Who's waiting to see/hear that little heartbeat? - Page 6 « Back to Group Discussions

[joyriders]

i think you should assume that every woman here is intelligent enough to know the risks or knows how to seek out the information on their own.

every woman's pregnancy is their own journey and  what's right for some isn't necessarily right for everyone. do what makes you feel your best and realize there's no 100% universal right way to have a baby (or live life for that matter), just what works best for you.

[Adaline'sMama]

Some of us have lost babies, and have extreme anxiety that can either be controlled with knowing that our babies are still there or with "unnatural" medication. In my last due date club, I remember there being a girl who started a thread about dopplers and many people (myself included) attempted to school her on all the risks and how terrible they were. It wasnt until after I lost a child that I truly understood why she needed so desperately to hear her baby's heartbeat.


Most of the moms in this DDC make risk assessments for every.single.decision we make while pregnant- we arent just blindly making decisions. There is already tons and tons of information on this website about the risk vs. benefit of doppler and ultrasound, and I suggest that if you want to help educate people of the risks you start a thread about it. This thread is specifically designed for women who *DO* intend on hearing the baby's heartbeat- whether that be through transvaginal ultrasound, abdominal ultrasound, doppler, or waiting to hear it on the fetascope. Just because this is a website that promotes NFL/AP practices, it does not mean that people who have differing views on childbirth or parenting can't respect one another and come together as a support network as women who are all going give birth around the same time.

[Teles]

Originally Posted by bubblesispreggers 

I thought this was a place for more natural stuff. Ultrasound waves come with risks that should only be taken with valid medical reasons. Just a little disappointed that I escaped the facebook group to come here hoping for a safe haven. Sorry to sound judgmental. I'd be happy to share some information on the risks of ultrasound and doppler if anyone is interested.
 

I would like to see your sources.

Also, I heard the heartbeat for the first time last night! I had a doctor's appointment so she gave it a try (10 weeks + 4 days) and sure enough there was the little engine chugging away. Smiled all the way home :)

[JamieCatheryn]

My 2nd son couldn't stand doppler so we minimized it. The sound waves bothered him and he kicked and his HR shot up. As far as I know the actual risks or safety are unproven, but I know it bothered him, so we switched to the Pinard horn. This time, a couple times to try and hear that heartbeat the first time we're trying Doppler, and in labor any time fetascope would be too difficult, but that is it. It is important to many moms' peace of mind, before those kicks begin, to hear the heartbeat, especially if they've experienced a loss before. Stressed out moms may well be a bigger risk than possible slight microscopic damage or changing them to left handed

[kdorrain]

Originally Posted by JessNP 

I have GOT to get a doppler. Being 41years old, I am just terrified of losing this baby. I cannot wait until this first trimester is over. I had my first OB visit on 7/2 where pregnancy was confirmed and dated at 8 weeks 1 day - rapid heatbeat 171.  Last week, went in for my first "official" prenatal visit and had another vag U/S, baby measured 10 weeks but my OB would not change my DD of 2/10/13. She says the earlier U/S is more accurate, although in my gut, I feel further along than that. Also, she told me she was 95% sure that I was having a boy. Kinda surprising considering baby was only 9 weeks 2 days at that time. After hearing that heartbeat two weeks in a row - I'm hooked. I am dying to hear my little guy again, especially until I get past the 12 week mark. What do you suggest for a doppler - the Sonoline-B?

Hey JessNP,  Congrats.  I hear you on the terror.  I'm having full blown anxiety attacks!  :(

Two thoughts for you:

1.  Your OB is very very wise not to move your "guess date".  People get impatient at the end and pregnancies have such a wide range of "normal" for length, that it's easy to start interventions at "40 weeks".  Well, if your due date was moved up by two weeks, you could be starting interventions at what is really 38 weeks.  On the other hand, if you've erred the other way and  if you and your provider feel there is danger, you can have a biophysical profile (basically, an ultrasound) at 40 weeks to make sure that baby is ok and keep that pregnancy going till baby is ready.  My first birth was a cascade of interventions sparked by the first u/s that moved my due date.  As a result, my OB was pushing interventions on the wrong timeline and I was too excited to be a mom and too sick of being pregnant to resist.  Patience is sooo hard, but please trust me that moving that date won't make your baby come any faster.  :)

2.  If you are new here and haven't had a baby before, you might want to research some reasons why you might not want to expose your baby to more u/s waves or Doppler than needed.  To each mama her own, I just hope that we all work hard to educate ourselves about every test, procedure, and device made available to us.  The tests, procedures, devices and interventions are gifts from science and can all be used for good...but most can be (and are) overused and not all have been PROVEN not to cause harm.  Peace to you as you learn and if you've already done this research and made your decision, then I apologize for mentioning this thought.

Kristine

[JessNP]

You guys are awesome! kdorrain- you are soooooo right about the due date. I didn't consider how it could really alter the timeline of interventions at the end of the pregnancy - I just really want this 1st trimester to be over. So much better for the little guy to stay put as close to 40 weeks as possible. I just want to meet him ASAP and in this screaming July heat, February feels so far away - but we're all in the same boat on this thread 

And a HUGE thank you to Adeline's Mama re this post:

     "Some of us have lost babies, and have extreme anxiety that can either be controlled with knowing that our babies are still there or with "unnatural" medication. In my last due date club, I remember there being a girl who started a thread about dopplers and many people (myself included) attempted to school her on all the risks and how terrible they were. It wasnt until after I lost a child that I truly understood why she needed so desperately to hear her baby's heartbeat."

