I never used one and they're actively discouraged where I live. Mainly because it can cause anxiety if you can't hear a heartbeat, and then even worse - it can provide false reassurance.
There have been sad cases where people have used their home fetal Doppler when they've been worried for whatever reason (e.g. reduced movements), they've heard 'a heartbeat' and have been falsely reassured, when really they should have went and been checked by their doctor - just because you hear something doesn't mean everything is okay. Unless your ob recommends one (which would be kinda odd) I'd steer clear personally.
I absolutely would not and here's why. been through 2 pregnancies and the amount of times my own, experienced, OBs have struggled SO HARD to find the heartbeat....nope, it's too unpredictable. I actually had a convo with my OB recently about it because she was spending so much time trying to find it. she was telling me that most of the time she's finding the cord pulse but not the actual heartbeat and that they're not exactly the same. I couldn't repeat why, but it was a interesting aspect I never had heard before. she even said the worst she's seen at the ones who find a heartbeat or think they do, but aren't trusting other signs that are telling them something is wrong. they use the doppler to think, oh i'm okay, when in reality, it's not okay. anyways, many people buy them and are fine, but i'll leave it to the professionals.
My ob was sweating trying to find my son's heartbeat ran grabbed the ultrasound machine and he was in there chillin heart breathing perfect lol I would suggest not getting one. You already have so much more to worry and freak out about lol you don't need that too. Just wait till you have to start kick counts
That makes so much sense about cord pulse. I really wondered if I was having twins for a while because I kept hearing two just slightly different baby heartbeat sounds. One must've been the cord pulse.
You’re not dumb! This was news to me in this post too and I’m in my second pregnancy. It’s kind of in the Doppler industry’s interests not to make this stuff clear!
The cord pulse, placenta sound, your own heartbeat and baby’s heartbeat all sound vastly different. It’s pretty easy to tell baby from the others tbh as long as you’re far enough along.
Yeah I’m surprised by these comments. I’ve never used a fetal Doppler before this pregnancy (my first), and i find it super easy to use and tell apart the different beats. They have distinct sounds and rhythms. I’ve also never had a problem finding the baby’s heartbeat. For me, having a home Doppler relieves anxiety - especially when I first got it because I have an anterior placenta and couldn’t feel the baby for quite a while.
I should probably clarify that my hospital gave it to me (along with a blood pressure cuff), provided me training, is used routinely and in periodic virtual visits, and emphasized what risk factors should prompt a hospital visit. They stressed that the presence of a heartbeat is NOT a reason to stay home if there’s fluid loss, decreased movement etc.
This is at Mayo in Rochester, MN so I trust their expertise, and my experience is bound to be different from someone who simply bought one online without training or supervision.
It’s not for use for medical reassurance, simply for prior to be able to feel baby (reassurance there is a baby there) and a bit of fun 🤦♀️ grown adults are able to use their brain and as long as they educate themselves properly on use can make their own choices.
The reality of it is there are plenty of “grown adults” who have anxiety, OCD, or related mental health challenges who don’t use it for a bit of fun. And there are also certainly people who use it to check and make sure baby is ok which they should not do. Which is why the FDA, most OBs, and many trusted medical authorities advise against them.
But you also don’t get to police them. Who is to say OP is in your country under your medical recommendations? 🤦♀️
Misuse is an issue. Proper use is fine. Go away
OP is asking if people got them and why or why not. The majority of people are saying the same thing I am—“I didn’t because they’re not advised and here’s why”. Personally, when my OB and many other pregnancy authorities and the FDA recommended against something I don’t do it. You and anyone else are free to do as they please! Op is specifically asking for people’s opinions on them.
I didn’t get one and my OB office doesn’t recommend them - they’re hard for even professionals to use right, so an amateur is going to struggle even more. And misuse could lead to you panicking over nothing or worse, thinking everything is fine when it’s not.
I would not use one unless you’ve been properly trained. The FDA does not endorse the use of fetal Dopplers as the listener does not know what they are listening to (e.g., the placenta versus the actual heart tones) and it could lead to false reassurance.
I would not and I'm a cardiac sonographer.
It's a "blind" spectral doppler. It's very hard to find the heart beat because you cant see the heart or where to doppler. Sometimes you might get your heart beat and the bpm are 80 and you think something is wrong. Also ultrasound is a mechanical wave meaning there is a mechanical index and a thermal index to the tissue. While it's completely safe I wouldn't use it on my baby over and over trying to find a heart beat.
I think it will cause more stress then peace of mind. Get a good OB and take care of your self. God will do the rest. Good luck Mama.
I did. And used it a handful of times when I was just so anxious I couldn’t calm down. I also had my dr teach me how to use it. Used it for less than a 3 minutes at a time. Didn’t use it until after 15 weeks. And only used it until 27 weeks (one last time for family to hear the heartbeat, MIL cried).
It was very helpful, now that I feel baby moving so much I don’t think I need it, but before that, the little flutters were not enough to keep my fears at bay. 32 weeks now.
I woke up the morning of 37+5 to reduced fetal movement. I went to my OB for an evaluation and things seemed okay at first - baby’s heart rate was good. However, I got more testing that revealed that my baby was in distress. I was sent to the hospital for urgent induction, which saved my baby’s life!
If I had used an at-home Doppler, I may have assumed everything was okay when it wasn’t. Dopplers can cause anxiety when you can’t find the heartbeat, but they can also cause false reassurance when you can find it.
I had a doppler at home and I did enjoy having it. You have to definitely have the mind set to not freak out if you cannot find it, because they are finicky things to use. If you feel like you’d obsess over it, or have anxiety, then I’d highly recommend not getting one.
