Your healthcare provider is also best equipped to diagnose and treat any potential health issues. They know what all the sounds mean - there’s a lot going on in there! - and they know what’s concerning (and what’s not). ![]() More importantly, your doctor or midwife is trained to operate a doppler. You can’t always be sure whether you’re getting an accurate and safe product. There are no regulations for selling dopplers online, so this is a bit like the Wild, Wild West, folks. Think about it: Your doctor will always have medical-grade, accurate equipment, approved by any required safety agencies.īut practically any company can create a device (or perhaps worse - an app for a device), call it a doppler, and sell it online. One of the reasons for this is because home fetal dopplers can be of poor quality. ![]() In other words, they’re meant to be used in between visits to the doctor, not instead of visits to the doctor. the one at the doctor’s officeĪ home fetal doppler can’t be used in place of a doctor’s appointment. It’s important to know about the safety hazards of at-home fetal dopplers before you use one. So what’s the harm? Well, possibly very little.īut not so fast. It may also ease anxiety and help you feel more connected to your baby. Some dopplers (yes, even those you encounter at your OB’s office!) only detect it after about 12 weeks.įor many, hearing the heartbeat at the doctor’s office is a magical, joyful, and reassuring experience - and the time between appointments is just so darn long to wait to hear that sweet sound again! The idea of listening to the heartbeat in between doctor’s appointments is appealing. If your doctor can’t hear a heartbeat in the first trimester, it’s not necessarily a cause for concern. When you go to your doctor for a check-up, they’ll use one of these devices - hopefully, not without warming the ultrasound gel first! - to detect your baby’s heartbeat from around 8 to 10 weeks. Many people are anxious for peace of mind or eager to bond with baby - which is why at-home fetal dopplers are so popular.Ī fetal doppler - whether at the doctor’s office or purchased for home use - is a hand-held ultrasound device that uses soundwaves to listen to a fetal heartbeat. Or maybe you’re not so nervous as you are wanting to bond with your baby a little more - looking for a way to connect.įirst, rest assured that you’re not alone in your concerns. Wouldn’t it be great if I could check on my little one right now? you find yourself thinking. You want some reassurance that everything is A-OK. You can even use it in a dark room as the back-lit screen display makes the FHR result visible without turning the lights on.You’re pregnant and you know it can be an exciting, beautiful experience. The device has an LCD screen with a TFT color display, a combination that results in superior picture quality with sharp visuals 24/7. The curve display gives you a snapshot of the BPM across a specific timeframe, while the BPM reading displays the FHR in numerical form. The fetal heartbeat is displayed in two modes - curve display and Beats Per Minute (BPM) reading. Outside the medical setting, Fetalplus is the only FDA-approved fetal doppler I can confidently recommend to women who want to safely check in on their baby between 9 to 12 weeks.įetalplus’ simple build makes it easy to use. Here’s why this is important - most pregnant women want the freedom to check in on the baby throughout their pregnancy, especially when even a faint heartbeat is a meaningful experience for the parents to realize that bond with their baby. ![]() The reason is simple - Fetalplus effectively detects fetal heart rate (FHR) as early as 9 weeks (12 weeks tend to be the norm with most fetal dopplers). Also, turn off the device once the baby starts moving.įetalplus owns a well-deserved top spot on my list of best fetal dopplers. If you can’t find the heartbeat within one or two minutes, stop trying. Once finished, clean the device and your abdomen with a dry cloth.Īgain, regardless of which you choose, don’t use this device every day and only use it for minimal periods of time.Cover different areas and try different device positions till you find the baby’s heartbeat (the Newborn’s Fetal Doppler comes with a handy chart that shows the optimal points to try based on your trimester.Place the doppler at the lower abdomen and slowly move it upwards.Apply the ultrasound gel across your lower abdomen (if you purchase Newborn’s Fetal Doppler, you only have to place the gel on the probe, not your stomach).Turn on your doppler, and adjust its volume.Get in a reclining position, or lay down flat on your back.That said, here’s a general overview of how to use a fetal doppler: I recommend reading and following the instructions provided in the manual that you receive with your purchase.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |