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How To Use a Fetal Doppler

So you have received your fetal doppler from Baby Doppler. Isn't that exciting? Now let us help you use your product so that you can start bonding with your baby in your womb.

Don't want to read all these instructions? We have made this video for you.

Are you going to make your own video of using fetal doppler for the first time? We would love to watch. Share with us on our Facebook page

When can you start listening to your baby's hearbeat?

The baby's heartbeat can usually be monitored with a Fetal Doppler  anytime after the 12th week of pregnancy. Many have heard it as early as 10 weeks, however, it may be difficult  for you to hear the beat before the 12th week.

Please note: Patience is very important when it comes to using a fetal doppler, if results cannot be found within several minutes of trying, please put the machine aside and try again a little bit later.

Alright, First things first:

  • Make sure batteries are installed and the device is working.

  • Get our famous ultrasound gel or something like aloe vera gel or olive oil in order to reduce the static created by the fetal doppler.

  • Get a towel and have it beside you for easy cleanup once your done


Now that you have everything ready, lets start:

  • Being flat on a couch or a massage table will help. A full bladder will also help to catch that small fetus' heart beat. Use lots of gel or lubrication to have maximum static reduction. Start looking for the fetal heart rate working your way up slowly from the pubic bone towards the belly button but not all the way up. Usually in the beginning the fetus is tucked away really deep and it can be hard to find the heart beat.

  • Gently rock the doppler probe from side to  side making sure to not miss any area of the bottom part of your stomach until you find the  heartbeat.

  • You will clearly see the fetal heart rate in beats per minute (BPM) on the Doppler's screen. Remember the fetal heartbeat will be between 120 and 180 beats per minute which is alot faster than any adults heartbeat.
Please note that if you are trying to get the reading of the fetal heart rate in the early stages of the pregnancy, the heartbeat may not be  strong enough to hear or the baby may be in a position that doesn’t  allow the fetal doppler to obtain a clear reading of the heart rate. In this case, it might be wise to try again in a few minutes or the following day.

Sometimes the sound waves will echo causing it to sound like there are two  babies in the womb, but each baby will have different heart rates, so  don't panic, unless of course you are expecting twins.

Hope this helps and good luck! Contact us if you need any other advice on using our fetal dopplers. We are always here and we can be reached at 1-800-590-2767.