Contrary to many reviews, they REALLY DO work! With practice and patience, you can learn how to use a fetoscope and happily listen to your baby’s heartbeat anytime you want! Here’s the scoop on how.
When I was about 15 weeks pregnant with my first baby, my husband came to me with his eyes sparkling as he told me about his brilliant idea: we should listen to our baby’s heartbeat at home!
Duh, why didn’t I think of that? I thought. But how?
He told me about this device that you can buy from Amazon that’s similar to a stethoscope, except it’s designed specifically for a fetal heartbeat. It was affordable, it would arrive within a day, and it seemed simple enough to use. So, naturally, in our Amazon-ruled world, we ordered it.
When the package arrived the following day, we both squealed with delight, pulling it out of the packaging like children on Christmas morning.
We put the little odd-looking contraption together, barely skimmed through the instructions, and made our first attempt to hear an itty-bitty thump-thump.
Well, we heard… lots of things, really. We assumed they were a variety of weird bodily noises coming from my own body, all of which I’m still unsure about where they were coming from exactly. But I remember how we got confused many times, thinking that my heartbeat was our baby’s.
To our dismay, our first attempt was a fail. We didn’t hear our baby’s heart at all.
I can’t tell you how many times we tried to use that awkward thing and failed. but it was at least multiple times a day from when I was 15-20 weeks pregnant (errrr. Rookie mistake #1). Feeling discouraged, we finally turned to the internet and my midwife for help, thinking that the device was a scam or defective or something. Turns out, we just sucked at using the damn thing 😂
Now, it is hard to hear the heartbeat, and when I say hard, I mean HARD. ESPECIALLY if you are a new, inexperienced user who has no background in the medical field, like me.
SO. If you are unable to hear the heartbeat, it doesn’t mean that the device doesn’t work. 9.9999999999 times out of 10, it’s due to user error and something just needs to be adjusted.
If you want to learn how to use a fetoscope, just like I did, grab it and let’s get started!
This post is all about how to use a fetoscope.
HOW TO USE A FETOSCOPE: A STEP-BY-STEP FOR BEGINNERS
Before we begin, here’s a few rookie mistakes (that I made) that you can avoid in order to set yourself up for success!
Rookie mistake #1: How Far Along You Are Matters
Ask yourself this: Am I at least 20 weeks pregnant? If you answered yes, move on to the next mistake below! If you answered no, I suggest you bookmark this page and come back to it when you are.
Why? Because the earliest you will be able to clearly find and hear your baby’s heartbeat is at 20 weeks. Maybe you can hear it around 18 weeks, buuuuuut it will be difficult. The fetoscope will amplify internal noises slightly, but not like a typical stethoscope does. If you attempt to use this device too soon, you (most likely) won’t be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat, no matter what you do correctly. So, in order to save you some discouragement, frustration, and worry, hang up the scope until you are 20 weeks along.
Rookie mistake #2: Being Unfamiliar With Baby’s Heart Rate
Your baby’s heart does not beat as slow as yours does. Your baby’s heart is normally between 110-160 beats per minute! That’s twice as fast as an adult, which is around 60-80 beats per minute.
When I first tried looking for my baby’s heartbeat, I kept thinking that my heartbeat was his because I didn’t realize there was such a huge difference in speed. Realizing this before you use the fetoscope will make it easier for you to find your baby and in turn, will help you learn how to use a fetoscope correctly!
(You can look up videos online that will show you what a baby heart sounds like, like this one, in case you need a reference.)
Rookie mistake #3: Bad Time Of Day
Many people attempt to listen to their baby’s heartbeat whenever they feel like it, which, in theory, is completely fine. However, you are more likely to hear your baby first thing in the morning. This is typically a quiet time for your baby. Not to mention that you, Miss Pregnant Mama, are usually less swollen, which makes for easier heart detection. Your bowels are also pretty quiet in the morning and won’t get in the way. So, at least until you get the hang of using the fetoscope, listen to your baby’s heartbeat first thing in the morning.
Now, you might have a baby that’s not so quiet in the morning! If this is the case, try different times throughout the day when they seem less active. Some people say to try 30-60 minutes after lunch or right before bed. You know your baby’s movement patterns, and you will be able to find a time that works better than others!
Rookie mistake #4: Wrong Position
The position you put yourself in has a big impact on whether or not you can find your baby. You don’t want to be standing or sitting. Instead, lay flat on your back (or slightly tilted to one side in order to maximize circulation to the baby).
Rookie Mistake #5: Not Holding The Device Correctly
You want to make sure you are using the device correctly, otherwise you will have interference with the heartbeat. On this little contraption, there is a large black piece that is curved, and a smaller cone shaped piece. The cone piece will be pressed down to the belly with a gentle but firm touch. The curved piece is for holding. If you hold the metal rod you will mask the sound.
Rookie Mistake #6: Not Having Peace And Quiet
Trying to listen to your baby’s heartbeat while in a room full of people is impossible. It has to be as quiet as it can possibly be! Whenever I would try to listen to my baby, I noticed that so many sounds would interrupt me. Even small sounds like a fan, background music, people talking, my phone vibrating, etc. So, prep your area. Turn off any distractions. The fetal heart tone will be very faint- you must listen carefully. It has to be quiet enough for you to be able to hear it through all the layers of skin, tissue, fat, muscle, etc.
Let’s Wrap This Up
Using a fetoscope can be difficult if you don’t know what you are looking for. You have to remember that it is specifically designed for auscultating fetal heart tones. With a little practice and determination, you can learn how to use a fetoscope. Once you do, you can enjoy listening to your baby’s heartbeat anytime you’d like! It’s such a sweet way to connect with them.
*If you are unable to find the baby’s heartbeat, that doesn’t necessarily mean that something is wrong. However, even if you do find it, that doesn’t always mean your baby is healthy. You should not use this device at home to diagnose any anomalies that you may suspect. Make sure that your OB/GYN or Midwife are involved with your pregnancy, checking on your baby regularly to make sure everything looks okay. Make sure they know you are using a fetoscope. They can tell you what signs to look for in case your baby needs some emergency care and what signs are normal and healthy.
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