Hi Jo,

What a GREAT Xmas present, you lucky girl! ! !

The only reason that you are being told NOT to use it yet is because it is so easy to not be able to find bub's heart beat and many mums get themselves into a bad state as they think they worse . . .  There is NO risk to bub by using it so if you want to try it, go for it . . . JUST remember not to stress if you can't find it.

Cheers Kellz

Hey Jo. I think they just say not to use before 18 weeks so people don't use it & panic if they don't find the heartbeat as it can be hard to find early on. I would go ahead and give it a try if I was you.

Teshia xxoo

If you can find the heartbeat, then use it.  There should be no risk to you or the baby by using it.  All it basically does is amplify the sound of the heartbeat for you to hear.  Some doctors still use a stethoscope to find the heartbeat.  The dopler just puts it on loud speaker and rates the heartbeat for you.  Good luck with it.

I would use it. The doc. used one on me when I was 10 weeks and we found the heartbeat. It takes a littel bit though when they are small, they are hard to find at that size....LOL

 I suspect this is because baby is very small and unless you are well trained, could miss the heartbeat and get yourself all in a knot over nothing.  I may well be wrong, but I do not know of any dangers associated with these.

There are no known dangers in doplers, hence why they use them at the docs.  It could be because before so many weeks, I guess 18, the baby is small and sometimes the heartbeat hard to hear, esp if they are low and turned around.  It's easier to hear the baby when they are bigger, higher, or have their back to your tummy.  Most of the time you will hear yours, but if you get it right you will hear theirs, a much faster beat!  Have fun with it!!  And congrats