Hearing a heartbeat....

[sunnmama]

Anyone else have difficulty finding a heartbeat in early pregnancy?
I just got back from an appt with mw (I am 12 weeks....maybe a little less), and we could not locate a heartbeat . She even had me drink 2 cups of water and try again, but no luck.

This happened with my first pregnancy, too, and that baby is now 4 years old. So I am hoping all is well.....but anxious and disappointed. Mw thinks it could be due to my tipped uterus, and we will simply assume the best and recheck in 2 weeks.

We OB (first pg), I was sent immediately for an ultrasound, and found a beautiful baby with a strong . mw offered to send me for an ultrasound, but I opted to wait the two weeks (since the ultrasound won't actually change anything, just verify).

Anyone else have trouble finding a heartbeat early one?

[NurseLaurie]

I'm not in the same boat, but I've definitely heard some other ladies lamenting this same problem. You certainly aren't alone! I'm certain you will get some really informative and supportive responses.

[Outofmymindyo]

Well, at my 10 week appointment, they tried the doppler and couldn't get a darned thing, but the MW also said on top of being tilted, my uterus is flipped onto itself...like a taco lol. So, being that it was so early and all that squishiness of my uterus, there was nothing. So, we went and did the ultrasound and there was the heart beating strong and fast like it should be.

Don't get discouraged. It's still pretty early, so it would have been more strange to have actually heard one, in medical terms. The baby should be just fine though, and don't stress about it, because like I said, it's normal not to hear it this early.

[maybebaby]

I didn't hear my first at 12 weeks either. I wouldn't worry just yet, there are many reasons why you might not have found it this early! As long as you're feeling good, don't sweat it!

[Peppamint]

My midwife came over at 12w1d and we just couldn't find it. Granted, I have a layer of belly flub and her doppler is old. It was disappointing, but she came back at 13w2d and after a bit of searching we finally found it for just a tiny bit and then baby moved again and we lost it. The weird thing is that I could feel the baby moving but we couldn't pick up the so it was really playing with my mind.

My friend had anterior placentas with all three of her babies (verified by u/s) and she said there was quite a few times where the OBs sent her in for a quick u/s because they couldn't find the hb. Point being, an anterior placenta will make it harder to pick up the hb.

You're still early yet, so I'd count on hearing it in two weeks!

[sunnmama]

Ah, kind and encouraging words. Thank you!
I had a big cry when I got home--just letting out the stress. And now I am going to refocus on trusting my body, and thinking positively.

[MOM2ANSLEY]

OB couldn't find mine at 13 wks...did US and all seemed well....he said my baldder was too full and may have made it difficult.....which is confusing b/c you were told to drink???

[lilmissimpatient@c]

I'm 16 weeks and haven't heard it yet. My ob has a policy that she needs to see it, feel it move, or hear it...So when we can't find the heartbeat with the doppler, out comes the ultrasound machine, and there's the baby, rapidly retreating to behind the pubic bone. It's like hide and seek

Don't worry, mama. Maybe he/she is just shy

[Peppamint]

lilmissimpatient is right... some babies really are just "shy".

I didn't think to mention it before, but both of my kids always hid from the doppler. I remember after a really big meal Thanksgiving weekend when I was preggers with #1 I didn't feel her move all day, somewhere around 28 weeks. I panicked, called the doc who sent me straight to L&D. They could not find her heartbeat with doppler or the FEM so the ob pulled up an u/s on wheels and there she was just hiding away. Once the u/s picked her up she started kicking up a storm of course.

Gotta love how motherhood puts us through the wringer at times!

[Throkmorton]

My DS was shy, and apparently this baby is too. Hopefully, next week I will hear it, babe will be 16w3d when i go in.