Fetal stethoscope

[Dahlea]

Just got mine today-and have had no luck in hearing anything but my own heartbeat! I have an anterior placenta-could that be why? Or is mine too cheap? Any tips are much appreciated!

[kittywitty]

I had a cheap one with #4 and I couldn't hear a darn thing with it. My regular stethoscope did much better for me hearing her heartrate.

[Dahlea]

Almost 38 weeks so definitely far enough along to hear!

[bobandjess99]

i couldnt really hear anything with mine ever either. Apparently my midwife could, but she was well trained with a lot of experience. She tried to position it just right and give it to me, and it was still VERY hard for me to hear, although i did a couple times.... It isn't a SOUND you are listening for...the babys HB doesn't sound like yours does...it's extremely faint, more of a feeling, a vibration, than an actual *sound* in fact, it's more the absence of sound, the pause that you hear ...hard to explain..but very, very, very faint.....dh could hear better by just putting his bare ear to my stomach than he could using the fetoscope, lol.

[MidwifeMegan444]

It can definitely take some patience, careful listening and a quiet room to hear. I've been able to hear my baby since about 20 weeks, usually on my left side diagonally below my bellybutton. And my fetoscope cost about $15. Are you sure you are holding the instrument correctly so the sound is conducted through bone?

[Pirogi]

Originally Posted by MidwifeMegan444

Are you sure you are holding the instrument correctly so the sound is conducted through bone?

Can someone explain? I know that many times midwives use the forehead bar, is this why? How can a mother using the fetoscope on herself conduct through bone?

All I hear are squeaky sounds from my fingers. I am only 15 weeks though.

[MidwifeMegan444]

If you are holding the handle in your hand (fat part against your palm) the sound will be conducting through bone. It is extremely unlikely you could hear the baby through a fetoscope at 15 weeks. Usually the sound is not audible till at least 20 weeks. If you're not opposed to a Doppler you may be able to hear it with that.

[Dahlea]

I thought I was using it properly!

[homebirthing]

Usually you will be able to start hearing FHT with a fetoscope around 22 weeks or so. The earliest I ever heard mine were at 16 weeks, and that was after an hour of playing around! Not common.

I hear a sound, not a vibration. But I listen all of the time, so it could be something that I am just very used to.