Most parents don’t believe in surprise or mysterious births. This is why they cannot contain their anxiety and excitement as they await their newborn. But how can parents connect with their unborn children before their due date? By using a fetal Doppler.
A fetal Doppler stethoscope gives parents a rare opportunity to connect with their unborn child, just like playing classical music help unborn children develop their cognition. There are many fetal Doppler stethoscopes in the market and it can be difficult to know the best type to choose.
You might be too excited or too busy to read every fetal Doppler review on the internet to know the best stethoscope to choose. The good news is that we’ve got you covered.
Read on for an in-depth review of the best fetal Doppler.
Reviews of the Best Fetal Doppler
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Wusic Fetal Doppler
The Wusic Fetal Doppler is compact in size. The device is easy and comfortable to hold for a long time. The Doppler features a personalized lullaby that will keep your unborn entertained all the time.
Wusic Fetal Doppler Reviews from Customers
While neither bulky nor complex, customers some customers complain of the Wusic Doppler being quieter than other types of fetal Dopplers. To use the device, you will need to be in an area with minimal background disturbance or noise. Check customer reviews on Amazon.
Pros of the Wusic Fetal Doppler
- Dual Audio Outputs. This allows two or more people to listen at the same time
- Sensitive. The fetal Doppler can detect fetal sounds even weeks earlier than expected. This is however not in every case.
- Reliable. The fetal Doppler is more reliable than most others when it comes to picking up sounds.
- Personalized Lullaby. You can have the Doppler’s audio track personalized with your baby’s name, if you have already decided on it.
- Small. The device is portable and easy to carry around.
Cons of the Wusic Fetal Doppler
- Quiet. The audio quality of the gadget is not the best. You will have to use the Doppler in a quiet background
- Sonar. The device uses sonar technology to detect fetal movement. Although not proven to cause any harm, manufacturers DON’T recommend continuous use of Dopplers that rely on sonar technology.
- Gel. The device does not come packaged with a gel. However, a gel is required for the Doppler to work properly.
- No Display. You will have to rely on your ears to differentiate sounds from your fetus as the Doppler has no display screen to help you with this.
Cobely Pocket Baby Heart Monitor
The Colby Doppler monitor also has a wand that makes finding the heartbeat easier. However, the wand makes the device heavier.
Pros of the Cobely Pocket Baby Heart Monitor
- Display. The display screen of Doppler is not only bright but also clear and better than that of most Dopplers in the market.
- Automatic Shutoff. The Doppler automatically goes off if it does not get a signal or a command for one minute. This helps in conserving energy.
- Professional Probe. The probe of the fetal Doppler is a lot more
- Built-in Speaker. With the fetal Doppler, you can listen to the baby’s heartbeat using headphone or speakerphones.
- Multiple Settings. Has multiple settings that enhance its ability to pick up sounds.
Cons of the Cobely Pocket Baby Heart Monitor
- Quiet. This unit’s speaker is extremely quiet. Only one person at a time can listen through the headphones since it lacks dual audio output.
- Size. Being one of the largest Dopplers in the market, the fact that it doesn’t have a strap is a little disappointing. Holding the Doppler for long hours is disappointing.
- Unreliable Counter. The counting software highly depends on individual product, position and background, making it unreliable.
- Gel. Although the Doppler works well with a gel, you have to buy the gel separately.
- Sonar. This is the echolocation technology used by this device to locate the sounds from the fetus. Though not proven risky, it has not been certified as safe for frequent use.
Summer Infant Heart to Heart Prenatal Listening
Apart from having a strap, the Summer Infant Heart Doppler is a lot similar to Angelsounds and Wusic. Buyers rate it as one of the most complicated baby monitors to use. You will be disappointed if you don’t follow the usage instructions to the latter.
Thanks to the strap, you can use the Baby Heart Doppler without holding it. It also has dual audio output. This means two or more people can listen to the fetus’ heartbeat sounds at any one time.
Pros of the Summer Infant Heart to Heart Doppler
- Isolated Heartbeat. Unlike some fetal Dopplers, the Summer Infant Doppler is so efficient in picking up only the fetus heartbeat
- Dual Audio Input. This feature allows at least two people to listen to the fetus heartbeat at the same time
- Sensitive. Not only does this fetal Doppler pick up heartbeat sounds from the fetus, it can also pick up kicks and hiccups
- Belt Strap. The belt makes the Doppler easy to use. All you need to do is put it around the mother. There is no hassle of holding the Doppler all the time.
- Cheap. With all its excellent features, this product sells at a fairly good bargain of only $$.
Cons of the Summer Infant Heart to Heart Doppler
- Interference. You have to be extremely calm and steady when using the Doppler. Otherwise, it will pick up many unwanted sounds
- Poor Headphones. To get the best hearing, you will need to purchase another set of headphones as the ones that come with the Doppler are generally of poor quality.
- No Display. If you have hearing challenges, you will be disappointed with this model as it has no supporting display
- Complex to Use. You need to go through the product manual to know how to use the Doppler. Otherwise, you will have a difficult time hearing any sounds from it.