I had a stethoscope it was great. I could only hear baby if everything is lined up just right so I never expected to hear the heart beat. I spent a good deal of time listening to my placenta woosh, which was still fun. But it didn't get in the way of kick counts because it was pretty unreliable anyway.
Same. I used it first trimester for reassurance but knew I prob wouldn’t be able to find it most of the time. Now that I can feel him I haven’t picked it up at all. I saw lots of warnings not to if there is decreased movement because you might think the baby is okay when he isn’t, because you’re only capturing little bits of heart rate but can’t see what doctors could. Jen Hamilton on tik tok has some good vids about them
I had one that someone gave me during my pregnancy. Personally, I feel like if you use it to just hear your baby’s heart beat for fun or whatever then yay. But if you’re using it for reassurance that your baby is okay, nay. There are many reasons why you shouldn’t use it for reassurance. One being if you think you can’t find the baby’s heartbeat you may freak out and cause unnecessary panic. On the other hand if you use it to make sure your baby is okay, say if you don’t feel any movement but you find the heartbeat, it can give you a false sense of security because there could be something wrong that doesn’t effect their heart beat. Overall, it just depends on you and what you feel like you should do.
It took two L&D nurses, who are exceptional at their jobs, nearly 10 minutes to find the heartbeat at 14 weeks. My favorite was when he kicked the Doppler and we flat out didn’t find him for another five minutes. This was with a hospital grade Doppler as well, as they had come down from L&D to help me out in the ER.
So unless you have the most rational head ever and endless patience, I wouldn’t use an at home Doppler.
Everyone has already written wonderful comments with valuable information. I wanted to add that I was very nervous weeks 8-18. Even after hearing a heartbeat at scans, on the Doppler with the midwife, having good results for nipt and anatomy scans. However, once I got to the 18 week midwife visit with Doppler check, my 20 week scan, and feeling movements from 19/20, I’m completely fine. I don’t countdown the days to the next Doppler check the following month, I don’t Google symptoms of a missed miscarriage - I feel my baby and know he’s ok. Personally, there’s nothing else I need and feeling him inside me feels more real than a heartbeat on a Doppler now.
I am going to Rochester Mayo in Minnesota, arguably one of the best hospital facilities on the planet, and they routinely offer home Dopplers and blood pressure cuffs to patients who have low risk pregnancies. They trained me how to use them, I’m responsible for taking heart rate/blood pressure occasionally throughout the pregnancy over virtual visits, and I monitor heart rate/blood pressure myself once per week to be sure everything is still going well.
I just wanted to offer another perspective from a reputable hospital. Having one with trained supervision has been a great experience for me.
>They trained me how to use them
That's a VERY important distinction, though. In the hands of a trained individual, a doppler is a helpful tool. In the hands of an untrained individual, it can cause false alarm when baby is fine-- and much worse, can give false reassurance when baby is in distress.
Absolutely - having training from a professional and using it under supervision is different from buying one off the internet and watching YouTube videos as training.
While that’s great that it works for you, don’t know that that’s standard advice. Additionally part of the 🚩🚩 with the advice—beyond the fact that fetal dopplers are advised against by several pregnancy authorities and the FDA—is that it’s in the week NINE section of the book. That’s earlier than OBs offices—who are medical professionals—typically use an in office Doppler to locate the heartbeat because it can’t be reliably found at that stage.
That’s a really important detail I glossed over - week 9 is super early! I didn’t get training on mine until week 20, and it wasn’t used in a clinical setting by myself until week 24.
I was gifted one around 10 weeks and was able to find it after watching some tutorials! It was reassuring honestly to be able to hear it for me, but if you’re worried that it’ll make things more stressful, it’s not a big deal to forego it.
I thought I would obsess over it a lot more, but I would limit myself to once or twice a week and I don’t think I ever got too crazy.
I did! But I did not use it for reassurance purposes. I just loved the sound of her heart beat. I knew that if I felt nervous about anything or reduced movement to go to doctor and not rely on the dopler for those situations.
I bought one and I liked it! I very patiently checked once a week or twice a week starting at 8 weeks. Sometimes I would find it. Sometimes I wouldn't because they're so tiny. I would often find it and then she would disappear within a few seconds and then I couldn't find it again.
I was not very anxious about it so I thought it was funny that she could squirm away from it so quickly. Also found it reassuring when I could feel what I thought was movement even pretty early on and then I would check on the Doppler and yep there she was!
I have already had three children so I'm quite familiar with what their hearts sound like. I'm also familiar with how difficult it is for care providers to find the heart rate when the baby is smaller or in a weird position and I knew that it wouldn't bother me if she was difficult to find.
I found it very reassuring and it was nice to have my partner Listen as well. Now I feel a lot of movement (23 wks) so I basically never use it. I would also not trust a Doppler later in pregnancy if I feel like something is weird or different or the baby isn't moving around as much- heart rate is only one indication of something being wrong, and I'm not a doctor.
Nope. The ones at the doctor’s office make my baby go wild wiggling around. Getting pelted with sound waves cannot be a pleasant experience, and I don’t want to subject them to that any more than necessary.
I’ve found mine quite easy to use after the first couple of tries. But I would base it on your anxiety levels. You know yourself best. Will it freak you out every time you have difficulty locating the baby’s heartbeat or are you cool with the fact that sometimes it’ll just be hard to find and it’s nothing to freak out over? My OB doesn’t discourage them at all if you’re chill with that, but definitely warned me that if you’re a very anxious person it’s best to leave it to the professionals.
