I have replied to lots of these posts before. I bought a FD, and Angelsounds one, and loved it. I still bugged my MW and hospital like you wouldnt believe but I found the doppler handy for keeping me calm. My best friend is a MW and hated the fact that I bought one, but she also admitted that she knows I was so paranoid about this pg that a little reassurance wouldnt hurt!
However, it did get very difficult later on, and I never knew whether I had found twin 1's hb twice etc! When twin 2 was less active, I was straight up A+E, as I was during my 4-6 weeks of bleeding and then every 2 weeks from 19 weeks onwards for scans!! I had my own chair! lol!
Anyway, my advice is that it depends on the type of person you are. If you plan on using it for reassurance and you are a very nervy worrier, then NO dont get one. It wont help you feel any better and the panic you feel when you cant find the hb is bad enough if you are calm and happy about it all, let alone if you are worried! BUT, if you are happy, calm and understand that sometimes babies are naughty and dont want to play ball, and sometimes you may not even find a hb, but that doesnt mean there is a problem, and youre happy to try again in 30mins and be rational about it, then YES get one as it is a lovely thing to have.
Sorry if ive rambled. Yet again Mrs Setters, totally agree.
I bought one - but purely so that my toddler can listen to it and get used to the idea that a wee sibling is on the way. But to be honest she was never that interested and its barely been used! Although my Mum came up for a week when I was 28-29 weeks and she loved being able to listen to it.
Personally - I don't like them, I have seen so many panicky posts on BE with women not being able to find the heartbeat, getting into a total state and legging it to the hospital in a right flap. only to be told that everything is fine.
I think that as a general rule, you should just trust your body to know what it's doing and get on with things, I know if I had one, I would spend hours compulsively listening to my baby's HB and this would be at the detriment of doing other things, and generally living my life. Obviously not everyone is like this - but that is what I would be like.
I am very lucky though, in that one of my best friends (and Abby's godmother) is a midwife, so any time (well anytime after 16 weeks) I need reasurance I can pop round to her house and she will listen for me.
Replies
I have replied to lots of these posts before. I bought a FD, and Angelsounds one, and loved it. I still bugged my MW and hospital like you wouldnt believe but I found the doppler handy for keeping me calm. My best friend is a MW and hated the fact that I bought one, but she also admitted that she knows I was so paranoid about this pg that a little reassurance wouldnt hurt!
However, it did get very difficult later on, and I never knew whether I had found twin 1's hb twice etc! When twin 2 was less active, I was straight up A+E, as I was during my 4-6 weeks of bleeding and then every 2 weeks from 19 weeks onwards for scans!! I had my own chair! lol!
Anyway, my advice is that it depends on the type of person you are. If you plan on using it for reassurance and you are a very nervy worrier, then NO dont get one. It wont help you feel any better and the panic you feel when you cant find the hb is bad enough if you are calm and happy about it all, let alone if you are worried! BUT, if you are happy, calm and understand that sometimes babies are naughty and dont want to play ball, and sometimes you may not even find a hb, but that doesnt mean there is a problem, and youre happy to try again in 30mins and be rational about it, then YES get one as it is a lovely thing to have.
Sorry if ive rambled. Yet again Mrs Setters, totally agree.
Gemma, Ryan and Alfie 25 + 5
I think that as a general rule, you should just trust your body to know what it's doing and get on with things, I know if I had one, I would spend hours compulsively listening to my baby's HB and this would be at the detriment of doing other things, and generally living my life. Obviously not everyone is like this - but that is what I would be like.
I am very lucky though, in that one of my best friends (and Abby's godmother) is a midwife, so any time (well anytime after 16 weeks) I need reasurance I can pop round to her house and she will listen for me.
Nx