Anyone rent a doppler to hear baby's heartbeat?

[cdlamis]

My SIL (also pregnant) wants to split the cost of a doppler (can't think of the name right now- maybe "bebe sounds"?) to listen to the baby's heartbeat starting at 10 weeks.

Are these ok? I thought I read somewhere that recreational use of a doppler may not be safe and shouldn't be done. Is this right?

Any opinions or info?

I really don't have the need to have this device but she really wants one and wants to split the cost.

BTW- Not sure if the term "doppler" is correct.


Thanks!
Daniella

[egoldber]

A doppler is what the OB uses in the office to check your baby's heartbeat. I would personally NOT get the cheap bebesounds one. Regardless of how expensive it seems it is not a medical grade product. I have read of so many people who have panicked because they cannot find their baby's heartbeat with that thing.

Now that being said, I am considering renting a medical grade doppler once I am further along in my pregnancy. And FYI, you often can't evene hear the baby's heartbeat even with a medical doppler until after 9-10 weeks.

HTH,

[Tondi G]

I am definetly renting a doppler with my next pregnancy and know so many moms who have rented them!

The most popular company I think is babybeat. I have also heard good things about another company that was a little cheaper... let me ask my friend the name and I'll get back to you!

I know for sure though that the babybeat ones are the same dopplers that doctors use!

Good luck... sharing the rental is a great idea... why not save money if you live close enough to share the doppler!

~Tondi

[bnme]

We had one from Babybeat.com for the 1st prenancy and I really enjoyed having it. We didn't have much trouble finding the heartbeat at all -especially after a few weeks (I think I had it about 6 months). There were a few times I found myself checking and rechecking the heartrate when I thought it seemed slow, but I am not one to panick -especially knowing this wasn't the "top of the line".

I'd say this is a decent choice, depending on the cost difference of a medical grade one. If the real one isn't much more I'd go for that. I also wonder how much of it has to do with using it properly -meaning if you know what you are ding you are just as likely to find the beat with a cheaper one. I know my current doctor ALWAYS finds the heartbeat immediatley, where the Drs at my last practice seems to take more time.

[houseof3boys]

Yes and I would rent another one for the next baby. I had a high risk pregnancy and this gave me such peace of mind. We taped the heartbeat too so it was recorded for posterity too!

I rented mine from www.babybeat.com as others have mentioned. I highly recommend them! Don't buy one of the cheaper versions becuase you will not be satisfied with it Daniella. It is more expensive but I thought it was worth every cent. We brought it with us when we traveled so that both sets of parents could hear it too. They were all fascinated with it since "they didn't have this kind of stuff in my day" seemed to be the phrase they all echoed. They really got a kick out of it and they felt involved in the pregnancy.

Good luck!!!! :)

[sbjf]

We used the Baby Beat too, from http://www.babybeat.com

I had the basic model, it didn't give the heart rate (I didn't care about that, just wanted to know it was beating!), and it didn't record the h/b. But it served it's purpose for me...proof of life! It brought me peace of mind.

I paid 30 dollars a month for that basic model.

At 13 weeks along I had an ob appt. and the midwife couldn't find the h/b with her doppler, but I had just heard it at home (didnt' tell her that though) so I did not panic, though I would have if not for my Baby Beat. Anyway, she wound up giving me an unexpected u/s so we could make sure all was well, cool!

I began my pg about 20 pounds overweight and yet I was still able to locate the baby's h/t as early as 9 and a 1/2 weeks along and everytime thereafter.

I kept it till I began feeling him move regularly.

You can def. share it with someone to save money. It's not something you need to use everday (but you can if you want!). I checked w/lots of doctors and midwives and nobody said not to use it regularly.

ETA: We did tape record the h/b ourselves though and you can hear it on our website... http://www.babyfriedrich.com

[RwnMayfair]

I rented one from BabyBeat as well, and was really pleased with it. We found Taran's heartbeat with it at about 10 to 11 weeks, though it took us probably about 30 minutes to do so. ;) Once he started to get bigger, it was much easier. But I was pleased with how quickly the doppler arrived, and how well it worked. Plus it was just nice to be able to make sure he was still there and doing okay whenever I was feeling especially paranoid. ;) We rented a basic model as well, so I had to count beats if I wanted an estimate of his heartrate, but since I mainly wanted it just so I could hear him and just to help when I was worrying too much, not having the display or anything was fine with me.

