I got my Christmas Wish!

I turned 10 weeks today. Since I've lost 125lbs I thought we give it a shot at finding the baby's heart beat. It's been my Christmas wish to hear it for Christmas/by Christmas.

However I wasn't sure I'd be able to find it since I could be 9wks 4 days - 10wks along. I don't know when I conceived at all and I suspect I am not as far along as I think I am and my EDD is actually July 23 and not July 21.

Either way, I had dh pull out the doppler after midnight just to "see" if we could find it and I fully expected we wouldn't and I would just try again around Christmas Day instead.

Well, after a little search we heard it clear as day. Nice, FAST, and strong. I am much more relieved now, but I still don't feel "safe". Maybe once I finally feel baby start moving, LOL

I swear pregnancy is so much more stressful after a miscarriage!

I am glad you were able to find the heart beat. I completely agree with pregnancy being much more stressful after a miscarriage. I still worry.

That is very true!! I am happy you got to hear baby!!

Yay! Merry Christmas to you, have fun listening. Happy all went well, with me they couldn't get it till I was 13 weeks and even took a while then...but thats because she used to hide behind my pelvic bone. Now my OB feels my tummie, finds my uterus, and gets her heartbeat right away lol.

Simone

That's awesome!!! What a teriffic Christmas Present!

Gosh isn't that heart beat reassuring?? lol I rented one of those fetal heart monitors from babylove I think it was called. It was SO reassuring to be able to take that thing out and listen to the heart beat. I had a harder time because I was so big last time (450 at least at delivery. The scale only went to 450 at the Dr's office! LOL) and it was sometimes hard to find. But then I got used to where he was in my belly and could always find the heartbeat to the left of my belly button. I want to get another one this time. It only cost 20 dollars to rent per month. SO worth it in my opinion. And now since we have no phone bill for the next 2 years, we have freed up money! Yay for Magic Jack. Although it stinks sometimes.....LOL It's good for free though! lol

You can buy an AngelSounds doppler on Amazon for 29.00 and it works great.  It's basic but if all you're after is to be able to hear movements and heartbeat, it's perfect.  I've been using mine since 16 weeks and I have a big flabby belly still.

I've owned my doppler for 6 years now. We were trained by a MW on how to use it and find the correct "sounds". I don't use it often and probably won't pull it out again for a few more weeks. I'm not the obsessive type when it comes to doppler use because I know of the dangers.

But since my last baby ended in a miscarriage and in previous (more heavy/fat) pregnancies the earliest we've been able to find the baby's HB is around 11 weeks, I figured with a 125lbs weight loss I "might" be able to find it at 10 weeks. Thankfully I was right and we did find it.

I do feel less scared now about a m/c but I don't feel out of the woods yet either. :(

What are the dangers?  Everything I've read says they are perfectly safe.

I don't know about "perfectly" safe:
http://www.midwiferytoday.com/enews/enews0802.asp Scroll down to Prenatal Ultrasound 
http://www.icpa4kids.org/research/articles/pregnancy/Ultraso und.htm Also scroll down to Ultrasound
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm095508.ht m From the FDA

Ultrasound machines and dopplers use the same technology so while the doppler doesn't use imagery it still usues u/s waves.

Doppler Ultrasound Heartbeat Monitors: Similar concerns surround the OTC sale of Doppler ultrasound heartbeat monitors. These devices, which people use to listen to the heartbeat of a fetus, are currently marketed legally as "prescription devices" that should only be used by or under the supervision of a health care professional.

"When the product is purchased over the counter and used without prior consultation with a health care professional, there is no oversight of how the device is used and little or no medical benefit derived from the exposure," Phillips says. "The number of sessions or the length of a session to which a fetus is exposed is uncontrolled, thus raising the potential for harm to the fetus."

Many studies show an increase in miscarriages through early u/s and doppler use and over exposure, even late term miscarriages. I never advocate the use of home doppler use by those who feel the need to listen daily. I cringe when I read about it. But to each their own and you asked for the info.