Search Results for: blog how to use a home doppler

The Pets Blog Week in Review for January 7-13

Last week was the first full week of 2008. Resolutions were set and being tackled full force. Which meant Aimee and I were busy bringing you a bunch of interesting articles. In case you missed any part of last week due to tending your resolutions, here’s what we wrote on: Monday, January 7 Why Does My Pet Play in His Water Bowl? If you have a cat like my Mr. Meow who definitely plays in his water bowl, Aimee provided insight into this mysterious phenomenon. Is Your Cat Stressed? Aimee listed some signs to look for that your cat may … Continue reading →

The Pregnancy Blog Review April 11-21

A sick, cranky baby kept me from doing the week in review last week. If you are pregnant, you will soon know what this is like! I’ll combine the past two weeks into one review. April 11 Infertility Testing: The Post Coital Test discusses this common infertility test and what to expect if you need the test. April 13 How to Use a Home Doppler offers tips for learning to use a doppler to monitor your baby’s heart rate at home. Who Will Be Present at the Birth? offers some suggestions for choosing who will witness the birth of your … Continue reading →

How to Use a Home Doppler

When I was pregnant with our last baby, I used an at home doppler. I borrowed it from my sister in law. If you decide to use a doppler at home, you will need a letter from your doctor. This is a requirement of the FDA and all companies renting or selling this equipment must comply with that rule. It’s important to use the home doppler correctly. Most come with a CD to help you. The one I used had a CD that described how to find the heartbeat. It also had baby heartbeats at different stages of pregnancy. This … Continue reading →

Let’s Talk About Interviewing a Homebirth Midwife

Apart from fees and insurance inquiries, there are many questions to consider when seeking midwifery care. Consider asking the following questions when interviewing a homebirth midwife: 1) How many births have you attended, and how many were successful homebirths? What is your rate of transfer? Do you transfer if the mom desires pain relief, or only in emergencies? 2) Do you have references that I can contact? (It is always a good idea to call a few of the references provided.) 3) What are your expectations of clients during pregnancy? (This will probably be included in the provided reading material. … Continue reading →

Listening for the Heartbeat

Posted on by

One of the best parts of a prenatal appointment, in my opinion, is getting to hear your baby’s heartbeat on the Doppler. I always looked forward to the rapid swoosh I would hear as my obstetrician rolled the Doppler over my gel smeared belly. Halfway through my pregnancy, some friends of ours lent us a stethoscope. For weeks upon weeks I was not able to hear a thing, unless you count the typical stomach gurgles. Then, one evening in my eighth or ninth month, I lay on my side and pressed the cold metal end of the stethoscope into my … Continue reading →

Bringing Children to Prenatal Visits

If this is not your first pregnancy, you may be wondering if you should bring your other child or children to your visits. This topic has recently been discussed in our forums. There isn’t a clear answer to this question. For some it works well, but others prefer to focus on their own health care during visits. In some cases, there isn’t really an option. If the mother has nobody to watch the other children, it may be necessary to bring them to the visit. If they are unable to bring the child, they may miss visits for lack of … Continue reading →

Hearing Baby’s Heartbeat for the First Time

One of the major highlights of pregnancy is hearing the baby’s heartbeat for the first time. This was a really big deal for me with all four of our babies. That moment when you hear your baby inside your womb is priceless. For many parents, hearing the heartbeat is the first real connection they feel to the baby. Suddenly, the baby seems real. Sometimes parents who were ambiguous about the pregnancy feel very differently after hearing the baby’s heart beating. The heartbeat can be heard by Doppler sometime around the tenth week of pregnancy. It won’t always be heard in … Continue reading →

Pregnancy and Holiday Secrets

When you find out you are pregnant, one of the first issues that arises is when to share the news with family and friends. If you have recently found out you are expecting, you may be looking for the perfect way to tell relatives your news. Will you share the news that you are expecting a baby over the holidays? Some couples are so excited to be expecting that they tell family and friends right away. Others prefer to wait and keep the news to themselves for a while. For some women, waiting makes sense. If you have experienced a … Continue reading →