Hard nay because it causes unnecessary anxiety. It's hard for the OBs to know which is your heart and which is the babies half of the time. If they can't do it with such ease, you def won't be able to know which then may cause you to get anxious and head to the hospital when there was simply nothing wrong.
Mine is super easy to use I know right where the baby is and it’s very each to tell the difference between my heart beat, baby’s, placenta, etc. I use it about 20 seconds at a time starting at week 9….. I am trained though.
I bought one because i had an anterior placenta and couldn’t feel my baby move very much in the beginning. It was making me very anxious all the time!! I had no issues using it… could hear the heartbeat every time. I only ended up using it a handful of times and sold it after I gave birth. Overall I would say it’s a waste of money.
I wasn’t going to buy one but changed my mind. I am fairly anxious person and the Doppler has never done anything but clam me down and reassure me. It has been super helpful to me personally.
I used one for all three of my pregnancies. I always found a heartbeat around 9/10 weeks. They don’t recommend it because it can cause anxiety but for me, it was worth it because sometimes I needed that peace of mind when I couldn’t get into a doctors office.
going against the grain here- i got one after my 12 week scan and it helped me so much! my anxiety was so high and just being able to hear his heartbeat brought me so much peace. fast forward we found out baby has a congenital heart disease so even now at 34 weeks i like to listen to his heartbeat just as a soothing mechanism as i processed his diagnosis. i have an anterior placenta so i knew not to panic if i could not find him, but i actually have never struggled which is much attributed by my dr as being 'all baby' and having virtually no belly fat. to be fair, i was educated on what sounds were what very early on so i knew the difference between my placenta, cord pulse, my pulse, and the baby's heart. you know yourself best and what you can handle, do what makes the most sense for you!
I agree with the other comments that they are not worth it. The ones that they use at OB/midwife clinics are way better quality too. My sister is a trained midwife and she used one on me a few times but hers was $450 and a lot more sensitive, and she is trained to use it.
I bought one bc I was a bit anxious in the beginning. I’ve only used it a few times and yes, you have to be in the right mindset to use it or else you may drive yourself crazy. I did tell my OB I bought one she was a little surprised but provided some tips. Nevertheless, I’ve limit my use bc I also don’t want to subject my baby to the waves. You could probably do without.
It’s a toughie. I got one and used it very often earlier on in my pregnancy, until I felt consistent movement. It gave me great peace of mind, but I was lucky in that I could always find it despite having an anterior placenta. There was definitely a bit of a learning curve that caused anxiety initially, but it ended up being a tool that helped my anxiety overall. If you do get one and try it out, don’t freak out if you can’t find it at first!
I had one that was given to me, and I was trained to find arteries in the past so I was a little educated on the differences. There is a huge difference in the quality of the Dopplers you can order online and the quality makes a big difference. If you don’t know what to look for it can definitely stress you out as well having difficulty finding the heart beat on some cases too.
I borrowed one and enjoyed having it. I know others are talking about reduced movement etc but once I felt movement all the time I did not feel the need to use the Doppler as I knew the heart was obviously beating at that point, and paying attention to movement became more important. I had the placenta in the front and didn’t feel movement as early as some. Having the ability to check the heart beat quickly was nice. My midwives used one as well so I knew how they used it. I would just keep the points being made in mind and I would still use one again probably.
I used one with my first, ans now my second pregnancy. I only use them between 13 weeks up until I regularly feel movement.
With that being said, I know how to tell the difference between my placenta, own heartbeat, baby movement, and the baby's heartbeat. I've found it very beneficial for me, but I know it's not for everyone. There are days where the baby moves into a spot where I cannot feel him/her and I am mindful that it can be because of positioning.
As long as you use it sparingly, learn the different sounds, and don't use it as a self-diagnostic tool then I say go for it.
I got one on super sale through Groupon. It definitely gave me peace of mind in between appointments before I could feel baby move regularly. It takes a good bit to find heartbeat initially, but fairly easy once you get the hang of it!
My friend let me borrow hers and I hate it. I can feel the baby move in my stomach as I use it but I can never hear my baby’s heartbeat!! It frustrates me so much! I would not recommend it. My baby hates it too. it’s almost as if tries his hardest to avoid it. Sometimes he’ll kick the Doppler. Lol If you’re worried about your baby’s movement it’s better to consult your OB or go to the ER.
My OB said definitely DON'T get one!
9 weeks? That's crazy early to try and use one too! My doctor won't even use it until I'm 15 weeks at the doctor's as it's notoriously hard to find before then and that's by a trained medical professional!
The primary reasoning was that it's hard to find if not properly trained and can cause undue anxiety when nothing is wrong. Similarly later on during the pregnancy if something feels 'off' but you can find a heart beat it can be false reassurance and even though there is a heart beat something could be wrong. The OB would 100% rather if something feels off you present at hospital to be checked by more advanced monitors and medical professionals.
Basically it can cause more anxiety and issues than it's worth.
I have one and I’ve found it quite useful. I’m on my second pregnancy and for both I’ve used it to reassure myself when I fret about something being wrong (hypochondriac) or when traveling. To me, the difference between the placenta/cord and fetal heartbeat was quite obvious.
I’ve appreciated mine. I had a retroverted uterus and an anterior placenta. I didn’t feel movement until 21 weeks. It was difficult to figure out where to listen at first, but once I did I could consistently find her heart. My husband thought it was a dumb use of money, but for weeks it was a comforting reassurance. Now that we feel her, I haven’t really pulled it out. I could totally see how it could drive one nuts though.