- Positioning. To get accurate results, the fetal Doppler needs to be positioned in a particular position. The position can be challenging to attain considering we are talking about the Doppler being on a pregnant mother
Angelsounds Unborn Baby Heartbeat Listener
The Angelsounds Listener has no display screen and hence less expensive. However, it is a perfect choice for those who just want to record the sounds. Be warned that the recording may not be so clear if you listen to it from the fetal Doppler itself.
Pros of the Angelsounds Heartbeat Listener
- Volume. Unlike some fetal Dopplers that are somewhat quiet, the Angelsounds Listener has a good volume
- Connectivity. It’s relatively easy to record sounds with this Doppler on a PC or a smartphone.
- Price. Based on its quality, this fetal Doppler is considered cheap at [amazon_link asins=’B01KV1TRY2′ template=’PriceLink’ store=’steth09-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’09931390-106e-11e7-b818-416e788a70c4′], which is less than you would pay for most dopplers in its class
- Headphones. Compared to other Dopplers with ear buds, this device comes with a set of headphones that make it convenient.
- Size. The fetal Doppler provides a great grip due to its size. You can easily hold it for long hours without being exhausted
- Volume. The volume of this device is average
Cons of the Angelsounds Heartbeat Listener
- Placement. The Doppler has to be used in specific locations to maximize the sounds it picks
- Setup. If you are not tech savvy you might find this Doppler complex to use. For instance, you need to install a software to record sounds on a PC
- Generalized Sensitivity. The Doppler cannot differentiate the fetus heartbeat from the mother’s heartbeat. You have to determine this on your own.
- Gel. Like most Dopplers, the Angelsounds also has to be used with a gel, which you have to buy separately
- No Display – This device will have limited use for people with hearing challenges or those that need to time the heartbeats as it is audio only.
Kicktrak Baby Kick Monitoring System
The Kicktrack Monitoring System is designed by Unisar and is the most basic fetal Doppler in this list. The Doppler is meant just for listening to the kicks made by the fetus. The device is not automatic and hence you have to press the record button every time the fetus kicks. Unfortunately, press the device more than ten times. After ten presses, you can’t use the gadget again. Many customers therefore note down the number of kicks on paper.
Pros of the Kicktrack Monitoring System
- Kick Counter. As a standard fetal Doppler, this feature is extremely necessary. Dopplers that can’t keep track of inter uterine kicks are not worth it.
- Low Risk. Unlike Dopplers that use echolocation and sound waves to locate the heartbeat and the movements of the fetus, the Kicktrack does not use this technology. Although not yet proven to be a risk to the unborn child, manufacturers warn against continuous usage of Dopplers that rely on sonar technology.
- Size. The fetal Doppler has a good size and features only one component, making it relatively easy to move around with
- Stop Signal. This feature enables you to know when the scanning has stopped. It does this by playing a nursery tune
- Carrying strap. You can easily count your baby’s kicks in any place and at any time.
Cons of the Kicktrack Monitoring System
- Poor Display. There are Dopplers with brighter and clearer displays than the Kicktrack system.
- Manual. The Doppler is not automatic. Thus, you have to press a button every time the baby kicks, up to a total of ten times.
- No audio. Unfortunately, with this Doppler, you can only see your baby’s movements but can’t hear them.
- No heartbeats. You cannot listen to the fetus heartbeat using this Doppler. However, you could still gauge the health of your unborn baby visually
- Warranty. This fetal Doppler has a limited warranty of only 90 days. You should therefore take good care of it so that it can last throughout your pregnancy
What to Consider When Looking for a Fetal Doppler
Sensitivity
This is the most important factor to consider. Your Doppler will be useless if it cannot easily pick sounds from the fetus, unless it is non–audio.
When it comes to sensitivity, there is an ideal standard to look for. If a Doppler is too sensitive, it can pick false sounds, sparking false alarm. Oversensitive Dopplers also tend to be static.
Most fairly priced Dopplers have considerably good sensitivity. Avoid buying cheap Dopplers are they are likely to be problematic.
Size
The issue of size and handling has been addressed differently by various brands. Some brands that have incorporated straps or belts in their Doppler to make them easier to hold. Having straps can be advantageous although it may cause problem in regards to stability.
Other brands have simply made their gadgets more rigid. With these Dopplers, you will have a comfortable grip and not easily get tired while holding them. This also has its own advantages and challenges.
The type of Doppler to go for will solely depend on your personal preferences.
Volume
It is rare to find a fetal Doppler with a solid volume. For most models, you will have to be in a very quiet place to use them. If you will be frequently moving throughout your pregnancy, choose a fetal Doppler with high volume.
Display
The display feature is an added benefit. It will definitely cost you extra but ifs worth the cash if the fetal Doppler you have is highly capable of tracking down fetus noises.
Unfortunately, most fetal Dopplers don’t have this feature.
Top Recommended Fetal Doppler
All the fetal Dopplers we highlighted are high end products.
The Cobely fetal Doppler is our top choice. The device’s wand, on–board speaker and quality display make it stand out from the others. The Doppler has almost the same sensitivity as the Angelsounds. We recommend it for use at home.
Our second-best recommendation is the Angelsounds. It’s advantaged above the others due to its recording ability.
The prices of these top rated Dopplers are also on the same range. The Cobely and Angelsounds are a bit more expensive but are definitely worth the extra cash.
Check the Best Fetal Doppler Reviews and Prices on Amazon