Quick: When appox. can you start to hear the heartbeat?

[Nik's Mommy]

I have my first dr's appt today (in 2 hours). I'm 9 weeks 5 days. I'm sort of freaking out about hearing the heartbeat. I didn't hear one with my last pg and we lost that angel a week later. When approx. can you usually hear the heartbeat with a Doppler? I don't have much fat on my tummy, so I'm hoping that that helps. I REALLY want to hear one today!! It would make me feel so much better!! Should I be worried if we don't hear a heartbeat? Probably not, but I will be!
AUGH!!!
Thanks in advance ladies.

[seraf]

my midwife said i might not hear it until 15 weeks, but we did hear it at 13 (tho it was very hard to find, it took 15 minutes of searching, so it was kind of stressful and i haven't heard it since)

i think 9 weeks is early to worry about not hearing it.

best of luck
seraf

[ekblad9]

I normally heard mine around 12 - 14 wks. 9 wks would be really early, I think. Good luck!

[hypatia]

getting a heartbeat

I think that it's occasionally possible to hear a heartbeat that early, but it's hard to find one, so most care-providers don't do it. They can, however, do an ultrasound to make sure your baby is the right size, if you're someone who doesn't mind ultrasounds.

[Annais]

We heard the baby's heartbeat for the first time at 8 1/2 weeks, which I think is really early. Most of the time I think it's around the 3rd or 4th month.
Good luck! I know how you feel.

[Nik's Mommy]

Thanks ladies!
Off I go to the appt. I've decided not to "freak out" if nothing is heard. I will try to get an appt for an u/s. I just need to know.

[Domestic Goddess]

Hi,

I heard the heartbeat at 10 weeks.

[Sharon]

We sort of heard it at 11 weeks. Dh and I had a hard time picking out the heart beat from all the other noises and the midwife kept having to move the doppler wand thing around because the baby kept moving. But I was reassured because the midwife was SURE she had heard it.

At 15 weeks it was LOUD and clear!

I hope your appointment went well!!

[Nik's Mommy]

Well..... no heartbeat heard...... but I'm not freaking. My doc actually was very reluctant to use the Doptone, in case we didn't hear anything. She didn't want me to get upset. I reassured her I would not, and that I would like to try.

I have an early u/s scheduled for Tuesday. (I always get one to confirm fetal age because I request the AFP test - I know, I know but my sister has Spina Bifida, and I just like to see what the test says.) Anyway, I should be able to confirm everything in less than a week. Till then.... I'll just be patient.