How Safe are Hand Held Dopplers?
Dopplers have an incredible safety record, but before we give examples of how safe these Dopplers are let us just say that we were overly protective first time parents ourselves.!!
*Julie extensively researched these Dopplers before she and her Husband bought their one in the UK. They used it twice a day and listened for about 5 minutes at a time, they said it was always the best 5 minutes of their day!!*
Please remember these Dopplers are not some untested new invention, Midwives and Doctors have been using them for thirty years, there are about 5 million in use all over the world. With no adverse effects to users, patients or babies ever reported!! In the UK and America there are a lot of Doppler rental sites now for home use we wanted to be the 1st to bring this amazing bonding experience to New Zealand.
One of the biggest confusions comes from thinking that these Dopplers are the same as the ultrasound scanners (that allow you to see the baby on the screen), they're not, both units use ultrasound but they work quite differently, the hospital scanners have power outputs 100's of times higher than our little Hand held pocket dopplers. The scanners need this extra power to detect changes and differences between the different tissues which can then be interpreted into a picture.
The b2k Doppler also compares favourably with Fetal monitors which are often prescribed by Doctors to be used for 24 hours or more at a time, the fetal monitor power outputs are up to 10 times more than our little Pocket Doppler.
Our dopplers use ultrasound in an extremely low power output. This is why they are run on a household battery alone.
Hiring or buying a Doppler for home use isn't for everyone but in 'our experience' those that use them find them extremely beneficial. We have even had doctors and midwives rent from our UK site. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on using a Doppler you will get positive feedback from some medical professionals and you will equally get negative feedback but it’s all just opinions.
How does the Doppler work ?
The Doppler listens to the reflections of small, high frequency sound waves that are reflected from within the womb. These sound waves are picked up by the probe and amplified through the hand held speaker so that you can hear them clearly. There are a variety of sounds that can be heard, including the fetal heartbeat, each of which is distinctive and so are easily identified. You can hear kicks and hiccups when your baby grows larger.
How long do I have to hire the Doppler for ?
You can hire the doppler for as long as you would like, the minimum contract hire is for one month.
How can I contact you ?
We prefer any initial contact to be made via e-mail to info@b2k.co.nz. We do understand that you may prefer to talk to someone in person and if this is the case please do contact us on 09 475 9301. As we have young families there may be times when we are unable to give you our undivided attention. In these circumstances we will arrange a suitable time to call you back.We will always be willing to help you with any concerns you have.
What if I can't find the heartbeat ?
Finding the heartbeat can be daunting at first as your baby may be lower than you expect. Make sure you have used a generous amount of Ultrasound gel and position the transducer low down on your abdomen just above your pubic hair line. If you do not hear any sound at first, move the transducer slowly until you pick up the heartbeat, if you are not picking anything up then rather than drag the trasducer to the other side of your abdomen pick it up and place it somewhere else (As dragging it can cause a bit of static). The fetal heart beat sounds like a galloping horse and is very fast at 120-180 beats per minute. If you still have difficulty then refer to our Tips at the bottom of this page.
I'm picking up lots of other noises - what are they?
Your doppler will pick up many interesting noises, and not just the heartbeat! Here are some that you may hear through your doppler:
A 'wooshing' noise is the sound of the blood supply to the placenta.
A roaring, like waves on a beach, is the sound of your placenta.
Your own pulse! Don't forget that your baby's heartbeat is about twice as fast as this.
A pulse that is more high-pitched than your baby's heartbeat, but at the same speed. This is the pulse through the umbilical cord; a very pregnant and reassuring noise!
Where will I find my baby?
This varies, depending on how many weeks you are. If you are in the early stages of pregnancy, position the transducer low down on your abdomen just above your pubic hair line. As your pregnancy progresses, your baby will move upwards, out of your pelvis and into your abdomen (which is why you start to 'show' after the first trimester…)
If you are in the early stages of pregnancy, you might find that angling the transducer very slightly downwards might help to pick up the heartbeat. Remember, until 12 or 13 weeks of pregnancy, your baby is tucked away in your pelvis, below your pelvic brim.
Also, at this stage, your baby is still very small and moves around a great deal. Midwives often liken it to a goldfish in a bowl - darting about quickly - so please don't worry if it takes you a few attempts to pick up the heartbeat. Just persevere and don't move the doppler around too quickly as it is easy to miss your baby. As a general guide, aim to move the doppler no more than an inch in a ten second period.
I'm getting a lot of interference - what should I do?
The interference heard gets greater as the battery gets nearer to the end of its life - try charging the battery. Also, always use a generous dollop of gel. Re-apply if you have been using your doppler for a while as the gel tends to dry out. Also dragging the transducer along your skin can cause static and cause bubbles in the gel which will impair the conduction of ultrasound waves, so if you want to move to a new spot pick up the transducer and reapply it at the new location with a good amount of gel (at least a 50cent piece size blob).
Any other questions ?
If you have any additional questions or queries relating to the B2k webshop have a look at our Terms and Conditions Page or please email us at: info@b2k.co.nz
If at any time you feel unwell, or that there may be something wrong, or if any bleeding has occurred or if you have not felt any movement from your baby for some time then contact your midwife, doctor or hospital immediately.
The doppler is for fun only, and DOES NOT replace medical advice and care.