How Expecting Moms Can Use a Fetal Doppler at Home

fetal doppler Fetal Dopplers How to Use a Fetal Doppler Expecting Moms Expectant Moms expecting mothers Expectant Mothers pregnant women Pregnancy

By Joel Brussels , Parent Herald May 07, 12:10 pm

There is nothing more important for expectant mothers than the health and well-being of their unborn child. One tool that is fast becoming a must-have for pregnant women is the fetal doppler. It is a handheld ultrasound device that uses sound waves to listen to a fetal heartbeat.

According to Very Well Health, midwives and healthcare providers use this particular medical device beginning late in the first trimester of pregnancy as part of the expectant mom's routine prenatal care.

Times are changing, though, with fetal dopplers now sold over the counter and even online for at-home use of pregnant women. Hilaria Baldwin, Hollywood star Alec Baldwin's pregnant wife, grabbed the headlines recently when she shared with her 959,000 Instagram followers a video of herself using a fetal doppler to listen to her baby's heartbeat.

Fetal dopplers sold online at Joyfant

One store that sells fetal dopplers online is Joyfant.com. Among the website's featured products are the JSL-T501 Fetal Doppler, FD-200B Fetal Doppler, and FD 300-B Fetal Doppler. Each of these fetal dopplers is sold for $79.99.

Buying a fetal doppler, also known as an electronic fetal heart rate monitor, is a worthwhile investment. It gives pregnant women an opportunity to connect with their babies by listening to their heartbeat.

The fetal doppler, which does not give a medical diagnosis, measures the baby's heartbeat and how it changes when the baby moves. A fetal heart normally beats very fast during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, the baby's heartbeat is hard to detect during this period because the fetus is still tiny.

The heartbeat eventually settles into a normal range of 110 to 160 beats per minute as the fetus grows. The question now for expectant mothers who want to get their hands on this device is: how can they use the fetal doppler at home?

How to use a fetal doppler at home?

To use the fetal heart rate monitor, pregnant women should start by feeling their abdomen to find their baby's position. According to Mayo Clinic, they will need to place a small amount of gel (Doppler gel only) on the probe at the end of the monitor.

Once the gel has been placed on the probe, they can now put it on their lower abdomen, which is located near their pubic bone. Angle or tilt the probe, keeping it in contact with the skin at all times until a galloping sound can be heard. That sound is the fetal heart rate.

Log the fetal heart rate shortly after, as instructed by the expectant mom's health care team. It is important to note that the numbers produced by the fetal doppler may change slightly as the user continues to listen. Expectant mothers can adjust the probe position as needed to find the best heart signal. However, it is important to remember that the fetal doppler should not be used for longer than 10 minutes.

(Photo : JoyFant)

Apart from fetal dopplers, Joyfant.com is also selling a pregnancy gift box for $99.99 just in time for Mother's Day. And as if this was not enough of a steal, Parent Herald readers can bag themselves an extra 15% off the price if they buy this product now, taking the price right down to $84.99.