About Baby Heartbeat Monitors
by,
© 2006 BabyMonitorCenter.com. All rights reserved.
Monitoring your baby's heartbeat from time to time can help create the wonderful bond that exists between parents and their unborn child. Until recently, a woman could only listen to her baby's heart beat at her prenatal care visits. Now, fetal heart monitors (fetal dopplers or baby heartbeat monitor) are now available to rent or purchase for use in the privacy of your own home. They can provide that added peace of mind to families who have experienced miscarriages or other complications in the past. You should be aware, however, that in order to purchase or rent a fetal doppler baby heartbeat monitor legally, you must have a prescription from your physician. Use of a baby heartbeat monitor (fetal doppler monitor) without such approval from your physician can mean the imposition of substantial fines by the FDA.
To use the equipment you simply place the baby heartbeat monitor just above the pubic bone, tilting it to probe at different angles until the baby's heart beat can be heard. Remember that the baby's heart rate generally ranges between 120-160 beats per minute (and contrary to widespread rumors there is little difference between boys' and girls' heart rates). You will also be able to pick up the mother's pulse with the baby heartbeat monitor, as well as the sound of the umbilical cord and placenta, so be sure that what you're hearing is your baby.
There are two basic types of baby heartbeat monitors (fetal doppler monitors): One of them is digital, meaning that the unit displays the fetal heart rate for you digitally. Otherwise, you would simply need to count the number of beats that you hear for a ten second interval and then multiply by six to determine the number of fetal heartbeats per minute. Generally, the basic dopplers are sufficient (and less expensive) but if you're carrying multiples (twins or more) you will need a digital doppler in order to distinguish one baby from the other.
Fetal dopplers have either a 2 MHz or a 3 MHz probe. The beam of the 2 MHz one is more concentrated and better suited for overweight patients because of it's ability to pass thru more layers of tissue. It also allows for earlier detection of the baby's heart beat. Usually, the fetal heart beat can be detected between ten to twelve weeks, but sometimes it can be heard as early as eight weeks.
IS IT SAFE?
It is important to be certain that the equipment which you rent or purchase is FDA approved to ensure safety. You should also make sure that it is a medical grade baby doppler which uses ultrasound, and not simply an amplifying microphone. This type of ultrasound equipment has been used since the 1950's with no evidence of any stress on the unborn child or other ill effects. This doesn't mean, of course, that one should monitor their baby's heartbeat 24 hours a day.
Fetal doppler equipment is available to rent for approximately $25-50 per month and to purchase from about $450 and up, the digital doppler being more expensive.
To use the equipment you simply place the baby heartbeat monitor just above the pubic bone, tilting it to probe at different angles until the baby's heart beat can be heard. Remember that the baby's heart rate generally ranges between 120-160 beats per minute (and contrary to widespread rumors there is little difference between boys' and girls' heart rates). You will also be able to pick up the mother's pulse with the baby heartbeat monitor, as well as the sound of the umbilical cord and placenta, so be sure that what you're hearing is your baby.
There are two basic types of baby heartbeat monitors (fetal doppler monitors): One of them is digital, meaning that the unit displays the fetal heart rate for you digitally. Otherwise, you would simply need to count the number of beats that you hear for a ten second interval and then multiply by six to determine the number of fetal heartbeats per minute. Generally, the basic dopplers are sufficient (and less expensive) but if you're carrying multiples (twins or more) you will need a digital doppler in order to distinguish one baby from the other.
Fetal dopplers have either a 2 MHz or a 3 MHz probe. The beam of the 2 MHz one is more concentrated and better suited for overweight patients because of it's ability to pass thru more layers of tissue. It also allows for earlier detection of the baby's heart beat. Usually, the fetal heart beat can be detected between ten to twelve weeks, but sometimes it can be heard as early as eight weeks.
IS IT SAFE?
It is important to be certain that the equipment which you rent or purchase is FDA approved to ensure safety. You should also make sure that it is a medical grade baby doppler which uses ultrasound, and not simply an amplifying microphone. This type of ultrasound equipment has been used since the 1950's with no evidence of any stress on the unborn child or other ill effects. This doesn't mean, of course, that one should monitor their baby's heartbeat 24 hours a day.
Fetal doppler equipment is available to rent for approximately $25-50 per month and to purchase from about $450 and up, the digital doppler being more expensive.
