Links to the Doppler I use.
Feotal Doppler https://amzn.to/2KgylqN
Dopplar Gel - https://amzn.to/2r394HQ
AS A WORD OF WARNING PLEASE DON'T USE A DOPPLER IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY ESPECIALLY LATER ON, IF YOU ARE FEELING IN ANY WAY UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE BABYS MOVEMENTS WHEN YOU ARE IN THE THIRD TRIMESTER PLEASE GO TO A MIDWIFE, DO NOT RELY ON JUST THE HEART BEAT TO KNOW THE BABY IS OK! IF SOMETHING DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT GET IT CHECKED OUT! A DOPPLER SHOULDN'T BE SOMETHING YOU RELY ON.

Here is a written version of my hints and tips for trying to find you baby’s heartbeat as early as possible. Its not uncommon to find it as early as 9/10 weeks but generally after 12 weeks you should be able to pick it up very easily.

Make sure the battery is fully charged on the Doppler and only use Ultrasound Gel.
Lotions and oils will cause you to have static and can damage the probe too. It will last you a long time as a little goes a long way.

I found that lying flat usually helps as it compresses the body tissue and therefore the probe can pick up on the frequencies but more efficiently.

-Place the gel just above the pubic bone, set the probe onto the tummy and then switch it on to reduce the loud static noise.

-If your really early like me and trying to check it around 9 weeks try a full bladder as that can sometimes lift the uterus out of the pelvic bone region.
After 12ish weeks it’s usually VERY Easy to pick up the heart beat.

-I would say start just central under the belly button and by the pubic bone and angle the Doppler slightly downwards. Then in small circular motions glide the probe side to side.
The earlier along in pregnancy the lower in the abdomen you will hear the heartbeat. Early in the pregnancy (8-12 weeks) you will likely hear the heartbeat just above your pubic bone and slightly angle the probe downwards.
-The Doppler probably won’t pick up the actual heart rate at this point but you may be able to hear it.
So move really slowly and take your time. If you think how tiny the little bub is at this point the heart will literally be a flicker. So is easily missed and masked by other noises in the abdomen.

You will probably hear your own heartbeat a number of times before you pick up your baby's.
I found that the baby's heartbeat is often masked just behind the placenta beat.

-Locate the whooshing placenta noise and then just move the doppler ever so slowly, it's likely you will hear a more faint and faster heartbeat near to where you found your own. This should sound a lot more like the “gallop of a horse” compares to a “windy whoosh” sound. (have a look at my YouTube video to see it in action)

-A heart rate between 60-100 range is NOT the baby but yours. You have lots of veins and arteries supplying the placenta and growing uterus which is picked up very easily on the Doppler. A baby’s is much faster.

-If you can’t find it within 5 minutes, give it a rest and try a few days later.
DON’T STRESS YOURSELF OUT as its sooo tiny it’s easily missed especially if you have a low lying bean. You can try emptying your bladder and see if it works. And I’d say the best time to try is in the morning when you don’t have gas or bloating obstructing the probe.
Pressing hard WONT hurt the baby but obviously be sensible about it. And using a Doppler is known to be safe in general.

Enjoy you pregnancy and sending lots of love to all the mummies,
feel free to message me on here or my Instagram @maena_s (which I check more regularly)
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