What Is The Best Fetal Doppler For Home Use?

It’s natural for pregnant mothers to be curious about what’s going on inside their growing wombs. As your baby develops and gets closer to birth, you get more anxious about them and their health. There are many recommendations about how to keep an eye out for bad signs in baby development, but many mothers like to supplement that with the best fetal doppler to hear the baby’s heartbeat for themselves.

**Below, you'll see more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices and read customer's reviews on Amazon.

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Who Uses Fetal Dopplers?

You’re most likely to see a fetal doppler in a doctor’s office, especially an office that deals with pre-natal care. They are used almost exclusively for listening to the heartbeat of a baby in the womb. Doctors and nurses will use this machine at most pre-natal check-ups to listen for a normal heartbeat or any abnormal changes.

But, many mothers recently have started buying their own fetal dopplers to give some peace of mind during pregnancy. It’s easy to feel unsure when you can’t tell what’s going on inside the womb, so a fetal doppler that allows you to hear your baby’s heartbeat any time can calm an anxious mother’s mind.

How Does A Fetal Doppler Work?

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Fetal dopplers are simple devices that use sound waves to detect the noises inside of the womb. The sound waves are projected into your womb, and they bend whenever another sound is encountered. When the soundwaves bend, that is reflected by the device through speakers or headphones. Soundwaves that are changed by the beat of your baby’s heart can be distinguished from other sounds that are happening around your womb and body.

Are Fetal Dopplers Safe For Home Use?

There are mixed medical opinions about if fetal dopplers are safe or not. But, the consensus seems to be that they are probably safe when used in moderation. Studies done around the topic have no showed any conclusive evidence to suggest that the technology used by a fetal doppler will cause any harm to you or your baby. The only suggestion is that you don’t use it too frequently, just in case of any potential side effects.

Another thing to remember is that you are not a doctor. If you feel like something is wrong, don’t use your own doppler instead of going to see a physician. There’s a risk that you may hear the heart beat and not detect a problem that could have been caught by a trained physician. If you plan to use a fetal doppler, make sure that you’re not using it to replace regular and emergency pre-natal care.

Benefits Of Using A Fetal Doppler

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Being pregnant is a whirlwind experience that creates just as much stress as amazement. When things get difficult to deal with, hearing your baby’s heartbeat can help to soothe you and relieve some of the stress. Fetal dopplers for home use aren’t meant to be medical devices, but instead they can give you a wonderful way to connect with your baby whenever you want to.

How To Choose The Best Fetal Doppler

Looking at getting a home fetal dopplers? Here are the things to check for if you want the best fetal doppler for your situation:

  • MHz Rating

The number of MHz determines how much sound is given off by the doppler itself. The higher the MHz, the more sensitive the device is to sound. This higher sensitivity is useful during early pregnancy, but it’s not as necessary later on. Most fetal dopplers have either 2 or 3 MHz, where the 3 is the most sensitive and 2 is for use mid pregnancy or late pregnancy.

Women who are a little larger may want a 2 MHz device rather than a 3 MHz device, since it will be able to detect he heartbeat more easily and block out some of the other sounds within the body and womb.

  • Medical Authority Approval

If you’re shopping online, it’s a good idea to make sure the device you want to buy has been certified by some sort of medical authority, such as the FDA or Canada Health. This certification can help you know that you’re not buying a knock-off that won’t work like it’s supposed to.

  • Power Source

You can choose between a battery powered or corded fetal doppler. Battery powered devices are portable, which makes them very convenient even around the house. Since you won’t need to use it extensively, a battery powered device is probably fine for most women.

Corded devices are more powerful, but they do limit you on where you can use them. Not having to deal with charging or replacing batteries is a nice convenience, and corded fetal dopplers can have more accessories because they are run by a stronger power source.

  • Extra Features and Accessories

Fetal dopplers don’t come with a lot of accessories, but there are some you may be interested in looking at when they’re included in a set. Speakers are the most common features you can get, since they help to amplify the sounds coming from the doppler. This makes it easy for you to clearly hear your baby’s heartbeat and to show it to anyone else around you as well.

  • Warranty Included

Since these are fairly expensive pieces of machinery, a warranty is a fantastic option to have. To longer the warranty, the more likely you’ll be able to trust the product itself. If the warranty is only for 1 year, that doesn’t show as much confidence from the manufacturers as a 5+ year warranty. If you can find a device you like with a long warranty, that’s an excellent sign that it’s built to last and won’t quit on you after a short time.

Top 5 Fetal Doppler Reviews

1

Wusic Womb Music Heart Beat Monitor

Via Amazon.com

This is a simple to use fetal doppler device that you can rest on your womb. You need to use a gel with it to help the sound waves work properly and reach the womb without static disturbance. It’s a non-invasive doppler device that will gently sits on your womb while it’s working.

​To hear the sounds of your baby’s heartbeat, you can use a set of earbuds included with the device. Audio quality is clear, and you can adjust the volume to help you experience the moment in a better way.

​There are virtually no controls or anything to set up to use this fetal doppler. The size is small and convenient for travel or use anywhere around the house. You’ll be comfortable while using it, because it’s not heavy or large and won’t cause pressure on your womb.

