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Fetal Baby Doppler -faq’s How to Listen to Your Unborn Baby From 10-12 Weeks

Michelle — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 10:56:10 +0000

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 heart beat/tone, each of which is distinctive and so are easily identified. You can hear kicks and hiccups when your baby grows larger. Sounds can generally be heard from 10-12 weeks of your pregnancy.

Is the Doppler safe ?

All the Fetal Doppler’s available through reputable internet stores are the same, or use the same technology as the Doppler’s used by your midwife or doctor during your examinations throughout your pregnancy. Ultrasound technology has been used for many years without any adverse effect on either the foetus or mother.

Fetal Doppler’s have an incredible safety record. They have been used daily for the last thirty years around the world. It is estimated around five million are in use every single day. No adverse effects to either mother or baby have ever been reported.

Please do not confuse Doppler’s with ultrasound scanners used in a hospital to show images of your baby. Our Doppler’s use ultrasound in an extremely low power output. This is why they are run on a household battery alone.

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 coupling gel and position the probe low down on your abdomen. If you do not hear any sound at first, move the probe slowly until you pick up the heartbeat. The fetal heart beat sounds like a galloping horse and is very fast at 120-160 beats per minute. If you still have difficulty then refer to the leaflet enclosed with your Doppler.

How can I tell it’s not my heartbeat I can hear?

The sound of the fetal heartbeat is distinctive, but can often be confused with other sounds at first. You may well have heard it already during your antenatal appointments with your midwife or doctor. It is a regular fast beating sound, not to be confused with the swishing sound of the placenta.

- A roaring sound, like waves on a beach, is the sound of your placenta.

- A ‘whooshing’ noise is the sound of the blood supply to the 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 !

How many heartbeats per minute will I hear ?

The fetal heartbeat is much faster than your own and is usually between 120 and 160 beats per minute. However, the heartbeat is not likely to remain constant and will vary depending on the time of day and amount of activity. The readings from the Doppler should not be used for self-diagnosis as any interpretation is complicated and requires detailed medical training.

Do I need a special lotion or ultrasound gel ?

The probe on your fetal doppler needs a dense liquid to pick up the sound waves from the womb. The coupling gel that is provided with your Doppler is to be used to ensure the high quality and clarity of the sounds you can hear.

Doppler Tips

- A very easy way to find the heartbeat is to take your Doppler with you to your next prenatal appointment. Your OB or midwife can help you locate your baby’s heartbeat and provide you with helpful doppler tips.

- A full bladder may help, especially in early pregnancy.

- Early in pregnancy, start your fetal doppler in line with the belly button right above the pubic hair. As pregnancy progresses, your fetal doppler will find the heartbeat higher up the abdomen.

- Move the doppler probe VERY slowly – it is quite easy to go over the heartbeat. Also, if you move the probe too fast it may cause interference noise.

- Tilt the doppler probe downward toward the pubic bone.

- Be sure to use plenty of Doppler gel. If you run out of gel, you can buy additional doppler gel from us.

- The baby is normally positioned far deeper in the pelvis than you would imagine.

- Do not panic if you do not pick up the heartbeat immediately, some days you will it and other days the baby may be in hiding.

CASE STUDIES/TESTIMONIALS FROM HTTP://WWW.RETAIL-THERAPY.COM

“The Fetal doppler is a nice way of feel secure of that your baby is ok. My baby’s father thinks this is quite fantastic. You can really hear the baby tumbling around in the belly…noises from kicking, and the strong heart beats, Regards, K”

“received my fetal doppler today and wow its really good I am 14 weeks and have never heard the baby’s heartbeat before, although I have 2 other children I wish I could of had one in my previous pregnancy’s its so clear and easy to use. thanks x”

“Very, very excited. Able to hear heartbeat but not as clear – only 10 weeks today. This fetal Doppler is going to create a more relaxed pregnancy. Looking forward to the rest of my pregnancy with my new companion that will be reassuring me. I believe this product is a must have in pregnancy. Regards R”

The Harmful Effects of Household Cleaners on Children and Unborn Babies

Michelle — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 03:09:16 +0000

Many people often find themselves cleaning their home like crazy, because they want to make sure their home is clean for their children. Unfortunately most people have no clue about the harmful toxins found in many household cleaning products. Many mothers an fathers find themselves using bleach to clean items bought at yard sales, and even to clean walls or bathrooms.

