Immediately after the birth, once the umbilical cord has been cut and clamped, it is possible to collect any blood left in the umbilical cord. This cord blood can be stored for future use. Cord blood is rich in stem cells, which can be used to treat a number of diseases, and repair tissues and organs.

Stem cells have so far been used to successfully treat over 70 different diseases. Research is ongoing, and lots of money is being spent on figuring out new treatments using these cells. Stem cells have so far been used to treat leukaemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and rare metabolic disorders in babies.

Collecting the blood

Cord blood collection is a safe and painless procedure for both you and your baby. After the birth, once your baby’s umbilical cord has been cut and clamped, the blood can be collected. The blood is collected from the part of the umbilical cord still attached to the placenta, not from the bit attached to your baby. A needle is inserted into the umbilical cord (not the bit attached to your baby, remember). The procedure takes 10 minutes, and up to five ounces of blood will be collected.

Donating the blood

Cord blood can be donated to a public cord blood bank. The blood will then be stored until it is needed. Cord blood can be stored for up to 20 years. Lots of people rely on donated cord blood for treatment. As many as 70% of those in need do not have a family match, meaning they need to find a match in a public cord blood bank.

Donated cord blood can be sent across the world to help a patient in need. Though the banks are far from empty, more cord blood is always needed.

How to donate

If you don’t consent to cord blood donation, any blood left in the umbilical cord will simply be disposed of along with the placenta after the birth. If you would like to donate cord blood, you will need to consent before the birth. The cord blood will be collected by a specialist, someone who is not involved in delivering your baby, so this will need to be arranged in advance.

Not all hospitals are able to collect cord blood, so you will need to check whether your hospital is able to. Speak to your healthcare provider for more information about banking cord blood.

Are you considering donating cord blood?

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

As you await your estimated due date, you may have spent time gazing at birth photos online. The beautiful photographs usually depict an emotional moment, and the very beginning of a new family’s life. That moment when you hold your baby for the first time can feel almost like an out of body experience, and a photograph can be a wonderful way to remind you of how you felt gazing into your newborn’s eyes for the first time.

The decision to hire a birth photographer is a personal one, and one that you must make as a couple. While some women may love the idea of freezing that moment for all eternity, others will hate the idea of their exhausted state being captured on film. Here are some things to consider when deciding whether to hire a birth photographer:

1. Too many cooks – a birth photographer will be another person in the room. Delivery rooms can soon feel overcrowded, and you may find yourself wishing things were a little less chaotic on the day. If it’s just going to be you and your birth partner, however, you may feel a little extra company would be welcomed.

2. A natural in front of the camera – do you love having your photograph taken, or hide awkwardly at the back of family photos? If you’re self conscious and hate having your photograph taken, birth photography might leave you feeling nervous on the day. You’ll have enough to focus on during labour without also worrying about which bits of your body are going to end up photographed.

3. A picture is worth a thousand words – you will never forget the moment you meet your baby for the first time, but a photograph will help you to relive it. It is one of the most overwhelming moments of your life, and a photograph will capture the emotions behind that first cuddle, and help remind you of what an amazing thing you did.

4. Hospital policy – if you’re giving birth in a hospital, you might need to check whether they have policies in place. Some may limit the number of people allowed in the delivery room, meaning your birth photographer is pushed out at the vital moment. Most hospitals will allow birth photographers in, but it’s worth checking in advance so you don’t end up disappointed.

5. The finances – birth photographers aren’t cheap. Your photographer will be on call for weeks, waiting to receive the call that they are needed at the hospital, and will expect to be compensated for this commitment. Birth photography can be expensive, so you’ll need to budget for this in advance.

6. You’ll still have your birth partner – if you don’t have a professional on hand, you’ll be relying on your birth partner to take the photograph. Not only does this mean he’ll be out of action as your birth partner, but he may feel he missed that vital moment of the birth because he was distracted by the camera. Your first cuddle with your newborn, is also your partner’s first time to see his new family.