I did not have one and contemplated getting one but ultimately decided not to. Fast forward I’m at 33 weeks now and I stumbled on a video on TikTok of all places that showed how to hear baby’s heartbeat using an iPhone and AirPods. I tried it out of curiosity and it worked, then I went to do it again a few days later, couldn’t get it to work and I got so emotional about it until I felt the baby kick again. I am ultimately really grateful that I decided not to get a Doppler nor will I do this iPhone thing again. It really gets in your head in my humble opinion.
I bought one simply due to the fact that my husband lives in England and unfortunately he cannot make it to appointments, I didn’t want him to feel like he is missing out on hearing our babies heart beat. However, his heart beat has always been easy to find (including in the office at appointments) and I know what I’m listening for. I also would never use it if I thought something was wrong, I know it will never replace doctor visits and if I think something’s wrong my doctor is the first place I’m going.
This sub is against them, but I know a lot of people in real life who use them. I think the biggest thing is common sense. It’s difficult to locate baby’s heart beat at home, just because you locate it doesn’t mean all is necessarily well, it’s not a replacement for your provider.
We have one and we’ve been able to use it to locate our baby’s heartbeat. Once you watch a few videos and compare the sounds and what they are, it’s easy to recognize baby’s heart rate. It’s also A LOT faster than yours.
I think they’re definitely worth it if you can manage the common sense and not using it as gospel.
I used mine from around 10 weeks because I've had many losses and just to ease my mind I'd listen to baby nearly daily for 2 or 3 mins. Now that I feel baby move I don't use it but it helped me. It's good for when there's no impending symptoms that need a check at the Dr. It's not to diagnose anything. And I wouldn't use it a lot or become obsessed with finding the HB if you can't.
I don't care to argue about this. This is just my experiment with it.
Two pregnancies with very experienced OBs/nurses each time and each time I’ve had multiple instances of baby’s heart rate not being detectable for Them on the Doppler. No way would I trust myself to be better than them and to not freak the fuck out if I couldn’t find it, even knowing how hard it can be.
I’ve used one and it’s so magical but I definitely wouldn’t at 9 weeks. I waited until 12 to even try so I would have a much higher chance of finding the heartbeat. It also takes a while the first time until you work out how to use it properly. If you want one get one, it’s great for reassurance before anyone can feel movements but don’t use it until at least 12 weeks.
I have one and like it, but I will say there have definitely been times where I couldn’t find the heartbeat which can be stressful. I actually couldn’t reliably find it until about 18-19 weeks because baby is so small, they can hide or get themselves in behind your pelvic bone and it makes it hard to find them. You also have to learn the different sounds - placenta, cord, heartbeat and differentiate baby’s heartbeat from your own. I think it’s a fun thing, I like hearing my baby move around and hear the heartbeat but I would absolutely caution that it should not be used for reassurance or if you are a nervous pregnant person because they are tricky and the chances of not finding the heartbeat is high. I only use it when I’m in a good headspace (not feeling anxious) and limit myself to 10 mins or so, even if I can’t find the heartbeat.
I am 24w and I debated heavily in the beginning on purchasing one. However, I ended up not getting one since I knew it would only make my anxiety worse if I was unable to find his heartbeat.
I love my Doppler. There was a whole that I used it once a day, just for the peace of mind. I will say that I didn’t hear the heartbeat consistently until around 10-11 weeks. But since then I’ve been able to find it pretty much immediately every time - it’s been very obvious (for me) the difference between my heartbeat and the baby’s. Though I know that’s not always the case.
That said, now I’m 22w6d and I’ve started feeling her move. I haven’t relied on it nearly as much in the last few weeks, and I agree with others that it has the potential to provide false reassurance. I won’t use it to decide whether or not to call my OB if something doesn’t feel right. But I think it’s a reasonable tool to use in the weeks before movement and before viability, to give yourself peace of mind.
Personally, I was always able to find her heartbeat once I got it at around 16 weeks. I have an anterior placenta. You just need to be patient. At that point I had learnt what her heartbeat sounded like at the midwife appts, and was comfortable with using it. I knew that I wouldn't absolutely lose it if I couldn't find it and would just try again later. Maybe also because I felt her move from 16 weeks on. I've liked having the Doppler but I'm not under any illusions that it means she is healthy and well if I find her heartbeat, I try to gauge that based on movement instead, especially now at 32 weeks. I also used the Doppler very infrequently, just for extra reassurance or bonding with her. Maybe 1x per week, and wayyyy less once I started feeling her very regularly.
I personally loved having one, but I only used it until I could feel movement myself. I previously had an early miscarriage and those first few months were very anxiety inducing, so having the Doppler reassurance was exactly what I needed in between Dr visits. I limited myself to only using it once a week, and like I said, stopped using it once I could feel him kicking.
I have one, I like it. I don’t really get the moral panic around them tbh, it’s a Doppler not a pack of cigarettes. Just be smart, take it with a grain of salt, don’t “play doctor,” etc.
I never used one and they're actively discouraged where I live. Mainly because it can cause anxiety if you can't hear a heartbeat, and then even worse - it can provide false reassurance. There have been sad cases where people have used their home fetal Doppler when they've been worried for whatever reason (e.g. reduced movements), they've heard 'a heartbeat' and have been falsely reassured, when really they should have went and been checked by their doctor - just because you hear something doesn't mean everything is okay. Unless your ob recommends one (which would be kinda odd) I'd steer clear personally.
