used their personal Doppler to find baby's heartbeat and searched for several minutes before it was found. That is a lot of radiation exposure for a developing baby.

I've never heard that before (the 1 min doppler = 20-30 min ultrasound). So it would be better for an OB to do a quick ultrasound at every appointment than to listen to heart beat via doppler?

[BeccaSueCongdon]

I didn't realize dopplers worked with radiation?

[redlichen]

Fetal dopplers do not expose babies to radiation. They expose babies to ultrasonic waves. Same thing bats use to echolocate. At the low frequencies ultrasounds & dopplers are used at (when used correctly) there is not a concern for overheating or cavitation. (Bubbles on a molecular level)

[MyM&W]

Originally Posted by redlichen Fetal dopplers do not expose babies to radiation. They expose babies to ultrasonic waves. Same thing bats use to echolocate. At the low frequencies ultrasounds & dopplers are used at (when used correctly) there is not a concern for overheating or cavitation. (Bubbles on a molecular level)

Yeah that.

[MyM&W]

Originally Posted by rverrone11 I've never heard that before (the 1 min doppler = 20-30 min ultrasound). So it would be better for an OB to do a quick ultrasound at every appointment than to listen to heart beat via doppler?

So why do they only do 3 ultrasound scans per pregnancy? But do Doppler checks every month after 10 weeks and then every 2 weeks and eventually every week? Doppler do not use radiation. As a pp said they use ultrasonic waves. Hence why our Doppler doesn't work if my husbands fire pager is on.