Fetal heart monitor - your thoughts.....

[mich]

Hi,

Am 14 weeks pregnant with 2nd baby, but feeling much more anxious this time rnd. All was great at 12 week scan and baby had a strong heartbeatbut am thinking about purchasing a fetal heart monitor. has anyone used one of these? What were your thoughts?

Mich x

[EDmummy]

I can understand your concern but have never felt comfortable with the thought of monitoring my babies heart at will. This early in your pregnancy there is always the possibility of not placing the monitor in the optimal position and then worrying yourself silly as a result. Just my opinion.

[srisky]

Equally, may provide false reassurance...sorry to put a downer but it may be better to seek advice from midwife/Dr if you think something's amiss rather than putting on the monitor and thinking all sounds fine.

However, you may just want to use the monitor as 'fun' bit of kit to listen to your baby.

Whatever you decide, good luck with it all!

[Ruth_Baldock]

We have an angel sounds monitor as a bit of fun, mainly to help our older baby understand about the baby in mummy's tummy: Which worked nicely. From about 19w, when my bump was visible, we'd have a listen every day. However, had a bit of a scare around 25wks and I couldn't find the fhb and went mental. As others said, if you wan. It for reassurance it may do more harm than good but good for a "laugh", if you see what I mean?

[Strawbs]

Mich - I got the angel sounds by jumper from amazon $18 with two tubes of gel.. It doesnt have a microphone though so it is headphone based so if you are wanting to share it with your other half they will have to grab the headphones once you have found it..

i find it a godsend to be honest.. Im not obsessive about it but do it whenever Im having a wobble.. In the end you need to do what is right for you and what will keep you calm and if a doppler will do that then go for it.. Just make sure you are patient with finding the hb as sometimes they are hiding.. I used mine after 16 weeks when the mw picked up the hb on her doppler easily..

[Otta]

When my wife was induced with our first baby, they had a monitor on her, and it basically just kept freaking us out, as the baby would move, and it would "flatline". I think it could easily make you over anxious.

[Saffron]

Unless you are a trained clinician using a hospital-grade monitor, what you detect as the foetal heartbeat may in fact be the placental heartbeat. The placenta may continue to give a strong heartbeat even if the foetus is in difficulties. As others have said, a home foetal heart monitor can be a bit of fun, but if you have real concerns over your pregnancy, you need to see a midwife or doctor immediately.

[mich]

Thanks everyone. I have no real concerns just a little more anxious hoping all is going to go well. I've had 2 very close friends lose there babies recently so am naturally a little more apprehensive. I think purchasing a :-)

doppler may begin as fun but as you have suggested could in actual fact completely freak me out. I'll stick to the excitement of waiting for my appointments and the joy of hearing the heartbeat then.

Once again thanks for the comments :-)

[Saffron]

It's always upsetting when someone loses a baby, so it's completely understandable that you feel more apprehensive with your pregnancy. Perhaps if you talk to the midwives about it, you could have a few extra appointments throughout your pregnancy? Then you would be able to hear the heartbeat and discuss any immediate concerns. xx

[new mother]

I considered it too actually and would put myself firmly in the anxious bucket! The best advice I got was that it would make me worse and worse and woudl result in unnecessary trips to hospital. The suggestion instead was to keep very very busy and so I was. After work after day, I would have at least one event arranged per evening. When I stopped at 38 weeks - babies both born at 38/6- I did a lot in the house and was v tired physically so no sleepless nights. For me, this was better than the monitor as I personally would have become obsessed by it. Different women would cope differently though and perhaps it would be great for you?

[jennyh]

I lost my first and spent my second pregnancy a complete wreck, so much so that the GP suggested some counselling to help. To be honest I didn't feel I neednt that and after the baby started moving around that gave me some of the reassurance I needed. I was tempted by a doppler but I knew hat I would become addicted and then freak out if I didn't find it!!

I also had 2 extra scans at Baby Premier, one at around 18 weeks and one at 35 weeks. They weren't cheap but it was perfect as it gave me just that little bit of extra reassurance. Hopefully you will start to feel more confident as the time passes but if not then the doppler might be the little bit extra you need!

[chantelle]

i had one - okay, two actually - monitors in my last pregnancy, after having had two miscarriages and being super paranoid. They were a nightmare though - always struggled to find the hb and found it really nerve wracking. I've still got one but haven't dug it out yet this time around. I'm around 15-16 weeks and definitely have the odd worry but I figure my uterus is clearly moving up and bumping out for a reason. :)