A prenatal fetal doppler can reassure pregnant moms and their healthcare providers. However, reading doppler results can be a challenge.
To help your team make better judgments and diagnoses, knowing how to use these devices properly is important. Here are four tips to keep in mind:
Use the Right Gel
Hearing their baby’s heartbeat is a magical and joyful experience for many mothers-to-be. It can also be very reassuring in between doctor’s appointments.
A prenatal fetal doppler such as the one you can find at Cradle Me Baby is a tool health professionals use to hear the baby’s heartbeat. During the test, a technician will hold a probe against your belly and transmit sound waves to an amplifier.
Using a fetal doppler correctly is important for ensuring accurate readings. To do this, you must ensure that the gel is the right consistency for your particular body size and placed properly.
Don’t Press Too Hard
Many pregnant women can experience anxiety when they aren’t sure what is happening with their pregnancy. This can be especially true if they’ve had previous miscarriages or trouble conceiving.
One of the best ways to calm these anxieties is to use a prenatal fetal doppler. But there are some things you should know before you start using it to make sure you get accurate readings.
First, you should find the right position for the probe. This can be difficult initially, as babies tend to move around throughout their early pregnancy. Try starting at your lower abdomen, near the pubic bone, and slowly moving it toward the belly button.
Don’t Move the Doppler Around
Whether you use a fetal doppler at your doctor’s office or buy one for home use, there are some things you should avoid to ensure accurate readings. This may seem obvious, but it’s worth repeating: If you move the doppler around too quickly, you’ll miss the heartbeat altogether. Instead, methodically change the slant of the probe by small increments (point down towards your feet if you’re early on).
Another important point is to avoid picking up other sounds. Many people hear a sound similar to a horse galloping when using a doppler, but this isn’t your baby’s heartbeat.
Don’t Read the Results Too Soon
When it comes to a prenatal Doppler, there’s no hiding the fact that your doctor is in charge. But that doesn’t mean you have to sit on the sidelines and wait for his or her magic fingers to do the work. A few tips and tricks can go a long way to help you keep your sexy burgeoning bundle of joy happy and healthy. The most important and oh-so-important tip is to be patient but not passive. Keeping that in mind will pay off in spades. The next best tip is to be open to new ideas and to know when you can no longer do what you’re doing.
