Doppler question

[MaerynPearl]

To start off with:
1. its not twins, I had an ultrasound at 9 weeks and one healthy little baby was shown

2. I dont think it has anything to do with their actual heart...

so really this is just a technical question I am hoping a nerd or a midwife/doula or a nerdy midwife/doula may be able to answer?

When I listen to my babys heartbeat... and I mean actual heart, not blood through cord... Im hearing the galloping sound like a horse running not the soft wooshing sound like my own bloodflow....

it seems to overlap itself. its like thump --- thump --- thump -- thump - thump -- thump - thump - thump - thump - thump -- thump - thump -- thump --- thump --- thump (if the ---s were split milliseconds in between thumps... and where its down to just one its nearly on top of each other)

what causes it to sound like that? I'm just nerdy and like to know these things lol and I cant find it online anywhere.

[suzywan]

I think it's just cause heart rates are not steady - they go up and down all the time. When I was briefly monitored at the hospital giving birth to my son his heart rate was 122 then 134 then 117 etc etc. It's totally healthy and normal.

[LZP]

The doppler picks up movement with sonar waves (it's not a "sound magnifier")- so the movement of the heart as it's beating- and then attaches a sound to that movement, or translates the movement into sound. So, it's possible that you're picking up the sound of the heart beating as well as the sound of the blood pulsing in a nearby major artery, or yes, even the umbilical cord. (though the UC would be a slower rate, closer to your own HR, I believe)

I noticed this too, especially now that baby is getting bigger- there's just more blood flowing in her little body to detect.

I'm sure you've also heard the woogedy-woogedy sounds when baby makes a quick movement too, right? so fun.

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by suzywan

I think it's just cause heart rates are not steady - they go up and down all the time. When I was briefly monitored at the hospital giving birth to my son his heart rate was 122 then 134 then 117 etc etc. It's totally healthy and normal.

Im not sure thats it... as it changes within a minute from the rate its at to about double that back down to what it was. It just seems to me like its something to do with the doppler rather than the actual heartbeat since its changing so quickly and to such an extreme degree.

I understand it changes, sometimes its 143 (around when baby is sleeping) and sometimes around 162 (when baby is awake) but this is changing from like 143 to 286 and back to 143 in a very short period of time.

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by LZP

The doppler picks up movement- so the movement of the heart as it's beating- and then attaches a sound to that movement. So, it's possible that you're picking up the sound of the heart beating as well as the sound of the blood pulsing in a nearby major artery, or yes, even the umbilical cord. (though the UC would be a slower rate, closer to your own HR, I believe)

I noticed this too, especially now that baby is getting bigger- there's just more blood flowing in her little body to detect.

I'm sure you've also heard the woogedy-woogedy sounds when baby makes a quick movement too, right? so fun.

yep, but blood through the cord tends to be more of a woosh right? and my own blood through arteries are a woosh... and this only happens with the clomp clomp clomp heartbeat (from what my doctor says the clomp noise is the actual heart and not cord like she usually listens for) and the doubling over is clomping too...

but I dont think its possible the doppler is picking up an echo from itself...

its just really weird. It doesnt particularly bother me except I wanna know the cause lol

[LZP]

Well, it's picking up movement. the device doesnt know whether it's detecting heart chamber movement, or blood causing an artery to pulsate, or the friction of fluid against the inner wall of the umbilical cord. Either way, it's movement. The corresponding sound just has to do with the way the movement is occurring, or the distance from the unit. Baby is so small right now, you could be at an angle that you're picking up the movement of heart chambers, and the movement of the carotid artery, and if they are close enough together, and moving at a similar velocity, the sound could be the same or very similar sounding. it wouldnt likely pick up an echo from itself, you're right.

for an interesting nerd bit, I know this because they use the same technology on P3 airplanes, that use sonar to detect submarines underwater- and my mom worked on those planes for many many years. strangely, sonar was a very early science concept for me.

[MaerynPearl]

AH! okay thanks

[LZP]

I know you weren't worried or anything, just curious as usual. these devices sure seem high tech, even though it's technology that's been around for decades. you'd think by now we could have a real peek inside.