For answering these and other questions that expectant mothers might have, let’s make a review of the most popular brands of baby prenatal heart monitors.

Of course, the fetal monitors used in hospitals (medical grade products) are the best, but they are expensive and you need specialized knowledge in order to use them. The less expensive models for home use are more used-friendly, but the sound quality they provide is not as clear as the one provided by professional products.

The AngelSounds fetal Doppler is probably one of the most popular models. Its price ranges around $30 (reaching sometimes $60 or $70, depending on the features of the monitor). AngelSounds baby Dopplers look like portable CD players with headphones. They have a nice pink and white design and their ON-OFF button is shaped like a heart. Most AngelSounds fetal heart monitors do not require the application of an ultrasound gel on the abdomen. The device is battery-powered and used-friendly. It also has a recording cable which can be connected to the computer so the mother can record the heart beat of her baby.

The SonoTrax fetal Dopplers are more complex. They can be used both by pregnant women and health care professionals. They allow their users to listen to the heart beat of the fetus, at the same time retrieving and displaying on their LCD screen the real-time or averaged fetal heart rate (FHR). The probe (the transducer) is water resistant with a 3 MHz ultrasound frequency. A high quality ultrasound gel is included in the package. The prices range between $70 and $200. SonoTrax baby heart monitors are FDA approved.

If you’re looking for a Graco fetal heart monitor, you should search for a ‘Prenatal Heart Listener’ – that’s the official name of their product. The Graco monitors allow you to hear not only the heartbeat of the baby, but also its hiccups and kicks. If you want, you can also record these sounds and the sound of your own heartbeat. Graco heart listeners are not expensive – their cost ranges between $20 and $50.

Corometrics fetal monitors are designed for professional use. They provide quality prenatal monitoring for physicians’ offices. Their complex features require specialized medical knowledge. The price of a professional fetal heart monitor ranges around $1000.

Besides the brands mentioned in this article, you can find many other models of baby heart monitors online and in specialized local stores. You can also find many other online reviews written both by professionals and simple users.

If you’re planning to buy a baby Doppler, you won’t need a prescription. However, it’s advisable to speak with your physician before acquiring and using one. If you plan to have more children, you can invest in your own unit. Otherwise, you can consider renting a fetal monitor – it is more cost-effective.

A warning for anxious mothers: sometimes inexpensive fetal heart monitors cannot find the baby’s heartbeat immediately. Don’t be alarmed if this happens! Only your doctor can objectively decide if your baby is ok or not, so instead of worrying, it’s advisable to go see your health care provider!

Of course, renting is cheaper than buying your own high-quality fetal Doppler, especially if you don’t plan to have another baby in the near future. If you want a big family, however, you may want to invest in your own unit – in the long run it will be more cost-effective.

Let’s take a closer look at the Doppler rental process. It’s possible to rent a fetal monitor by month, but in this case you’ll have to pay a little bit more in comparison to renting for a longer period (3 or 6 months). So, if you’re pregnant and you don’t want to buy an expensive fetal heart monitor that will be useless after you give birth, renting one for several months can be really practical and affordable.

Expect to pay from $20 to $50 per month, depending on the quality of the equipment and the length of the rental period.

Many manufacturers are offering the possibility to rent a fetal Doppler. Among them, I will name just a few companies: Belly Beats, Stork Radio, Sweet Beats, Baby Beat, Dynamic Doppler, Fetal Sure, Heartbeats at Home and so on.

In order to benefit from all the advantages of the fetal heart monitor rental and to avoid any problems that may appear because of the low quality of the unit, make a good research first. All expectant mothers should be aware that the fetal heart monitors work by using ultrasound waves. While specialists agree that ultrasound is safe for the human body, moderate use is still recommended. Make sure that the Doppler you wish to rent is FDA approved and it includes all the features that you may need. For example, some monitors have a 2 MHz frequency, while others use 3 MHz waves; you can also choose between products that offer only real-time audio reproduction and others which allow you to record the heart beat of the baby and upload it into your computer. Advanced models can also display the averaged FHR (fetal heart rate).

You should also compare the quality of the offered products, the prices and also the reviews that you can find online. If it’s still hard to make up your mind after gathering all this information, talk to your doctor. He or she will explain how and when to use the device, which are the possible risks you may encounter, which Doppler is best for your particular case and which are the pros and cons of renting a fetal monitor. The physician will also give you a prescription – most companies will not rent you a monitor without it.

Also, don’t forget to read to rental policy of the companies you’re researching. Besides the monthly rental fee check the shipping fees (and other possible fees) and read some more customer reviews!

Renting a fetal heartbeat monitor is not just an easy way of making sure that your baby is healthy. It’s also a wonderful means of sharing the magical moments of hearing the heartbeat of your unborn child with your relatives and friends.

Some expectant mothers are wondering how often they can use the baby heart monitor. Personally, I think that the effects of ultrasound on the human body still need to be researched. However, scientists agree that the use of a prenatal heart monitor is totally safe for the mother and the baby. This device is FDA approved for ‘continuous use’ – it means that the Food and Drug Administration does not impose any restrictions regarding the use of your baby Doppler. Still, doctors recommend prudence. Try not to use the device during the first trimester. Don’t use it frequently and make the contact with your body as short as possible (with a maximum duration of 10 minutes). Prudence has never hurt anyone!

The heartbeat of the fetus is not the only sound that you can hear with a fetal heart monitor. It’s also possible to hear his or her kicks and hiccups. How to make sure that you’re hearing the baby’s heartbeat and not yours? The heart rate (the number of beats per minute) is the best indicator. The normal heart rate of an unborn baby varies between 120 and 180 BPM. Amplified by the Doppler, this sound will remind you of a galloping horse. Your heart rate, in comparison, is considerably slower (from 6o to 100 BPM). Other accidental sounds produced by the baby do not have a regular pattern, so it’s easy to separate them from the actual heartbeat.

Now let’s see how you should use your baby heartbeat monitor. The procedure is not complicated.

Lie down or sit in a comfortable position. Before using the device, make sure that your bladder is full (this ‘trick’ is especially useful during the 8-14 weeks of pregnancy). Apply a small quantity of ultrasound gel on your belly. Don’t use creams, lotions or oils for this purpose – only special ultrasound gel can reduce the static and allow you to detect a quality sound of the heartbeat.

If you are still in the first trimester, you should start in the middle of the abdomen, just above the pubic bone. Pregnant women who are more than 20 weeks along should try to hear the heartbeat closer to their belly button.

Turn on the monitor (most units have a simple ON-OFF switch) and place the probe on your abdomen (on the gel). Slowly, move the probe circularly from side to side until you detect the heart beat. Check the heart rate readout of the monitor (if your unit has one) only after you hear the baby’s heartbeat. For an early detection, specialists recommend a 2 mghz probe.

Don’t be alarmed if you can’t find the heartbeat before 12-14 weeks of pregnancy. The possibility of listening to your baby’s heart at an early stage depends on several factors: the type of fetal monitor being used (make sure you use a quality, FDA approved model); the weight and size of the mother (overweight women find it harder to hear the heartbeat than thinner women); or the inaccurate calculation of your due date.

For most soon-to-be-parents, the moment when they hear the heartbeat of their baby for the first time is simply magical. Using a fetal heart rate monitor (as advised by your health care provider) is a great way to bond with your unborn child and to allow other members of your family to hear the beat of his/her heart.