Doppler?

[AutumnMama]

Are you planning on having your care provider use a doppler at 10-12 weeks to hear the baby's heartbeat?

I have in both of my past pregnancies (also had 20 wk U/S's with both), but I'm just not sure this time.

I've usually started feeling the baby some by that time, so I would know that it's actually there. Do I really need to hear the heartbeat?
I'm just not totally sure that it's safe, y'know?

Sure my two seem to be ok, but how do you know if something got damaged on a cellular level by the U/S waves?

Sorry, just musing here :o

So what do you ladies think about all of it?

[HomeBirthMommy]

I'm glad you brought this up as I am interested in everyone's opinion. I haven't decided where my comfort zone is yet. Both of my girls had doppler and ultrasound early on, before I had really heard anything negative about them. From what I understand, u/s is actually a safer choice than doppler. I *think* I can wait to hear the heartbeat with a fetascope, but I know I'll get ansy waiting. I am OK with using doppler during labor though, as it's faster and I don't want anyone/anything touching me during labor.

[GabeMom]

I recently put up a post with a similar question on the general pregnancy board. What they said was that the doppler is stronger, but is used for less time, so I don't know how all that weighs out... DH and I have been discussing whether to do either/ neither/ both and I think we're most comfortable doing neither. As the OP said, there's no proof that anything negative happens, but who knows, in the long term or on levels we can't see. As far as the heartbeat is concerned, it is very reassuring to hear, but think of all the worry people go through if they can't hear it...sometimes needless worry, and sometimes having to wait and wait for a miscarriage. I'd rather not know/ worry about it, I think. I'll be interested in reading others' responses.