You summarized the doppler/ultrasound so perfectly! At the age of 41, I am paralyzed with fear of losing this baby and I NEVER want to go through that pain again! 

On the other hand, as a Nurse Practitioner (not a new mommy-to-be) I just want to put my two-cents in on the ultrasound issue. There is a lot of very compelling research out there re: the potential dangers of ultrasound waves on the brain of a developing fetus. For an interesting summary, I would suggest reading "The Elephant in the Room" by Caroline Rodgers.  This was an overview presented in October 2010 to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Just in case the link is disabled, you can find it by googling the name and author:

(http://iacc.hhs.gov/events/2010/full-committee-mtg-slides-Oct22.shtml)

Nothing has been PROVEN, however, I DID discuss this issue with my OB and she and I both agreed that these two factors could play a significant role:

1) An inexperienced/poorly trained technician - many states do not require any training for persons who operate u/s equipment. As an NP, I (briefly) worked in a sports medicine practice where the 19-year-old receptionist was cross-trained on the U/S machine. When the office was busy, she would perform therapeutic ultrasound treatments to patients with sore/injured muscles. She didn't have a clue - and this was perfectly legal (because there was an MD/NP "supervising" aka in the office) and readily reimbursed by insurance. The machine she was using was an all-in-one machine that could do both diagnostic u/s and therapeutic u/s. 

2) Improperly calibrated /poorly maintained equipment - Sadly, as technology has improved, the cost of purchasing an u/s machine has dropped and there are plenty of "used" machines out there for any joe-blow MD to buy. In an outpatient office, no one from the FDA or OSHA or whatever comes out to inspect that the machine is working properly. In the above-mentioned sports medicine practice, our 20-year-old u/s machine malfunctioned and "shocked" a patient (in addition to being an u/s machine, it also could do muscle stim/ EMS therapy on patients). It was not long after that I left that practice. 

 To be perfectly honest, I don't know that a doppler could produce the same time of heat that an ultrasound machine could. I wasn't aware of any risks associated with dopplers, everything I've read has focused on U/S machines. Guess I've got some researching to do on dopplers. 

[canadianhippie]

the wait is over! got to see that we have a healthy baby 

just one! lol not two, and ive been cramping so i was happy to see a heartbeat, im 12wks, 5 days, so im nearly a week ahead of what i thought, I do have a jan.26 due date....but i snuck into here expecting to go over my due date and this dd club seemed to very active and friendly  

[Gray's Mommy]

Originally Posted by bubblesispreggers 

I'm somewhat surprised there is a doppler discussion like this on mothering.
 

I think the use of a doppler does come with some risks, but every mother needs to form her own opinion and do her own research on it. You don't have a signature, so I can't tell if you have had prior losses or not. I believe that the doppler can help mothers with loss issues feel more comforted knowing their baby is alive and well.

[Teles]

My doppler came today and I got the share the lovely heartbeat with DH!

Such peace of mind.
 

[Gillmoro]

I get to join the heard the heartbeat club!! I started checking around nine weeks every few days with my 2 mHz doppler (not the best for early pregnancy) and finally heard it yesterday at 10 weeks 2 days!  I feel so relieved, I was having major fears about blighted ovum/molar pregnancy for some reason and now I know there really is a little babe in there.  Got to share with DH and DD, though they were not as excited as I was.  I feel like I can relax a little now

[JamieCatheryn]

I heard it today finally, 148bpm, slower than my other guys were.

[iamkateiam]

Heard it today for the first time!  150bpm.  There's really a baby in there!

[JessNP]

Originally Posted by iamkateiam 

Heard it today for the first time!  150bpm.  There's really a baby in there!

Haha - you're so cute! Yes, there really IS a baby in there. It is truly amazing, isn't it? 

I feel the same way every time I hear that heartbeat 

[HouseofPeace]

still waiting.  my midwife uses the fetal stethoscope.  my first 2 hated the doppler and would spin around to kick it at every visit.  no dopplers for the last 2.  i'm excited to hear the little heartbeat, but more excited b/c i think a fluttering is starting that feels a little more insistent and odd than gas.  since i've had NO morning sickness, breast tenderness, or other pains, i'm really jazzed to get a heartbeat to confirm this big belly!  and to hopefully make sure it's only 1 little one!  

i'm one of those women who pee on a stick, and sometime around 10 months later, have a baby.  i don't expect other mom's to be like me, but it's the way i can not stress or worry.

[HouseofPeace]

did a quick dopple on thursday and heart a nice steady little train of a heartbeat!  13 weeks at least.  very fun to hear!!!  yay.

[Brambleberry]

Finally heard the !  (12w2d today).  It was a loooonnnnggg wait to do it at 12 weeks, and then a little anti-climatic because it was hard to hear.  My OB had no doubts that she heard it twice, but baby was apparently behind the placenta and DH and I didn't get a good enough listen to be sure about it without her telling us that was it .  Part of the difficulty too, was that I had some rummbly intestines which added a lot of static .  But I am finally convinced that there really is a baby in there!   Oh, and she heard a kick, too! 

[aotw]

I finally heard the heartbeat on Friday. 13/14ish weeks. it was a lovely sound.