Now, they'll also let you apply your rental fees towards the purchase of the unit you rent, or half of your rental fees towards a different unit. That may not interest you or your SIL, but I thought it was a neat benefit. :)

-Melissa

Taran Reed - Nov, 20, 2003

[papal]

Another vote for BabyBeat!

ETA: Do not use it recreationally! My OB said it was okay to use it for a minute or so a day but not excessively because the noise makes baby 'jump'. But since I was a worry-wart, she said that if she had to weigh the two, she would definitely say to use the doppler a minute a day instead of stressing.. that was far more unhealthy. Once I could feel baby moving (around 22 weeks i think), we just used it when i worried if the baby was okay. Also, it brought the greatest joy to my Dad when he heard Leela's hearbeat over the phone (he is in India). He is not a crier, but he was crying! :)

[nwaddellr]

>I checked w/lots of doctors and midwives and nobody said not
>to use it regularly.

The woman who did our pre-natal class (we did the Bradley method) had a bunch of research talking about the potentially harmful affects of the ultrasound and basically said to minimize it as much as possible (kind of like X-rays - OK when needed, but they do increase your risk of cancer so you shouldn't get one just for fun). Personally, I wouldn't want to use one recreationally.

[Calmegja2]

My insurance covered a medical grade one for use with my last pregnancy. I think I heard the heartbeat at around 9 weeks for the first time with it.

I was supposed to do quick rate checks with it (I was told the sound alarms baby as well), and it really helped me calm down when I hemorrhaged, because I was able to tell my doctor that I could still hear the heartbeat, and it stopped me from getting completely hysterical in short order.

And as for the safety, in 40 years of regular use, there has been no documented harm shown from ultrasound imaging or doppler use-only unsupported and non replicated blips. It does not cause cancer, and it is not the same type of ionizing radiation found in other scans linked to cancers/cell changes.

http://www.ob-ultrasound.net/

You can also search the forums at OB-GynNet....many doctors post there, and have given great information, and links to Pubmed readings on the safety. ;-)

[sbjf]

I agree. Although I used it everyday for a number of weeks I would only use it for a minute at a time, if that. It wasn't something I felt the need to listen to for a long period of time at all, it's just to know that 'today my baby is still alive', as someone who had just had a missed abortion (meaning the baby had stopped growing at 6 weeks but I didn't find out till an u/s at 8 weeks) this was a huge deal for me to be able to hear that h/b for one minute in the morning and one minute before bed, that was all I needed.

I didn't minimize my time due to problems that it may cause the baby (cause nobody had told me that is something to fear), but I limited my time because of the noise to the baby...and because it just wasn't necessary for me to listen for much longer than that.

[jubilee]

Don't get a bebe sounds one. It is not that great, and I couldn't find the heartbeat until about 18 weeks along- at which time I could feel the baby move. If you want my bebe sounds one, I'll mail it to you for the cost of postage.

[Andrea S]

I rented the baby beat as well. It worked well the first few times it took awhile to find, but then we became pros. I used it until I started to feel baby move.


Andrea
mom to Andrew 8/14/02

[smilequeen]

I rented a baby beat as well. I did get the counter and the record feature, and as of today and SO glad I did.

I do worry about the noise to the baby, about overusing it, etc. but I am ultra high anxiety with this pregnancy since I lost my first at 10 weeks. I feel pretty positive that the nightmares and panic attacks that I've been having are worse for the baby than the doppler. So whatever can calm my anxiety...

I am 9 weeks today and found the heartbeat, 181 bpm :) DH wasn't home so I recorded it and the look on his face when I played it for him made me want to cry. He just said "oh my God! That's a heartbeat!" and he smiled from ear to ear. My anxiety level just went down significantly and THAT is priceless to me. I can't stop smiling.


So, I recommend it if it's what you want to do.

[cdlamis]

I am so happy for you Karen! What a great day for you!

Daniella
Mom to Julia 6-13-02
And baby #2 EDD 12-30-04!!

[cdlamis]

Again- another reason why I love this board!!!
I am sure my SIL is wondering how I found the info so quickly. :)
Thanks again~

Daniella
Mom to Julia 6-13-02
And baby #2 EDD 12-30-04!!

[cdlamis]

Julie-
Thanks so much for the offer. I will mention it to my SIL and will e-mail you!

Daniella
Mom to Julia 6-13-02
And baby #2 EDD 12-30-04!!