7. You’ll end up with better photos – unless your partner is a professional photographer himself, you will get better photos from a professional. A professional photographer will have more of an idea about lighting, angles and editing, so you are likely to end up with better photographs.

Are you hiring a birth photographer to capture your birth?

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition. Around half of all women will experience carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy. This condition causes tingling, numbness and pain in the hands and fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome can affect the whole hand, but is most commonly felt in the thumb, index finger, middle finger and half of the ring finger.

The condition occurs when the nerve that controls sensation and movement in the hands (the median nerve) is compressed. During pregnancy, you carry excess fluids. These fluids accumulate in your body tissues, and may cause swelling. This swelling is thought to cause carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy

The symptoms may start gradually and slowly worsen as the pregnancy progresses. During the third trimester, as your body swells more, you may find your symptoms worsen slightly. The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome tend to be worse at night. Symptoms include:

• tingling in the hands and fingers
• numbness in the hands and fingers
• pain in the hands and fingers
• pins and needles
• weakened grip
• dull ache in the arm or wrist

How to ease carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy

The following tips may be useful to relieve the discomfort caused by this condition:

• avoid repetitive hand and wrist movements
• avoid sleeping on your hands
• flex, shake and move your hands when tingling occurs
• change arm and wrist positions regularly
• acupuncture

Speak to your healthcare provider

If the pain is stopping you from sleeping, or interfering with your everyday life, you should speak to your healthcare provider. They may recommend a B6 supplement. You should not start taking a B6 supplement without first speaking to your healthcare provider.

If your condition is severe, your healthcare provider may recommend ultrasound therapy to ease your discomfort. If your symptoms worsen at night and prevent you from sleeping, a wrist splint may be recommended.

When will it end?

As your body returns to its normal state after the birth, you should find your symptoms disappear. Most women find that they are no longer suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome three months after the birth.

If you are still experiencing symptoms a year after the birth, you should speak to your healthcare provider. You may need treatment to reduce the symptoms. Steroid injections are often used to reduce inflammation. In rare cases, a surgical procedure may be needed to reduce compression of the median nerve.

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

‘Push presents’ are a relatively new phenomenon, and are by no means common practice just yet. Some people think it’s a nice way to acknowledge the occasion, and others feel it is an unnecessary gift when the baby is reminder enough. Whatever your personal feelings, you won’t want to be the only new dad showing up to the postnatal ward empty handed, especially when all the other new mums are cooing over their gifts. So, here are five inspiring ideas for push presents, whatever your budget:

1. The classic choice – jewellery is the classic option for push presents. Some fathers choose to give their wife a third ring to wear on her wedding finger, and others choose to have a locket inscribed. Whatever you choose, make sure it is something your wife will love, and a piece she will want to wear to all occasions.

2. The modern alternative – some women want to learn to take better photographs so they can capture their growing child, others may want to start an online journal to record life as a new mother. Whatever your partner’s ambitions, you could treat her to a piece of technology that will make it that little bit easier – a new camera for photographs, or a laptop to use for blogging. Or maybe you’d like to treat her to a tablet or smartphone so she can keep herself entertained during the (many) hours she’s about to spend trapped under a sleeping baby.

3. The budget choice – becoming a parent can be an expensive hobby, so you are forgiven for not having much spare cash lying around for a push present. A push present doesn’t have to be expensive, it just needs to be a nice reminder of what your partner did, and how impressed you were. A nice frame is a perfect present – it won’t break the bank, she will be able to keep it forever, and she’ll be able to decide which photograph goes in it.

4. The artistic gift – you could hire a local artist to create a custom print of your new family. You can get amazing illustrators who will be able to capture both you and your partner, while creating a generic new baby so that the gift can be ready before the birth. Or, you could wait until after, and have an artist paint a picture from your first family photograph.

