OP, I was thinking about you last night while I was using mine - it won't be long now before you hear the HB then you'll hear it move while you're trying to track it. It's pretty cool!

Like I said, when I was 15W I could find it right away. Not much longer for you to be that far along!

Glad to hear it!

Hi guys - OP here - update. Heard the HB (150, which was definitely too high to be mine, plus it had that gallop-y sound) with the home doppler this AM at 13w3d. Now I'm putting it away for at least a week!!

OP - I think you answered your own question. It is a bad idea to have one. 1) because of stress of not finding the heart beat and 2) it can give a false sense of security - just b/c you find a heart beat doesn't mean something else more serious isn't going on.

Also I am thin/petite and it wasn't until 17 weeks that they could easily find a heart beat on me. At 16 weeks, they could find it with a lot of patience. I'm high risk b/c of previous preterm delivery so have had numerous ultrasounds. Nothing wrong with baby - they just couldn't get a good heart beat on me.

I could find it pretty reliably starting around 12 weeks for the last 2 pregnancies. As PP said, the fetus is really, really low -- much lower than you would expect. You want to start looking right around the hairline, and go all the way from one side of your pelvis to the other. Use a lot of gel, especially early on. Extra weight might make it harder, but if you're looking low enough, I think it should miss most of your belly fat.

I had an anterior placenta with #2, and I was so glad I got the doppler because I didn't feel him move until near the end of my second trimester.

I didn't hear anything on the doppler until about 16 weeks

Not until later. I have the Sonoline B and now, at 16w tomorrow, can pretty easily find it. At 13w it was still difficult.

One key for me is a full bladder. I do it right before bed. Though, at my last doc appointment I had to pee first and she found it right away (the previous time she couldn't, just like you).

Thanks all - those of you who do have them, were you finding the heartbeat pretty reliably at 11-12 weeks, or not until later?

I have a doppler and I think you have to take it with a grain of salt. I told myself that's what I'd do when I got it, and I try to give myself 5 minutes to find it - if I don't, I put it away. when I first got it, I couldn't find a HB...or I could, but then not the next time. Going more than 5 minutes or so would cause me to stress, so that's why I limit myself.

Your baby moves all over the place. And you've probably heard the baby move while looking for the HB. Put it away for a few days, and if you can't resist, go back for it. If you think it will be a constant source of worry, I agree to get rid of it.

I completely understand why you got the Doppler. After many miscarriages (8) and finally a pregnancy that progressed past 8-9 weeks, I got one too. Waiting 4 weeks between OB appointments to hear the heartbeat made me anxious. The Doppler actually alleviated this anxiety quite a bit. I think I got mine around 12-13 weeks. Sometimes it was hard to locate the heartbeat - the babies are pretty low in your abdomen (around the pubic bone) at that point. So, try keeping it low, move it slowly and methodically and use a lot of lube. Also, I always turned the volume all the way up. Hopefully, you will heart that little heart soon. Keep us posted.

Get rid of the doppler.

Do you think you could try to wean yourself off from the doppler? It is causing you more anxiety than comfort at this point.

Deep calming breaths

I'm 34 weeks pregnant right now. All through this pregnancy, and even at my last two appointments (30 and 32 weeks) it has taken the nurse several minutes to find the heartbeat. This baby is apparently far squirmier and trickier than her old brother ever was (in utero). Even though I can feel her kick minutes before they look for the HB, my heart still sinks each time.

I guess what I'm saying is, it's normal - chances are very high that the baby is just fine and all of this stress isn't good for you. If I were you I'd have DH hide the doppler and only "let" me use it once a week. (Sometimes it helps to make someone else the enforcer).

I think this is exactly why having a home doppler is not recommended. Is it possible that yours is old and worn out, not working as well as it used to? I would guess that the ones sold for home use are not the same quality as the ones used by Dr's but I don't know, just guessing.

I know, I know - this is why I shouldn't have gotten it. Pregnant with #2. Got home doppler with #1 after a car accident at 13 weeks - was rattled and wanted to be able to check on baby between doc appointments. Doppler always worked easily/flawlessly.

Right before my last OB appointment, at 11w5d, I tried the doppler at home (had had a missed m/c before, found out at the OB, and wanted some reassurance that baby was ok before going in). Heard HB after a few minutes of trying. Of note - doc could not find HB with her doppler at the appointment and ended up using the ultrasound to check. All was fine. Had NT scan the next day - all fine again, baby HB around 165, growth right on track, etc. Heard HB more time last weekend with home doppler.

So, I'm now 12w6d and haven't been able to hear the HB on my home doppler since last weekend (even though I heard it those first two times). I know it's early, and I didn't even use it last time before about 13.5 weeks, but it's stressing me out because I HAVE heard it this pregnancy, and now can't. Any words of wisdom? BTW, I'm probably 10-15 lbs overweight now, and it's all in my stomach, which could be related. Just worried something has happened to baby and I won't find out until my next appointment at 16 wks.

Stupid doppler!