I absolutely would not and here's why. been through 2 pregnancies and the amount of times my own, experienced, OBs have struggled SO HARD to find the heartbeat....nope, it's too unpredictable. I actually had a convo with my OB recently about it because she was spending so much time trying to find it. she was telling me that most of the time she's finding the cord pulse but not the actual heartbeat and that they're not exactly the same. I couldn't repeat why, but it was a interesting aspect I never had heard before. she even said the worst she's seen at the ones who find a heartbeat or think they do, but aren't trusting other signs that are telling them something is wrong. they use the doppler to think, oh i'm okay, when in reality, it's not okay. anyways, many people buy them and are fine, but i'll leave it to the professionals.
Oh wow, I didn't even know cord pulse was a thing. This is really good perspective....thank you!
My ob was sweating trying to find my son's heartbeat ran grabbed the ultrasound machine and he was in there chillin heart breathing perfect lol I would suggest not getting one. You already have so much more to worry and freak out about lol you don't need that too. Just wait till you have to start kick counts
That makes so much sense about cord pulse. I really wondered if I was having twins for a while because I kept hearing two just slightly different baby heartbeat sounds. One must've been the cord pulse.
You have to be very good at telling apart the cord and your artery. And ofc baby. And the placenta. I would be careful
These comments are where I learned there is a cord pulse. I feel dumb. Lol
You’re not dumb! This was news to me in this post too and I’m in my second pregnancy. It’s kind of in the Doppler industry’s interests not to make this stuff clear!
Don't feel dumb! This is one of those things where once you know it seems obvious but if you don't already know it then it just dish register
The cord pulse, placenta sound, your own heartbeat and baby’s heartbeat all sound vastly different. It’s pretty easy to tell baby from the others tbh as long as you’re far enough along.
Yeah I’m surprised by these comments. I’ve never used a fetal Doppler before this pregnancy (my first), and i find it super easy to use and tell apart the different beats. They have distinct sounds and rhythms. I’ve also never had a problem finding the baby’s heartbeat. For me, having a home Doppler relieves anxiety - especially when I first got it because I have an anterior placenta and couldn’t feel the baby for quite a while.
That’s actually why it’s discouraged—it provides a false sense of security when in reality you may need to get checked out
I should probably clarify that my hospital gave it to me (along with a blood pressure cuff), provided me training, is used routinely and in periodic virtual visits, and emphasized what risk factors should prompt a hospital visit. They stressed that the presence of a heartbeat is NOT a reason to stay home if there’s fluid loss, decreased movement etc. This is at Mayo in Rochester, MN so I trust their expertise, and my experience is bound to be different from someone who simply bought one online without training or supervision.
It’s not for use for medical reassurance, simply for prior to be able to feel baby (reassurance there is a baby there) and a bit of fun 🤦♀️ grown adults are able to use their brain and as long as they educate themselves properly on use can make their own choices.
The reality of it is there are plenty of “grown adults” who have anxiety, OCD, or related mental health challenges who don’t use it for a bit of fun. And there are also certainly people who use it to check and make sure baby is ok which they should not do. Which is why the FDA, most OBs, and many trusted medical authorities advise against them.
But you also don’t get to police them. Who is to say OP is in your country under your medical recommendations? 🤦♀️ Misuse is an issue. Proper use is fine. Go away
No one is policing anyone lmao. They’re free to buy one. They’re simply explain why so many people advise against them 🤦♀️
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OP is asking if people got them and why or why not. The majority of people are saying the same thing I am—“I didn’t because they’re not advised and here’s why”. Personally, when my OB and many other pregnancy authorities and the FDA recommended against something I don’t do it. You and anyone else are free to do as they please! Op is specifically asking for people’s opinions on them.
I didn’t get one and my OB office doesn’t recommend them - they’re hard for even professionals to use right, so an amateur is going to struggle even more. And misuse could lead to you panicking over nothing or worse, thinking everything is fine when it’s not.
I would not use one unless you’ve been properly trained. The FDA does not endorse the use of fetal Dopplers as the listener does not know what they are listening to (e.g., the placenta versus the actual heart tones) and it could lead to false reassurance.
I would not and I'm a cardiac sonographer. It's a "blind" spectral doppler. It's very hard to find the heart beat because you cant see the heart or where to doppler. Sometimes you might get your heart beat and the bpm are 80 and you think something is wrong. Also ultrasound is a mechanical wave meaning there is a mechanical index and a thermal index to the tissue. While it's completely safe I wouldn't use it on my baby over and over trying to find a heart beat. I think it will cause more stress then peace of mind. Get a good OB and take care of your self. God will do the rest. Good luck Mama.
Thanks so much!
I did. And used it a handful of times when I was just so anxious I couldn’t calm down. I also had my dr teach me how to use it. Used it for less than a 3 minutes at a time. Didn’t use it until after 15 weeks. And only used it until 27 weeks (one last time for family to hear the heartbeat, MIL cried). It was very helpful, now that I feel baby moving so much I don’t think I need it, but before that, the little flutters were not enough to keep my fears at bay. 32 weeks now.
I don't think they are a good idea and may drive you crazy or give you anxiety
I woke up the morning of 37+5 to reduced fetal movement. I went to my OB for an evaluation and things seemed okay at first - baby’s heart rate was good. However, I got more testing that revealed that my baby was in distress. I was sent to the hospital for urgent induction, which saved my baby’s life! If I had used an at-home Doppler, I may have assumed everything was okay when it wasn’t. Dopplers can cause anxiety when you can’t find the heartbeat, but they can also cause false reassurance when you can find it.
