Scared and worried TO DEATH!!! =(

[vsentz]

Hello everyone! Im so sorry I haven't been able to post lately... i've been just crazy running around and with my new job, im scared that they'll catch me spending my 'work' time in here! lol
Anyway, here it goes:

As some of you know, i rented a doppler to hear my little one's hb every day and keep peace of mind..... it's done so, just last night..... as I was on the phone with my parents and hearing the little 'horsie' going on... all of a sudden it dropped!!! like it was sooooo slow!!!!!!!!!!!!! slower than mine! and it stopped for a matter of seconds!!!!! and I know it wasn't mine, cuz mine is so different and he probably was sleeping because i didn't have to chase the hb around.. it just stayed there... and slowed down.... and then i got so scared I yelled loudly to my dh and the damn dog that kept making noise.... and with the yell it started again... but only faster!!!!!!!!!!! it was so fast!!!!! my poor baby!!!! =( i think i scared the living meconium out of him! (lol...this is just a nervous laugh since im dying here!!! =(((....)
Anyway, so im freaking out right? and didn't know whether to call the doctor, go to the ER... or what the f!!!
I know the doctor will either tell me: well, Vanessa, those dopplers are junk and you can't rely on them for a diagnosis, or well, why don't you go get an US tomorrow....
The thing is, my ultrasound (to find out the sex) will be not this saturday, but the following, when my parents are in town, so they can be there..... oh man.... i know i should be more worried about my baby and not my parents... I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO! im freaking out girls.... =(

Has this happened to anyone that has or had rented a doppler?????? his heart for the most part is so strong! and beats perfectly well, but the last visit to the doctor, instead of being 176 bpm, was 140..... which i was worried and the nurse said it was 'normal'...... IS IT?????? +(

ok, thank you girls, i know you are always here with awesome support and kind words... LOVE YA'll!!!

[vsentz]

Hey girlfriend!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!! you know it's almost impossible to calm down completely... but now im freaking out less... let's just say, i'm not about to run to the doctor! he called, by the way saying i shouldn't rely on that doppler, but if i wanted i could go for a heart screen thing..... which i said, let me see how it goes tonight and i'll call you tomorrow.... =)
He's such a sweetie...

Anyway, so do you feel your little one moving????? how often! is it strong???? =)) im so happy for you girl! you'll have your little guy in your arms and all this will be worth it!

[40smama]

Girl when I read the title of your post, MY heart started beating fast!!!  LIsten, my little man's heart went from 166 bpm to 136 over the period of 5-6 weeks if that makes you feel any better - remember we're due around the same time!!!  Listen to the others (which it sounds you're calming down  like that's possible - lol) & have fun finding out what sex that baby is - my bet it's a girl!!!!!!!!!!! - jen (18weeks)

[vsentz]

hahaha... after reading chiromom's.... it just made me think: now I am worried about HER heart too! it seemed like she was gonna have a heart attack!... chiromom, thanks for the input, now you try to relax and not get that worked up... can't promise to do myself that favor you asked, I will still hear my baby's heartbeat everyday since doctor cleared it's use anyway, doesn't hurt, and reasures me... so, honey, you'll see more posts of these probably in the future ;) (breeeeathe... 1,2,3...)

Now, to the rest of my girls... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! shesherm and pcarsey, that was SOOOOO reasuring!! my GOD! was that ever a nice warm pat in the shoulder from you girls! =) thank you so much, I called the doctor and he'll call me back. Im sure he'll tell me the same...
Yes, I can feel him/er now, I still have to pay good attention to be able to. Sometimes while using the doppler I feel him squirming around, in fact, right after the scare, when i yelled, i felt a movement... it was faint, but definitely was there...., sometimes at work while just sitting i feel a little flip... but it's still really faint... can't wait to see a little foot sticking out!! =)

wannabenana, tahariel, thank you for the sweet words girls!!! =)

Thank you girls, I really needed this support.... this baby has been such a blessing for daddy and mommy.. and has brought us so close! it's so cute to see daddy kiss my belly good night every time we go to bed..

