dropping fetal heart beat... worried

[stephie4]

ok, so now i'm wondering if this heart monitor rental was a mistake...
its been so reassuring... but now there's an issue...

EVERYtime i've checked, over the past 4 weeks, the heart beat is always 160.  no matter what time of day, or how much activity i'm doing etc.

well thismorning it was down to 152...
so i tried not to worry, and figured i'd check it again later in the afternoon.

now its only 136.
UGH.
I called my ob they are at lunch.  I 'm calling them back in a bit.  
I know anywhere from 120-160 is normal, but is it normal to drop like that in one day?!?!

anyone else out there have this happen?

[stephie4]

now that I know its normal to drop from 160 to 136 I'm fine, and still love to listen to it.
I think vsentz has it right... not to use it as a diagnostic tool, but to just have it to bond and listen.  its a nice reassurance to hear it continue to beat.

[montie]

My OB appt. was yesterday, I'm 25 weeks and having a boy and the baby's heart rate was 140.  Seemed low to me but Dr. said it was fine and in normal range.  Why do we freak ourselves out so much???? I do it all the time.

[vsentz]

I just had a HUUUUUGE scare not too long ago with my doppler! my baby's h/b nearly stopped! (or so it sounded like)...... but my OB told me same thing: not to worry about it.... they are not as reliable as the ones used professionally plus, they go up and down and it's normal. It's a good thing for me to have it so I can bond with my little one whenever i want it. Just now, i don't get all scared if i hear something funky..... =) it's all about having fun with it, not take it too seriously or diagnose yourself with it....

xoxoxox

[dainsey]

That's exactly why I returned my monitor!  Those things can scare us half to death and my OB told me that sometimes girls rush off to the ER because they are picking up their own heartbeat and thinking it's the babies...My OB told me not to use it...HOpe that helps..

[cpatow]

I was so worried to see your topic header. There's a group of you gals who are so far along and it would just break my heart if anything negative happened. That being said, I totally agree that the fluctuations are normal but, like you, I would have called the doc office just to be sure. :0)

[Tanker Chic]

yeah.. that is why I think those things are a bad idea.. since we aren't dr and don't know how to interpret the changes it can be scary.. I'm sure everything is fine.  It is still in the normal range...

[azqtpies]

yes, please dont worry .. the baby's heartrate will change up and down, if sleeping, if you ate something sugary, or caffine they flucuate like we do.. nothing to be alarmed about! I would not use the doppler, it just creates needless worry! Take care

Kelly
19w2d

[jifnif]

i have to agree w/ stress of having a doppler and not having one.  the heartbeat does fluctuate.  I would not use the home doppler so much.  my dr said that they dont know what babies hear and dont hear.  I used mine when i got really worried for reassurance.  but i started to notice when i did use it ...my son was moving away from it.  i dont think he liked it.  :)

[tahariel]

Baby's heartbeat will fluctuate. You probably caught baby while sleeping both times.

I can't decide if I'd be more stressed with or without a doppler at home. I think either would give me anxiety.

[AshleysMom]

I hear you.  I would be a wreck without mine!  

[stephie4]

just talked to ob nurse.  she told me i shouldn't have the monitor, that i'm just going to worry myself, and the drop is ok, that it will fluctuate like that.

just seems like a huge drop to me.
so of course I'll be checking it again tonight.

As far as having or not having the monitor, after 2 miscarriages I've found it worth having and very reassuring. and ya know what, they check the hb at the ob office too, so its not like i'm doing some odd paranoid thing.

[AshleysMom]

I don't even try to count from my doppler.  As long as I hear it, and it is strong and fast enough, that's good enough for me!

I remember in the hospital with DD, her heartbeat would fluctuate a lot.  All heartbeats do.  I wouldn't worry about it as long as it's in the normal range.

Let us know what your OB says.

[kellym]

Don't stress. Try it again in several hours. The baby is probably sleeping :)  Oh, great, now I'm going to have to go check mine..... I'm usually 146-150...