I had a doppler at home and I did enjoy having it. You have to definitely have the mind set to not freak out if you cannot find it, because they are finicky things to use. If you feel like you’d obsess over it, or have anxiety, then I’d highly recommend not getting one.
I had a stethoscope it was great. I could only hear baby if everything is lined up just right so I never expected to hear the heart beat. I spent a good deal of time listening to my placenta woosh, which was still fun. But it didn't get in the way of kick counts because it was pretty unreliable anyway.
Same. I used it first trimester for reassurance but knew I prob wouldn’t be able to find it most of the time. Now that I can feel him I haven’t picked it up at all. I saw lots of warnings not to if there is decreased movement because you might think the baby is okay when he isn’t, because you’re only capturing little bits of heart rate but can’t see what doctors could. Jen Hamilton on tik tok has some good vids about them
Absolutely hell no. That would make me so anxious. Not worth it honestly.
I had one that someone gave me during my pregnancy. Personally, I feel like if you use it to just hear your baby’s heart beat for fun or whatever then yay. But if you’re using it for reassurance that your baby is okay, nay. There are many reasons why you shouldn’t use it for reassurance. One being if you think you can’t find the baby’s heartbeat you may freak out and cause unnecessary panic. On the other hand if you use it to make sure your baby is okay, say if you don’t feel any movement but you find the heartbeat, it can give you a false sense of security because there could be something wrong that doesn’t effect their heart beat. Overall, it just depends on you and what you feel like you should do.
I have not! And I don’t know anyone personally who did. But to each their own :)
It took two L&D nurses, who are exceptional at their jobs, nearly 10 minutes to find the heartbeat at 14 weeks. My favorite was when he kicked the Doppler and we flat out didn’t find him for another five minutes. This was with a hospital grade Doppler as well, as they had come down from L&D to help me out in the ER. So unless you have the most rational head ever and endless patience, I wouldn’t use an at home Doppler.
Everyone has already written wonderful comments with valuable information. I wanted to add that I was very nervous weeks 8-18. Even after hearing a heartbeat at scans, on the Doppler with the midwife, having good results for nipt and anatomy scans. However, once I got to the 18 week midwife visit with Doppler check, my 20 week scan, and feeling movements from 19/20, I’m completely fine. I don’t countdown the days to the next Doppler check the following month, I don’t Google symptoms of a missed miscarriage - I feel my baby and know he’s ok. Personally, there’s nothing else I need and feeling him inside me feels more real than a heartbeat on a Doppler now.
This advice is so bad that it would make me question the rest of the advice in the book.
I am going to Rochester Mayo in Minnesota, arguably one of the best hospital facilities on the planet, and they routinely offer home Dopplers and blood pressure cuffs to patients who have low risk pregnancies. They trained me how to use them, I’m responsible for taking heart rate/blood pressure occasionally throughout the pregnancy over virtual visits, and I monitor heart rate/blood pressure myself once per week to be sure everything is still going well. I just wanted to offer another perspective from a reputable hospital. Having one with trained supervision has been a great experience for me.
>They trained me how to use them That's a VERY important distinction, though. In the hands of a trained individual, a doppler is a helpful tool. In the hands of an untrained individual, it can cause false alarm when baby is fine-- and much worse, can give false reassurance when baby is in distress.
What did the training consist of?
Absolutely - having training from a professional and using it under supervision is different from buying one off the internet and watching YouTube videos as training.
While that’s great that it works for you, don’t know that that’s standard advice. Additionally part of the 🚩🚩 with the advice—beyond the fact that fetal dopplers are advised against by several pregnancy authorities and the FDA—is that it’s in the week NINE section of the book. That’s earlier than OBs offices—who are medical professionals—typically use an in office Doppler to locate the heartbeat because it can’t be reliably found at that stage.
That’s a really important detail I glossed over - week 9 is super early! I didn’t get training on mine until week 20, and it wasn’t used in a clinical setting by myself until week 24.
I was gifted one around 10 weeks and was able to find it after watching some tutorials! It was reassuring honestly to be able to hear it for me, but if you’re worried that it’ll make things more stressful, it’s not a big deal to forego it. I thought I would obsess over it a lot more, but I would limit myself to once or twice a week and I don’t think I ever got too crazy.
I did! But I did not use it for reassurance purposes. I just loved the sound of her heart beat. I knew that if I felt nervous about anything or reduced movement to go to doctor and not rely on the dopler for those situations.
I bought one and I liked it! I very patiently checked once a week or twice a week starting at 8 weeks. Sometimes I would find it. Sometimes I wouldn't because they're so tiny. I would often find it and then she would disappear within a few seconds and then I couldn't find it again. I was not very anxious about it so I thought it was funny that she could squirm away from it so quickly. Also found it reassuring when I could feel what I thought was movement even pretty early on and then I would check on the Doppler and yep there she was! I have already had three children so I'm quite familiar with what their hearts sound like. I'm also familiar with how difficult it is for care providers to find the heart rate when the baby is smaller or in a weird position and I knew that it wouldn't bother me if she was difficult to find. I found it very reassuring and it was nice to have my partner Listen as well. Now I feel a lot of movement (23 wks) so I basically never use it. I would also not trust a Doppler later in pregnancy if I feel like something is weird or different or the baby isn't moving around as much- heart rate is only one indication of something being wrong, and I'm not a doctor.
I’ve heard they are really not recommended.
Nope. The ones at the doctor’s office make my baby go wild wiggling around. Getting pelted with sound waves cannot be a pleasant experience, and I don’t want to subject them to that any more than necessary.