5. The sentimental reminder – this needn’t cost you a penny, all you need is a pen, some paper, and some time to note down your thoughts and feelings. As well as feeling exhausted, you will probably be overwhelmed with love for your partner after the birth. Take this opportunity to note down how you feel, and exactly what she means to you. She will be able to keep the letter forever, and look back on it to remember this important occasion in your joint history.

What push present are you hoping to receive, or do you see it as an unnecessary luxury?

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

“Have you thought of any names yet?” If you’re pregnant, you must have answered that question at least two thousand times already. For those of you who have chosen a name, this question gives you an excuse to show off the wonderful name you cooked up, or smugly keep the chosen name secret. If, however, you haven’t thought of a name yet, then this question may leave you feeling panicked, stressed and convinced that you have fallen at the first hurdle of motherhood.

Fear not – just because you hadn’t tattooed a chosen name across your chest by the time you peed on the pregnancy test, it doesn’t mean you’re a terrible mother. This is a name that you baby is going to have for life, so it’s not an insignificant decision. Here are seven tips to help you when choosing your baby’s name:

1. Make sure you’re in agreement – this might seem obvious, but it’s important that you both like the name. You may not have similar tastes, but you should try to settle on a name you both like. It can be easy to push your favourite name at the expense of your partner’s, but it’s not fair to do that.
2. Consider the nicknames – try to predict what your child’s future nicknames will be. Think back to high school, and remember the unfortunate nicknames some children got.
3. Look at the initials – it’s easy to forget this stage, but it could lead to ridicule down the line. Make sure you’re not unwittingly giving your child hilarious initials. Look at all the initials, and then try first name initials alongside the full surname.
4. How does it sound – you know when you meet a person and think “Uch, what an unfortunate name,”? Well you don’t want your child to become that person. Make sure the name sounds good, is easy to say, and doesn’t have any obvious negative connotations.
5. What does the name mean to you – some parents give their children sentimental names. Family names, inspiring names and historic names are all good choices. The name should mean something to you.
6. What will it mean to other people? – it’s all very well if the name is important to you, but if it reminds everyone else of an infamous serial killer, it may not be the best name to choose. First impressions matter, and your child’s name will be one of his first impressions for life, so choose a good one.
7. Keep it secret – unless you love hearing contradictory opinions, keep the name under wraps until after the birth. Everyone and anyone will be leaning over to tell you they don’t like the name you’ve chosen, unless the baby is here, and then people will be too busy cooing to even consider the name.

Have you chosen a name for your baby yet?

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

You’re nearing the end of pregnancy, and everyone is asking what you need for the baby. You have registered at the popular baby superstores for items you’re not even sure you’ll need. Now what? A traditional baby shower will help you assemble many of the basic supplies you need or want for your baby. A Blessingway, however, will supply YOU, the mom-to-be, with the emotional fuel you need for labor, birth and early motherhood.

A Blessingway is rooted in many native traditions, but has evolved into a ceremony that can be adapted to any religious or cultural beliefs to help a woman prepare emotionally and spiritually for the birth of her baby. It is a way to shower a new mother with support to start her journey of motherhood on the right foot. Guests are smoothing the way for her with stories, advice and positive inspiration.

While you likely won’t plan your own Blessingway, here are some tips to share with friends and family for planning an event that will be a cherished memory after the birth:

• Consider the guest list carefully to include only those closest to the mom-to-be, other women whose opinions she values and trusts, and around whom she can relax and feel comfortable.
• Keep the mother-to-be’s cultural and religious traditions in mind, and tailor any ceremonies to her. For instance, if she is a devout Catholic, ask her which prayers are most meaningful to her and incorporate those into the celebration.
• Pamper her. The mom-to-be should be the center of attention at a Blessingway. Give her a foot bath and massage with aromatic lotion or oil, adorn her with a crown or necklace of flowers, cover her baby belly or her hands and feet with henna designs, brush and braid her hair, etc. Be creative. Ask her ahead of time what makes her feel most relaxed, and use that to create a ritual tailored specifically to her.
• Share stories. Let other mothers talk about their experiences of childbirth and mothering. Instruct everyone ahead of time to keep the tales positive – this is not time for horror stories. Passing along birth wisdom is a precious gift in and of itself.
• If you include gift-giving, ask guests ahead of time to bring symbolic tokens to support the mother-to-be as she enters labor or as she makes the shift to parenthood. For instance, have each mother bring a bead, and create a necklace for the mom to use as a focal point in labor. Save the gifts from the baby registry for later!
• Always end with a feast. This is a great time for partners to join the celebration, since the shift to parenthood will happen to them, too! You could ask each guest to bring their favorite dish, or you could create dishes from symbolic foods to celebrate the coming birth.

