The Doppler


So what has my experience with the doppler been like?  I LOVE it!  I watched a couple of youtube videos to figure out the basics, popped in batteries and powered it up, and found the heartbeat in about 5 minutes (at 9w5d).  I’ve used it once a week since (now at almost 18w), and I think it’s a great addition to the pregnancy tool kit, especially for slightly neurotic people like me.

I don’t really want to push products on my blog (although I’m sure I’ll do a few), but here’s what I bought: the Sonoline B Prenatal Heart Detector and some Aquasonic ultrasound gel.
Yay, Sonoline B!
First, I looked for the pelvic arteries out towards my hip bones.  Then, I methodically worked my way into the middle of my belly, staying as low as possible.  I found the placenta before the baby, with its super swishy noises, just to my right of midline.  A few more careful movements, and boom - baby!  Easy peasy.

Here is baby’s heartbeat on that first day that I looked for it:



And here again just before 17 weeks - notice how it has slowed down a bit now that the baby is so much bigger?  Pretty cool, huh :)  The baby also moves around a lot now, so keeping the heartbeat in frame for longer than a few seconds is harder, too.

 In other news, the garden is in and growing, and we had our first sharpie kill at the (invasive house sparrow) bird feeder.  OK, we occasionally get a cardinal or two there as well, but really, we’re just feeding house sparrows as bait for the hawks - and as entertainment for the cat :)  I'll try to do a garden post with photos sometime soon!


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