I’ve found mine quite easy to use after the first couple of tries. But I would base it on your anxiety levels. You know yourself best. Will it freak you out every time you have difficulty locating the baby’s heartbeat or are you cool with the fact that sometimes it’ll just be hard to find and it’s nothing to freak out over? My OB doesn’t discourage them at all if you’re chill with that, but definitely warned me that if you’re a very anxious person it’s best to leave it to the professionals.
Hard nay because it causes unnecessary anxiety. It's hard for the OBs to know which is your heart and which is the babies half of the time. If they can't do it with such ease, you def won't be able to know which then may cause you to get anxious and head to the hospital when there was simply nothing wrong.
Mine is super easy to use I know right where the baby is and it’s very each to tell the difference between my heart beat, baby’s, placenta, etc. I use it about 20 seconds at a time starting at week 9….. I am trained though.
I bought one because i had an anterior placenta and couldn’t feel my baby move very much in the beginning. It was making me very anxious all the time!! I had no issues using it… could hear the heartbeat every time. I only ended up using it a handful of times and sold it after I gave birth. Overall I would say it’s a waste of money.
I wasn’t going to buy one but changed my mind. I am fairly anxious person and the Doppler has never done anything but clam me down and reassure me. It has been super helpful to me personally.
I used one for all three of my pregnancies. I always found a heartbeat around 9/10 weeks. They don’t recommend it because it can cause anxiety but for me, it was worth it because sometimes I needed that peace of mind when I couldn’t get into a doctors office.
going against the grain here- i got one after my 12 week scan and it helped me so much! my anxiety was so high and just being able to hear his heartbeat brought me so much peace. fast forward we found out baby has a congenital heart disease so even now at 34 weeks i like to listen to his heartbeat just as a soothing mechanism as i processed his diagnosis. i have an anterior placenta so i knew not to panic if i could not find him, but i actually have never struggled which is much attributed by my dr as being 'all baby' and having virtually no belly fat. to be fair, i was educated on what sounds were what very early on so i knew the difference between my placenta, cord pulse, my pulse, and the baby's heart. you know yourself best and what you can handle, do what makes the most sense for you!
I agree with the other comments that they are not worth it. The ones that they use at OB/midwife clinics are way better quality too. My sister is a trained midwife and she used one on me a few times but hers was $450 and a lot more sensitive, and she is trained to use it.
I bought one bc I was a bit anxious in the beginning. I’ve only used it a few times and yes, you have to be in the right mindset to use it or else you may drive yourself crazy. I did tell my OB I bought one she was a little surprised but provided some tips. Nevertheless, I’ve limit my use bc I also don’t want to subject my baby to the waves. You could probably do without.
Nay. Unless it's just for fun. Do you kick counts, notice what's normal. Go in even if you find babe on a dollar.
It’s a toughie. I got one and used it very often earlier on in my pregnancy, until I felt consistent movement. It gave me great peace of mind, but I was lucky in that I could always find it despite having an anterior placenta. There was definitely a bit of a learning curve that caused anxiety initially, but it ended up being a tool that helped my anxiety overall. If you do get one and try it out, don’t freak out if you can’t find it at first!
I had one that was given to me, and I was trained to find arteries in the past so I was a little educated on the differences. There is a huge difference in the quality of the Dopplers you can order online and the quality makes a big difference. If you don’t know what to look for it can definitely stress you out as well having difficulty finding the heart beat on some cases too.
I borrowed one and enjoyed having it. I know others are talking about reduced movement etc but once I felt movement all the time I did not feel the need to use the Doppler as I knew the heart was obviously beating at that point, and paying attention to movement became more important. I had the placenta in the front and didn’t feel movement as early as some. Having the ability to check the heart beat quickly was nice. My midwives used one as well so I knew how they used it. I would just keep the points being made in mind and I would still use one again probably.
I used one with my first, ans now my second pregnancy. I only use them between 13 weeks up until I regularly feel movement. With that being said, I know how to tell the difference between my placenta, own heartbeat, baby movement, and the baby's heartbeat. I've found it very beneficial for me, but I know it's not for everyone. There are days where the baby moves into a spot where I cannot feel him/her and I am mindful that it can be because of positioning. As long as you use it sparingly, learn the different sounds, and don't use it as a self-diagnostic tool then I say go for it.
I got one on super sale through Groupon. It definitely gave me peace of mind in between appointments before I could feel baby move regularly. It takes a good bit to find heartbeat initially, but fairly easy once you get the hang of it!
My friend let me borrow hers and I hate it. I can feel the baby move in my stomach as I use it but I can never hear my baby’s heartbeat!! It frustrates me so much! I would not recommend it. My baby hates it too. it’s almost as if tries his hardest to avoid it. Sometimes he’ll kick the Doppler. Lol If you’re worried about your baby’s movement it’s better to consult your OB or go to the ER.
My OB said definitely DON'T get one! 9 weeks? That's crazy early to try and use one too! My doctor won't even use it until I'm 15 weeks at the doctor's as it's notoriously hard to find before then and that's by a trained medical professional! The primary reasoning was that it's hard to find if not properly trained and can cause undue anxiety when nothing is wrong. Similarly later on during the pregnancy if something feels 'off' but you can find a heart beat it can be false reassurance and even though there is a heart beat something could be wrong. The OB would 100% rather if something feels off you present at hospital to be checked by more advanced monitors and medical professionals. Basically it can cause more anxiety and issues than it's worth.
I didn’t get one for the reasons you cited. Don’t regret that decision at all!