Use your imagination – you cannot do it wrong – and honor the mother-to-be with the unique gift of a Blessingway.

Written by Michelle: IBCLC, writer, editor, childbirth instructor, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Less than one percent of women in the US give birth at home. It’s not an option for everyone; only women having low risk pregnancies will be given the go ahead to have a home birth. Some women hate the thought of giving birth at home, but if you are curious about this option, here are five reasons to consider a home birth:

1. You’ll feel completely at home – this may sound obvious, but it’s important to be relaxed and calm during pregnancy. Some women find the car journey to the hospital stressful, and feel out of their comfort zone when confronted with the bright lights on the busy delivery ward. Of course, some women feel much more at ease in a hospital setting than they would at home. If you think staying at home would help to keep you relaxed and focused during the birth, you may want to consider a homebirth.
2. It’s not a medical setting – if you’re worried about interventions such as episiotomies, cesarean sections and forceps, you might find that taking yourself out of a medical setting puts you at ease. Of course, birth is unpredictable and some women do get transferred into hospital during a planned home birth because they require medical assistance. However, research has found that women who have home births are less likely to have interventions.
3. You can share the experience – most delivery wards will have a limit on the number of people you can have present at the birth. At your own home, you get to lay down the law about visitors. If you would like to have your existing children present to welcome their new sibling, or your parents as well as your partner, you may prefer to give birth at home. That way, you’ll have room to accommodate everyone.
4. You have more room to stay active – if you want to stay active during labour, and try a few different positions to help the baby move down the birth canal, you may prefer birthing at home. You’ll have the room to move about, as well as furniture to use to help you into position. You can hire birthing pools, jump in the bath, lean from doors, and squat over beds. You can take a walk round the garden, walk sideways up and downstairs, and try bellydancing to help your baby get into position.
5. You’ll be home when it’s over – once it’s all over, you can immerse yourself in a lovely warm bath in the comfort of your own home. Then it’s just a few short steps and you’ll be snuggled up in your own bed. No hospital gowns, IVs or strangers in sight.

If you would like to have a home birth, speak to your healthcare provider at your next appointment. Not all women are suitable candidates to give birth at home, but your healthcare provider is best placed to advise you on this.

Are you considering a home birth?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

As you get closer to labor and delivery, chances are you have heard a bunch of stories from other moms. Some of these stories include the horrific details of their births, or advice on things that these women think you should avoid at all costs. You will have some people who suggest you don’t take pain medications, and others that warn you about things during labor and delivery that will likely NEVER happen.

Many women hear about electronic fetal monitoring during labor and wonder if there might be pros and cons to the intervention.

Electronic fetal monitoring during labor is designed to monitor your baby’s heart rate and the frequency of your contractions. Most often, the heartbeat and contraction monitors are placed externally on your belly, and while you are in labor you will be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat and see your contractions on a monitor.Your healthcare providers will use this information to help monitor your progress and to make sure that the baby is not in any distress during labor. This monitoring is typically intermittent – occasionally during labor, your provider will suggest a brief period of monitoring to see how things are progressing. If any unusual events occur, continuous monitoring may be suggested.

