Fetal Doppler: A Must Have for any Expecting Parent

I promise this post will be shorter than my last posts! This article will pertain to anyone that intends to have a child in the near future or knows someone that might.

It wasn't until my wife got pregnant with our first child that I first realized the type of worry my parents always felt with me, and further realized that I was in for a lifetime of worrying about my own children. A piece of tech that really helped alleviate some of the worry that arose from some pregnancy complications (everything turned out fine) was our Fetal Doppler from BellyBeats. It can pick up the sound of your child’s heartbeat in the womb as early as 8 weeks, and displays the heart rate on a digital screen.

I can’t describe in words how wonderful it is to hear the sound of your unborn child’s heartbeat. Instead, hear for yourself the sound of my then 12 week old son's heartbeat.  Ultimately, it was worth the $400 we paid to purchase the unit and use it during both of our pregnancies. If you'd rather rent than buy, numerous rental packages are available.

Since we purchased this device, I’ve seen a number of really cheap imitations crop up on eBay. I can assure you though, this isn't a cheap device. It really feels hospital-grade. I didn't realize just how hospital-grade it was until my wife’s OBGYN pulled out what looked like the very same thing during one of her prenatal checkups. Not only did they use the same device, but they used the very same ultrasound gel that we purchased from Amazon.

My prediction for the future? One day people will be able to rent home ultrasound machines that are as tiny as this doppler. Remember, you read it here!