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971074 tn?1362759766

Fetal Doppler: Nothing at 12 weeks

Hi Ladies,

I just got back from my 12 week midwife appointment. My midwife does not use ultrasound...she only uses a fetal doppler. I'm okay with this and understand the reasoning. Today I was supposed to hear the heartbeat for the first time but she couldn't get it. She said my uterus is still tucked behind my pelvic bone. They rescheduled me for another check in 2 weeks. I hear this is common but I'm looking for more reassurance. I was really hoping to hear it today and kind of fell apart when we couldn't hear it. Anybody else have this happen? How am I going to be patient this next two weeks?
Best Answer
317019 tn?1532965586
i couldnt hear my baby's heart beat until i was past 14 weeks...i was told my uterus is tilted backwards and not to worry about it...im currenlty almost 29 weeks with a healthy baby...

docs usually wont check for a heart beat until after 16 weeks for this reason....hang in there...i always went by the theory that as long as there was no bleeding or cramping everything was ok
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Avatar universal
dont need to worry ,with good machines,you will hear ,im 4 months now ,i  can hear my babys heartbeaat well .i am usinf fetal dopper even by myself ,ai was depressed before ,but now iam so relieved .i feel safe cos i know my babys safe.my husband bought me"SonoTech Pro ",so i chould check my baby regularly.Sonotech® pro is an advanced Fetal Doppler which can meet all the routine examination requirements of obstetricians. It follows a compact design, small in size and light in weight, It is the ideal portable device for doctors doing field work.thanks to it.here is their email just in case:***@****
Helpful - 0
1303813 tn?1303159362
Woah, mine just hides behind my heartbeat all the time. I know you dont have ultrasounds, so its going to be suprise for you right?..
I am glad everyything is going well for you :).

x
Helpful - 0
971074 tn?1362759766
No it wasn't hiding behind mine. The baby was swimming away from the doppler.
Helpful - 0
1303813 tn?1303159362
Was it hiding behind your heartbeat then basically? Haha... Mine does that, Not funny LOL. You can feel movement already, Thats wonderful.

Glad everything is going well for you.

It is hard to find a hearbeat in early stages, and if you're baby thinks it's funny to hide behind your own heartbeat. :)

Glad everything is going well.
Congratulations

x
Helpful - 0
971074 tn?1362759766
I wanted to follow up on this post I made a few weeks ago. I think this could really help another Mother.
Today we heard the baby. I was so relieved. As it turns out, our baby hates the doppler and swims away from it. I had a feeling my child would be like. The heartrate is in the 150s.

The best part for me was that they confirmed the movement I have been feeling. My midwife was hunting for the baby in the middle and I could feel the slightest poking on my right side. I told her the baby was over there. As soon as she moved the doppler the heartbeat was booming through the speaker. We could also hear (and I could feel) the baby moving. It was so exciting for me to hear the sound that went with the movement.

I'm rolling into week 15.

I just wanted all of you ladies that get scared when they can't find the heartbeat at 12 weeks or even 14...It doesn't always mean there is a problem. I know it is hard to believe that in the moment. But take it from me...if you feel pregnant then you probably still are.
Helpful - 0
1303813 tn?1303159362
I wish I felt better....
I actually have a Migrain coming on Right now, because I have gone blind in one eye. Great fun.
I wanted my own monitor but after the scare at the hosp when th little bugger was hiding behind my heart beat I wouldnt be able too LOL. Nopes.

Is it Reflux I have?? I gag, but no sick but get Acid build up... And it hurts lol... I havent had Morning sickness yet once. :) Just gag ALLL DAY! Mainly when I bend over, or cook food. LOL....

August aint that far I guess, this month is going so fast.
Lol. But its normal not to feel preg sometimes, I feel movement already sometimes which is always fun.. Little popping feelings LOL...

xx
Helpful - 0
971074 tn?1362759766
Reflux is fun right? I hate when I bend over to do something and feel it all up in my throat. Yuck!

