Stethoscope style doppler advice

[lisarussell]

OK I have one and I can almost always find the heartbeat (poke around until the head and butt are identified and shoot for the midrange, closer to the head)

I also find another rhythmic noise, that I assume to be the placenta- but it is in a different place each time. Its MUCH slower than the baby's heartbeat, so I don't think it's another baby at all, but why does it move?

Sometimes it is really hard to find the heartbeat, because the baby is so darned wiggly. Every now and then I'll have it, and baby will swim away.

I feel fairly sure there's only one in there because surely by now I would have heard a second, right? I mean, there's no way a second could really just be hiding all this time, right?

Are there any websites that specifically teach how to use one of these?

I'm 21 weeks (+- 2wks) and seeing a midwife/friend for prenatals every 4-6 weeks. This is baby #6 we're not planing to do a medical ultrasound, but are tossing the idea around about a 4d ultrasound, just for fun.

[Reha]

Is the slower rate the same as your own? It could either be the placental 'whooshing' you are hearing, or a uterine artery, both of which are slower than baby's as it is the same as your pulse.

[lisarussell]

i think it's placental whooshing, but why owuldn't it be in the same place? cord?

[Reha]

Well, if it were cord you were hearing, it would be the same rate as the baby. And, that sound can be found different places.

The slower 'whoshing' sound that you hear that seems to move around may just be that you either happen to be over the placental site, or you are over a uterine artery: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uterine_artery just looking at a picture like the one on this site can give you an idea of why you sometimes pick up your own blood swooshing.