UPDATE - Give it to me straight - WE HAVE A HEARTBEAT

[ThreeMenAndALAdy]

And I've used one before...I loved it. Found the hb almost right away. Good luck my friend.

And I found it before 12 weeks...I think 10. Sorry for all the posts...

[mummypink]

I've got a doppler and I can't find the heartbeat yet, I'm not worried because I know it is really early.

I think if you borrow it you shouldn't try and find the heart beat yet if you know you're going to worry. xxx

[dloui128]

Okay, I've got another question for you ladies. My friend has offered my her home doppler, which I will pick up today, but she's very wary about it and she's worried that I will freak right out if I can't find the hb. She says she's never been able to find anything before 12 weeks. So my question is...should I do it? True, if I don't find it, I WILL lose it, but if I DO, I would be over the moon.

What do you ladies think? Any experiences with a home doppler?

Do you have a tilted uterus? If you do then I wouldn't try and find it, I have a home doppler and I couldn't find the heartbeat until like 14 weeks on mine because my uterus is tilted. If you don't then I would definitely try but remember to try not and panic if you can't find it because thats totally normal

[RedCanoe]

I would try it, it is possible to find it earlier than 12 weeks. BUT certainly no cause for concern if you don't.

Start really low, near the pubic bone and angle it down towards your feet, then move up slowly.

Tell yourself that finding it will be a bonus and not finding it will be the expected outcome, and nothing extra to worry about until Monday.

FX!!

[The Anchor]

Do you have a tilted uterus? If you do then I wouldn't try and find it, I have a home doppler and I couldn't find the heartbeat until like 14 weeks on mine because my uterus is tilted. If you don't then I would definitely try but remember to try not and panic if you can't find it because thats totally normal

I don't think so...at least no one has ever told me that I do. I'm picturing myself staring at the doppler for hours before I finally suck up the courage to try it...

[3Pink1Blue]

I have a home doppler and used it almost to the end with my son, it wasn't a super great one but I was able to find his heartbeat starting at around 15/16 wks. He was breach till 36wks and I used it to try to confirm he was still head down, also my girls loved hearing his heartbeat whenever they wanted. Anyway there were days where even at 37 weeks I couldn't find it and had to try again later. If you know not finding it will make you more worried don't even look.

[Mochagirl]

I bought a doppler for my recent pregnancy because I was super paranoid after having a missed m/c at 11 weeks. Even though it was a super cheap one off eBay, I found the heartbeat at 9 weeks. My midwives, with their super fancy ones didn't find the heartbeat at their office until 12 weeks. It's all about luck and patience - I think there were times I lay there for the better part of an hour looking for it - sometimes I'd think I had heard something only to have it disappear a second later. So, if you have the patience, go for it - but PLEASE do not panic if you can't hear anything since so much of it is luck.

[Sihaya]

I know it doesn't apply to the OP, but since there are many ladies on here who have had losses, I wanted to share about a service that offers free doppler rentals to ladies in the U.S. who have had miscarriages or stillbirths in the past. It is called Tiny Heartbeats. I used a doppler from her during my most recent pregnancy. She won't send it before you are 12 weeks, but it is free and she even sends gel with them. It was a huge help for me as there was no way my husband would have been okay with me buying one.

If you are sure of your dates, I would probably go for it with the doppler at 11w5d. My ob won't do it until 12, and my midwife won't until 14, but an EMT friend swears she can always find it by 10, so it just depends.

[Butterfly Spirit]

Okay, I've got another question for you ladies. My friend has offered my her home doppler, which I will pick up today, but she's very wary about it and she's worried that I will freak right out if I can't find the hb. She says she's never been able to find anything before 12 weeks. So my question is...should I do it? True, if I don't find it, I WILL lose it, but if I DO, I would be over the moon.

What do you ladies think? Any experiences with a home doppler?

I say try it! I found mine WAAAAY down low like right on top of my vag around 12 weeks RIGHT ON the crease left side...then again maybe my baby is that low.. but anyway. Yeah, definitely go for it! I use mine all the time!
If you don't find it, perhaps it is too early.

[The Anchor]

If you saw me original edited post...I was able to find the heartbeat with the doppler. Took me about 15 minutes, but IT'S FOR SURE THERE. I am over the moon! YEEEEEEEHAAAAAAA! Found it right between my hip bone and mid pelvic bone, left side.

THANKS for all the advice! Still have my u/s on Monday so I can see bub up close and personal. Love you ladies!