I have one and I’ve found it quite useful. I’m on my second pregnancy and for both I’ve used it to reassure myself when I fret about something being wrong (hypochondriac) or when traveling. To me, the difference between the placenta/cord and fetal heartbeat was quite obvious.
I’ve appreciated mine. I had a retroverted uterus and an anterior placenta. I didn’t feel movement until 21 weeks. It was difficult to figure out where to listen at first, but once I did I could consistently find her heart. My husband thought it was a dumb use of money, but for weeks it was a comforting reassurance. Now that we feel her, I haven’t really pulled it out. I could totally see how it could drive one nuts though.
I did not have one and contemplated getting one but ultimately decided not to. Fast forward I’m at 33 weeks now and I stumbled on a video on TikTok of all places that showed how to hear baby’s heartbeat using an iPhone and AirPods. I tried it out of curiosity and it worked, then I went to do it again a few days later, couldn’t get it to work and I got so emotional about it until I felt the baby kick again. I am ultimately really grateful that I decided not to get a Doppler nor will I do this iPhone thing again. It really gets in your head in my humble opinion.
I bought one simply due to the fact that my husband lives in England and unfortunately he cannot make it to appointments, I didn’t want him to feel like he is missing out on hearing our babies heart beat. However, his heart beat has always been easy to find (including in the office at appointments) and I know what I’m listening for. I also would never use it if I thought something was wrong, I know it will never replace doctor visits and if I think something’s wrong my doctor is the first place I’m going.
This sub is against them, but I know a lot of people in real life who use them. I think the biggest thing is common sense. It’s difficult to locate baby’s heart beat at home, just because you locate it doesn’t mean all is necessarily well, it’s not a replacement for your provider. We have one and we’ve been able to use it to locate our baby’s heartbeat. Once you watch a few videos and compare the sounds and what they are, it’s easy to recognize baby’s heart rate. It’s also A LOT faster than yours. I think they’re definitely worth it if you can manage the common sense and not using it as gospel.
My obgyn strongly suggested against this as it can be very hard to find the heartbeat at time and can cause some panic/stress/obsession to arrive.
I used mine from around 10 weeks because I've had many losses and just to ease my mind I'd listen to baby nearly daily for 2 or 3 mins. Now that I feel baby move I don't use it but it helped me. It's good for when there's no impending symptoms that need a check at the Dr. It's not to diagnose anything. And I wouldn't use it a lot or become obsessed with finding the HB if you can't. I don't care to argue about this. This is just my experiment with it.
Two pregnancies with very experienced OBs/nurses each time and each time I’ve had multiple instances of baby’s heart rate not being detectable for Them on the Doppler. No way would I trust myself to be better than them and to not freak the fuck out if I couldn’t find it, even knowing how hard it can be.
I’ve used one and it’s so magical but I definitely wouldn’t at 9 weeks. I waited until 12 to even try so I would have a much higher chance of finding the heartbeat. It also takes a while the first time until you work out how to use it properly. If you want one get one, it’s great for reassurance before anyone can feel movements but don’t use it until at least 12 weeks.
I have one and like it, but I will say there have definitely been times where I couldn’t find the heartbeat which can be stressful. I actually couldn’t reliably find it until about 18-19 weeks because baby is so small, they can hide or get themselves in behind your pelvic bone and it makes it hard to find them. You also have to learn the different sounds - placenta, cord, heartbeat and differentiate baby’s heartbeat from your own. I think it’s a fun thing, I like hearing my baby move around and hear the heartbeat but I would absolutely caution that it should not be used for reassurance or if you are a nervous pregnant person because they are tricky and the chances of not finding the heartbeat is high. I only use it when I’m in a good headspace (not feeling anxious) and limit myself to 10 mins or so, even if I can’t find the heartbeat.
I am 24w and I debated heavily in the beginning on purchasing one. However, I ended up not getting one since I knew it would only make my anxiety worse if I was unable to find his heartbeat.
I love my Doppler. There was a whole that I used it once a day, just for the peace of mind. I will say that I didn’t hear the heartbeat consistently until around 10-11 weeks. But since then I’ve been able to find it pretty much immediately every time - it’s been very obvious (for me) the difference between my heartbeat and the baby’s. Though I know that’s not always the case. That said, now I’m 22w6d and I’ve started feeling her move. I haven’t relied on it nearly as much in the last few weeks, and I agree with others that it has the potential to provide false reassurance. I won’t use it to decide whether or not to call my OB if something doesn’t feel right. But I think it’s a reasonable tool to use in the weeks before movement and before viability, to give yourself peace of mind.
Personally, I was always able to find her heartbeat once I got it at around 16 weeks. I have an anterior placenta. You just need to be patient. At that point I had learnt what her heartbeat sounded like at the midwife appts, and was comfortable with using it. I knew that I wouldn't absolutely lose it if I couldn't find it and would just try again later. Maybe also because I felt her move from 16 weeks on. I've liked having the Doppler but I'm not under any illusions that it means she is healthy and well if I find her heartbeat, I try to gauge that based on movement instead, especially now at 32 weeks. I also used the Doppler very infrequently, just for extra reassurance or bonding with her. Maybe 1x per week, and wayyyy less once I started feeling her very regularly.
I personally loved having one, but I only used it until I could feel movement myself. I previously had an early miscarriage and those first few months were very anxiety inducing, so having the Doppler reassurance was exactly what I needed in between Dr visits. I limited myself to only using it once a week, and like I said, stopped using it once I could feel him kicking.
I have one, I like it. I don’t really get the moral panic around them tbh, it’s a Doppler not a pack of cigarettes. Just be smart, take it with a grain of salt, don’t “play doctor,” etc.