You don't have to have scans. In fact, you don't have to do a lot of things but the doctors kind of have a program going and just send everyone through the same thing (in most cases...there are always exceptions).  Yes, If I was bleeding or cramping badly then I would be referred for a scan. Midwives are highly trained to sniff out danger.
And yes, it is normal for pregnancy symptoms to ease up a lot during the second trimester. In fact, I hear you feel a lot better in the second trimester! Reward for the hell you go through during the first an third tri :)

I am scheduled to go back on August 2nd. I have thought about buying my own monitor but it would probably freak me out too.

Thanks for you response :)
Helpful - 0
1303813 tn?1303159362
I hate Reflux... Well I duno if its reflux. Im not sick, I just GAG! and it builds up acid. So I dont get sickness but it hurts so bad.
Fair enough you dont want a scan., I thought you HAD to have them done to check everything... If you get bleeding or anything will you have to have a scan?
And is it normal not to feel pregnant in the second trimester?


Are you scheduled to have a listen again?? I'd never be able to buy my own heart listening thingyy, because incase I cant find it. I'd FREAK! LOL....

Im sure everythingg is okayyy. :)
x
Helpful - 0
202436 tn?1326474333
It is common....it can also be affected by the placement of the placenta and since your midwife doesn't use ultrasound you have know idea if yours is anterior or posterior.  An anterior placenta can hide the sound of the heartbeat.  

With this pregnancy my placenta is anterior. I had an ultrasound that showed the heartbeat at 9 wks but the dopplar BARELY picked it up.  Even at 12 and 14 weeks *I* couldn't make out the sound (even though i've been pregnant enough time to know what it sounds like) my doc said he heard it but it was extremely faint.  It wasn't until 16 weeks that it became obviously audible.  
Helpful - 0
971074 tn?1362759766
Thanks ladies!

Actually Cassandrajane I won't be having either of those. Not everyone has those done. That's more of a clinical approach to pregnancy. My midwife (along with many other midwives and some doctors) finds them to be unnecessary unless something is obviously wrong. Finding out something is wrong with the child early on would not change the outcome. A lot of the times the babies are wrongly diagnosed and it causes more harm than good because of stress on the Mom. It's a personal decision though. I wasn't trying to go into that.

I have heard from a lot of women now that is common not hear the baby this early. I just totally freaked out for no reason. This morning I am feeling pregnant as ever. Back to having reflux from drinking water and feeling hungover. :)
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1303813 tn?1303159362
But what about your Normal 12 week Ultrasound and 20 week ultrasound?? That you get sent to the Hosp for?????
Surely you are having those to make sure everything is okay????

I heard the heartbeat at 10 weeks... Then got taken into hosp and they couldnt find the heartbeat at 12 weeks.... It was hiding behind mine... So it might be that?

x
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889551 tn?1416184483
I didn't hear mine on a doppler until 16w. I have a tilted uterus, so even at 16w it was hard to find. Also I tried to find it at home with my aunt's doppler days before that and I couldn't find it. It's pretty common.
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971074 tn?1362759766
Cassandrajane...no I'm not having ultrasounds. My midwife doesn't perform them.

It's very unnerving. I just wanted to hear it so bad.

Clysta, thanks for sharing that with me. That does help.
Helpful - 0
1194973 tn?1385503904
I wasn't able to hear my babies heartbeat on a doppler till I was 15 weeks. It also depends on how good their machines are. I wouldn't worry about it too much yet.
Helpful - 0
1303813 tn?1303159362
The baby might be hiding behind your Heartbeat this happened to me the other day... Are you sure you're Defo 12 weeks??? Have you had an Ultrasound yet??
And do everything you would as if you're pregnant... :)
Probably hidiing behind your Heartbeat :)


xx
Helpful - 0
432779 tn?1364494875
It is very common for people not to get a heartbeat on a doppler early on so dont worry. My friend who is due the same day as me  didnt hear a heartbeat for a while  because she has a tilted uterus and the position of the baby. Try not to stress out .
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