While generally safe, some people feel that this constant monitoring can cause stress to the mother and worry on behalf of the doctors, especially if they notice the baby’s heart rate decreases significantly after contractions. At that point, it can be difficult for doctors to know if the decreased heart rate is due to the normal drop in oxygen (from the contraction) or if it is a sign of fetal distress. Since doctors cannot tell for sure, experts believe fetal monitoring leads to a higher level of cesarean births because doctors ‘jump the gun.’

Another downside to electronic fetal monitoring is that it decreases a mom’s mobility during labor. Unless your facility has wireless machines, you will only be able to walk as far away from the machine as the cords will let you go. The leads from your belly to the machine can make changing position difficult, and can cause the nurses to suggest you just lay in bed to keep them from moving. Staying flat on your back and immobile in a hospital bed can slow the progress of your labor and make you uncomfortable.

Occasionally, the external monitors are not able to accurately track your baby’s heart rate, or your contractions. In this situation, your provider may suggest internal monitoring – a much more invasive procedure. If your bag of waters is still intact, it will be ruptured artificially so that the heart rate monitor can be attached to baby’s scalp. The contraction monitor is a thin catheter that will be inserted into the uterus. It is typically taped to the inside of your thigh so that it doesn’t become dislodged. Once these leads are placed, you will be monitored continuously throughout the remainder of your labor.

Some people believe the benefits of having this technology are well worth the downsides. Years ago, midwives and doctors had no idea what was going on with the baby, and oftentimes when a baby WAS in distress, doctors couldn’t help the baby. Also, there are many women who feel comforted by hearing the constant heartbeat of their baby when they are in labor. Hearing your baby’s heartbeat while you are in labor may help you truly connect to the experience that there is a beautiful and live little baby inside of you just waiting to come out.

The best rule of thumb when it comes to your healthcare during pregnancy and labor and delivery, is to ask your providers questions about the pros and cons of any procedure, and to learn more about the impact on your labor, as well as your and your baby’s health. The ultimate goal for YOU and for them is to delivery a healthy baby and to keep you healthy as well. If you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask.

Written By Stef, Mom of 4 @Momspirational, with editorial content from Michelle

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

As you prepare for pregnancy, chances are you are washing tons of cute little baby clothes, baby sheets, towels and blankets. And experts and pregnancy books always tell you to take care (and spend the extra money) to use baby laundry detergents such as Dreft, so that you don’t risk bothering your baby’s skin once he or she is born.

Truth is, your newborn will have very, very sensitive skin. They will likely get all sorts of little rashes, and skin peeling and difficulties with their delicate skin in the first few weeks after birth. And yes, some of that can be attributed to using harsh detergents to wash their clothes and blankets in. In fact, anything that comes in contact with your baby’s skin has the potential to cause a break out (including your own clothing) as they work to develop anti-bodies.

That being said, some of the amazingly smelling baby laundry detergents are super expensive! And you will be doing a lot of laundry once the baby arrives. While there is nothing that beats the smell of baby laundry detergent, you do have other options.

The key is to look for hypoallergenic, perfume and dye free laundry detergents. Many stores today even sell organic laundry detergents or detergents that are made for sensitive skin. Obviously, the baby detergents are not perfume free, because they smell like clean babies. So even though they may have fewer chemicals than your traditional detergent, you can actually find products that are purer than those.

One of the benefits to choosing a non-baby but sensitive skin laundry detergent, aside from the price difference, is that you can wash all of your household laundry together. And, many of the traditional baby detergents do not do well at getting out the typical organic stains on your baby’s clothes while other detergents do. In fact, for organic stains such as spit-up or bile, you might want to get a pre-treatment sold in the laundry detergent that is for biological stains.

Most often, the recommendations for washing your baby’s clothes in perfume and dye free detergents expire around the age of 6 months. But many moms switch back to regular detergents earlier. When you do switch back, just keep a careful eye on your baby’s skin to make sure that they don’t have any allergic reactions to the detergent.

All in all, the smell of freshly washed clothes in baby detergent is definitely one of the perks to pregnancy and having a newborn in the house. However, it is not always a necessity – and you may find other options that wash your clothes better. As long as your baby seems to handle the washing detergent, then there really is no need in spending triple the price for exclusive baby detergents.