Why should they not? I mean the bottles do not say how toxic it is! All the manufacture cares about is making a parent think the product is great to kill germs, so as parents we buy them. They fail to alert users of the toxins contained in these cleaning products.

Most parents find themselves cleaning off the baby’s crib, toys, and floors with cleaning products, that are leaving more toxins behind than the toxins they are cleaning because the companies are NOT required by law to alert the consumer!

Here are some great facts about common household cleaning products found in many homes across the globe today!

Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene and toluene are found in common household cleaners and all have been linked as cancer causing and toxic to the immune system. Children are highly vulnerable to chemical toxicants. Pound for pound of body weight children drink more water, eat more food and breathe more air than adults. The implication of this is that children will have substantially heavier exposures than adults to any toxicants that are present.

Most children at young ages spend much of the day putting things in their mouths. Especially toddlers, they seem to put anything and everything in their mouths that they can get their hands on. In 1998, scientists at Rutgers University discovered that pesticides sprayed in a home evaporate from floors and carpets, and then re-condense on plastic and foam objects such as pillows and plush toys. By observing how frequently a group of pre-schoolers put clean toys in their mouths, the researchers calculated that contaminated toys are likely to give young children much higher doses of poison than adults would get in the same environment.

Babies do not excrete contaminants or store them away in fat in the same ways that adults do, making the poisons more available to affect rapidly growing bodies. Furthermore, because a baby’s immune system is not fully functional, a baby’s body cannot counteract toxic effects as well as an adult can. In an adult, a blood-brain barrier insulates the brain from many of the potentially harmful chemicals circulating through the body. But in a human child, that barrier isn’t fully developed until six months after birth.

A pregnant woman can also pass the toxins from common cleaners to their unborn child! Many contaminants such as dioxins and PCBs have an affinity for fatty tissue. During pregnancy, women mobilize their amassed stores of body fat to provide nourishment for their growing babies; the contaminants in the fat are then passed to their children. Nursing mothers also transfer a good portion of their lifetime accumulation of chemicals to their babies.

Children exposed in the womb are at greatest risk of all. Because cellular structures change so rapidly during embryonic and fetal growth, a toxic exposure at the wrong moment can permanently alter further development. According to Dr. Landrigan, the central nervous system is especially vulnerable. To function properly, the developing brain must lay down an intricate web of interconnecting neurons. Small doses of neurotoxins during critical periods of brain development can alter those crucial neural pathways – one mistake early on, and the brain may be forever changed in subtle or serious ways. Government and university scientists are currently investigating the possibility of a connection between fetal exposures to toxics and developmental disabilities such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

As a parent you SHOULD be concerned about this!

Cleaning your home with toxic products are literally breaking down your children’s bodies and adding onto the changes of cancer and other life threatening health concerns.Even if you had no clue about this concern, until you just read this article, now is the time to take action!

You can start by only using toxin free cleaning products! Get rid of any products that are not safe or eco-friendly. If a product is eco friendly, that means it is safe to have in your home! If it is safe to have in your home, it is safe to use without having to worry about the harmful effects!

Visit http://www.safewellnessproducts.com today and view the entire selection of all natural eco friendly home care products. All cleaning supply products are nontoxic, natural, concentrated, contain no phosphates and are a biodegradable formulas! This means they are safe to have in your home. Concentrated cleaning products will last longer than the store bought products, so you will be saving money and cleaning the toxins from your home!