[pcarsey]

Hi Vanessa, Glad to hear you are still pregnant with baby in tow, some scary things have been happening lately with us crazy pregnant women on the forum. I do not think you have anything to worry about. When I was pregnant with my son 10 1/2 years ago I had the same thing happen, as it turned out, when he was sleeping he actually moved his hands in front of his little chest and it blocked the heartbeat from being heard. My doctor had to get a little rough with him and wake him up so he would move his hands. He then told me if it happens again to just try and wake him up (it could be his hands again in the way). And so I did and everything was great.

When I had him, it was 3 weeks early and he actually had a heart murmur but he grew out of it in about 6 weeks. I was told then that it was normal for babies to be born with heart murmurs, specially when they are early.

Try not to worry, get another ultrasound just to see him and be rest assured again and then when the parents come, call the doctor and tell them you MUST have another one done, heck you are paying for them anyways!!!

Patty

[chiromom]

Every few months someone has another freak out post about using those home doppler  ultrasound machines and it makes me crazy.
Here is the information from fetaldoppler.org:  "The Food and Drug Administration regulates ultrasound in the United States and has cleared it for "continuous use". As there is no consensus on what this means or how often you should use your fetal doppler it is commonly recommended that like everything in life prudence is the best policy. When using your fetal doppler it is suggested that you use it in short intervals, infrequently, and following the first trimester.
As a general rule an exam with a fetal doppler should never last longer than 10 minutes. If you don't find the heartbeat in this period of time, take a break. If your concerned contact your health care provider. If not, try again in a few days.
The AIUM (American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine) suggests "prudent" use."

Short intervals, infrequently, and only after the 1st trimester.  Do you think that means EVERY DAY?  The retailers do not care about your fetus.  They just want to sell you the unit.  As a matter of fact, they are ONLY supposed to sell you the unit with a prescription from you doctor!!!!

The units are great when you get your piece of mind and use them prudently, as suggested.  BUT, there are SO MANY posts on this forum from women who have freaked out because they spent hours not being able to find the heartbeat.  PLEASE, do yourself and your baby a favor - let it be.  
I wish you a fantastic rest of your pregnancy and hope everything is OK.  This stress is positively having a negative effect on you and the baby.  RELAX!!!!!
God, this is so frustrating!!!!

[tahariel]

If this helps, one doctor visit with my youngest, my doctor could not find the heartbeat with the doppler so he quicked pulled in the portable ultrasound machine. I freaked out!  Turns out, the little one was sleeping! We could see clearly, all curled up hands up by the face, slow steady heartbeat. Good luck. You may feel a little better if you call your doctor anyway, just for peace of mind. That's what they are there for . . . right . . . to calm us nervous mamas.

[1nana]

I thought you fell off the face of the earth! You're fine......listen to what shesherm said.

[shesherm]

Vanessa...
OOh I know the feeling only mine was actually inthe hospital hooked up to their monitors!
The perinatologist had come in and said "as far as the irregulat heartbeat...we're not worried"  I freaked out NO ONE had mentioned an irregualr heartbeat to me..so why are you now tellin me this D@mn it!!!!!
Of course the next day I could actually hear the HB irregualrity and even the nurse stopped in her tracks and listened for a  few minutes.....aaaahhhhhh what the F is going on????
Well I have since had several U/S and been on the monitor many times and the perinatologist assures me "THERE IS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT"

Try to relax there were SEVERAL times while I was in the hospital that I just watched the lil HB either stop and show nothing or slow and they .....MANY DOCTORS  have told me there is nothing to worry about...the baby can move and you loose the HB or just dont get as good of a reading...
Hang in there and try not to worry tooooooo much about it.  Are you feeling movements?

140 is DEFINATELY normal the Hb seems to slow down to around 140 the further along you get....mie started around 176 when we were 1st getting it now she is usually around 144.
((Sheila))32w1d-BR13d