Sonoline B Professional Pocket Fetal Doppler (Product Review)

Like many mums-to-be, I've always loved that moment when you first hear your baby's little heart beat. Then when I'm at home and it's still too soon to feel any movements, I begin to worry about whether or not the baby is still alive. So, this time around, I decided since I don't have to buy too many baby products, I'd buy a little foetal doppler so I could listen in myself when I was feeling worried.

I did a little research and chose the Sonoline B Professional Pocket Fetal Doppler (which can be used from as early as 10-12 weeks) due to the good reviews it gets and because it has a little LCD display which shows how many beats per minute your baby's heart is beating. It can be listened to via a built-in loud speaker or you can plug earphones into the headphone socket. It also has a volume control and if you want to you can use the headphone socket with a recording cable to record the noises onto your computer or a cd. I haven't yet tried this feature but hope to do so before baby arrives in order to have a permanent reminder of that lovely little beating heart!

It's a great little gadget, although I'm aware such devices need to be used with caution and should never be used instead of routine visits to the doctor or if you're seriously worried about your baby's movements.

However, to help bond with your unborn baby, it's fantastic. It's also got an added benefit in that my husband and children can listen to our baby's heart beat and hear baby hiccupping, kicking, jumping and swirling around in my tummy. For the children in particular, it has helped them realise that there really is a little brother or sister in there and in fact, I've actually been surprised by the interest my 11 year old daughter has shown. For her, it seems to be a wonderful experience and she often asks to hear the baby and then talks, sings or makes silly noises into my belly.

The Sonoline B Professional Pocket Fetal Doppler that I purchased came with a free 250ml bottle of ultrasound gel which helps the dopppler pick up sounds more easily and clearly, although this can also be purchased separately.

I bought my pocket fetal doppler through Amazon, though you can also purchase them in many pharmacies.

If you'd like to find out more, check the listing and read the reviews on Amazon UK for Sonoline B Professional Pocket Fetal Doppler (LCD Display with Back Light) + 250ML of UltraSound Gel.