Written By Stef, Mom of 4 @Momspirational

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

One of the most exciting parts of pregnancy is the opportunity to hear the heartbeat of your baby. The first time you hear the heartbeat of your baby will probably be at your prenatal appointments. At these visits, your provider will most likely use a handheld Doppler device to listen to your baby’s heartbeat. According to a study, the average fetal heart rate is 120-160 beats per minute. This rate will change throughout pregnancy, and your provider can use it to calculate gestational age as well as gauge the wellbeing of your baby.

A fetal Doppler device uses ultrasound to map the uterus and playback representations of the fetal heart rate. Your baby’s heart will start beating around 5 or 6 weeks gestation, and it can sometimes be heard as early as 8 weeks (with ultrasound). Typically, though, it’s not strong enough to be heard with the handheld Doppler until 12 weeks gestation. Doppler devices can be rented or purchased for home use, but this is not recommended for a number of reasons, including the potential dangers of prolonged ultrasound use. There is some controversy about whether ultrasound use is completely safe in pregnancy. The amount of ultrasound that healthcare providers use with occasional monitoring is thought to be safe; however, using a Doppler at home can lead to excessive fetal exposure to ultrasound waves with no definitive guidelines for how prolonged and repeated exposure can impact growing tissues.

Luckily there are other ways to listen to your baby’s heartbeat at home, without the use of ultrasound waves.

Below some ways to listen SAFELY to the heartbeat of baby at home.

• A standardstethoscope can amplify the baby’s heartbeat around weeks 18 to 20 of pregnancy. Quality matters – the better the craftsmanship, the more likely you are to hear your baby’s heartbeat.
• APinard Horn, traditionally made of wood, has one end that is placed against mom’s belly and the other against the listener’s ear. The fetal heartbeat can be detected around 18 to 20 weeks of pregnancy. While mom can’t do this herself, her partner may be able to use it to hear the baby’s heartbeat.
• Afetoscope is a specialized stethoscope that takes advantage of the concept behind the Pinard Horn and combines it with a stethoscope. While it looks much like a stethoscope, it has a piece that fits against the user’s forehead to conduct the sound for increased sensitivity to subtle sounds. Some practitioners describe the sound of baby’s heartbeat with this device as a ‘wristwatch under a pillow.’ Accurately using the fetoscope takes some practice, and even an experienced healthcare provider may not be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat with it until 18 to 20 weeks.

No matter the method used, healthcare providers have the training and experience to easily locate and interpret your baby’s heartbeat. You may not be able to find the heartbeat with the same ease at home. Factors that can impact whether or not you will be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat include:

• The baby’s position:The heartbeat will be more difficult to locate if your baby’s back is toward your back. Ask your provider for tips on determining how your baby is positioned.
• The amount of amniotic fluid:Too much or too little fluid can impact the quality of sound.
• The location of the placenta:If your placenta is located at the front of the uterus, you may be picking up your own heartbeat rather than your baby’s.
• The point in gestation:The farther along in pregnancy, the more likely you will be to find your baby’s heartbeat.
• The mother’s weight:If a pregna nt mother is overweight, the device may not be sensitive enough to pick up the fetal heartbeat through thicker tissue.

Use caution when monitoring your baby’s heartbeat at home. If you have trouble finding the heartbeat, or if you misinterpret other noises for a heartbeat and think something is wrong, you can add undue stress to your pregnancy. Also, don’t be complacent if other bodily signals tell you something’s not right – even if your baby’s heartbeat seems alright. Tune in to your body, and listen to your intuition.

If you find hearing your baby’s heartbeat reassuring, or want to share the experience with your partner, you may benefit from listening at home. Consider taking your device to a prenatal appointment, and ask your provider to teach you the best way to use it.

Have you used a stethoscope or Doppler at home?

Written by Michelle: writer, editor, Lamaze instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.