Your HEART beats inside of ME.

The NHS doesn't recommend having a foetal doppler to use at home because it may cause a panic to pregnant women if they don't find the baby's heartbeat. Also, I read an article about a woman who used a foetal doppler when she was 36 weeks along. She said that she stopped feeling the baby move so she got a foetal doppler and was able to pick up a heartbeat which set her mind at ease and even after 4 days of not feeling the baby move she still hasn't gone to see her midwife. Shortly after that weekend, she lost the baby and it turned out she picked up her own heartbeat using the foetal monitor. This is why I opted for the digital foetal doppler so I can see the BPM reflected in the little screen, although the baby's heartbeat is so distinct that I don't really understand why anyone would mistaken their own heartbeat to that of an unborn baby's.

James was very sceptical about getting the foetal heart monitor but he gave in to my wish anyway. He had one condition though: that I will not depend on it completely and still listen to what my body says. Also he told me not to prod my tummy too much because it might 'hurt' the baby.

I've had this foetal doppler since my 10th week of pregnancy and I have never had to use it because I worry about the baby or anything like that. Although I do worry everyday about the baby and in fact everytime I wake up, either in the middle of the night (to wee!) or in the morning I always have to check if my tummy is still big. It's silly I know, but I have this fear of waking up one morning to discover my bump is gone! I only use the doppler to hear my baby's heartbeat because it's therapeutic and I have to say, reassuring.

Here is a short video clip of me using the heartbeat monitor with a little help from dad-to-be.