Pros


  • Heartbeat sound is clear and easy to hear
  • Comes with a set of earbuds to help you listen in right away
  • Hooks up to your computer for recording sounds
  • Includes a personalized lullaby album to play songs with your baby’s name
  • Can pick up baby’s heartbeat early on

Cons


  • You must use a gel with this fetal doppler, not included with the set
  • No display on the device
2

BundleTumble BabyBlip Womb Sound Amplifier

Via Amazon.com

Listening to baby’s heartbeat and movements can help to reassure you during the difficult months of pregnancy. A little fetal doppler like this one of BundleTumble might be just the thing to help you keep your nerves in check. It’s a small, simple device that quickly and easily picks up the sound of your baby’s heartbeat, hiccups, and kicks from inside the womb and plays them through earbuds.

If you want to save the memories for later, you can plug the device into your computer and record the sounds to play back any time you want. There are two separate headphone jacks that you can plug into so multiple people can listen in at once.

Sound quality is excellent and allows you to hear clearly. There are few controls, allowing you to set it up without any trouble and get started right away. It’s small enough to travel around with you and you can use it anywhere around the house or away from home.

Pros


  • Record heartbeat sounds to listen to later
  • Connects to a free app to record onto your phone, or can record onto the computer
  • Easy to find the heartbeat quickly
  • Able to accept two sets of headphones at once
  • Hears the heartbeat as early as 12 weeks

Cons


  • Must use gel with the device for it to work right (not included with the set)
  • When moved around it often makes a loud noise in the earphones
3

SnuggBugg Prenatal/Fetal Heart Monitor

Via Amazon.com

This is not just a fetal doppler for your own use, but also a charity cause for other babies around the world. A portion of the cost of the device is donated to a charitable organization that helps terminally or critically ill children and their families. You can hear your baby’s heartbeat and know you’re helping other people at the same time.

It’s easy to find your baby’s heartbeat as early as 12 – 16 weeks along. All you have to do is move the device around on your womb (with ultrasound gel) until you start hearing the heartbeat. If you don’t know how to use it there are simple instructions included with the box.

A complete set comes with two pairs of earphones, an earphone splitter to connect both at the same time, ultrasound gel, the fetal doppler device, batteries, a micro-USB cord for recording, and instructions for use. This device comes with a 30-day full money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the doppler at all.

Pros


  • Comes with ultrasound gel and every other necessary thing included
  • Use the fetal doppler right out of the box as soon as it arrives
  • Help children and families in need with your purchase
  • Can detect the heartbeat starting around 12 weeks
  • Two people can listen simultaneously
  • FDA approved

Cons


  • No visual screen to help you find the heartbeat more easily
  • Not as effective with other brands of gel than the one included
  • May not pick up the heartbeat as early as some other monitors
4

Aircity Heartbeat Baby Monitor

Via Amazon.com

This is an easy to use fetal doppler that’s handheld and battery operated. It’s got a small screen to show you the information about what you’re hearing and to help you find the heartbeat more quickly. From about 12 – 14 weeks you should be able to hear the heartbeat clearly for the first time, helping you get your peace of mind at home without having to wait for your next checkup.

Aircity’s fetal doppler works with 2.5 MHz frequency, which is sensitive enough to hear the heartbeat easily. When you’re setting it up on your womb, you’ll be able to find your baby’s heartbeat within just a few minutes.

On the display, you’ll get an indicator telling you the signal intensity, to help you find the heartbeat more quickly, as well as the fetal heartrate in numbers. There is also a battery indicator to let you know when you’re low and need to replace batteries. You can use the on/off button or volume adjustment knob to set up the device.

Pros


  • Easy to get the information you need from the screen
  • Hear the heartbeat as early as 12 weeks
  • Find the heartbeat is less than 5 minutes from turning it on
  • Instructional tutorials available online to show how to use it

Cons


  • 2-year warranty must be purchased separately
  • Larger than some other home use fetal dopplers
5

FIGERM Pocket Womb Sound Amplifier

Via Amazon.com

Coming as a set, this fetal doppler has a pair of headphones, batteries, 2 CDs, recording cables, an instructional manual, free ultrasonic gel, and a 1 year warranty included with every purchase. You can plug two pairs of headphones in at once for joined listening through the two jack inputs. This helps you bond with someone else over the sound of your young baby’s heartbeat.

Made for use anywhere, this is a small, compact device that’s highly portable and not restricted by charging or recording. As long as you have the device and a set of headphones, you can use it anywhere you are. A small indicator light on the font helps you locate the heartbeat as quickly as possible.

Pros


  • Set is complete with everything you need to get started
  • Hears kicks, hiccups, and heartbeats from the womb
  • Easy to set up and use within minutes
  • Clear sounding audio and recordings

Cons


  • Can’t hear the heartbeat before around 14 weeks
  • No speakers, you must use headphones
  • Indicator light is not easy for everyone to use to find the heartbeat

Conclusion

​Out of all these devices I’ve just mentioned above, I’d like to highlight the Wusic Womb Music Heart Beat Monitor. In my opinion, it’s one of the best fetal doppler devices you can find for use at home, because it’s very simple to use, it’s compact, it works with battery power, and it’s sensitive enough to work well as early as 12 weeks for most women.

Anna Smith
 

Hi there ! I’m Anna Smith, chief editor at Healthankering. I'm a proud mother of three passionate about health tips, beauty and ways to live healthier with more energy ! We start Healthankering to provide advanced material about not only the best ways to get healthy, but also to entertain and create a great community. Welcome aboard !

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