Baby Beats FAQ

These frequently asked questions have been split into general Baby Beats queries, and those regarding dopplers:

How long does delivery take?

We aim to deliver within two or three business days. For delivery prices and more information please visit our Delivery FAQ.

How do I order?

You can order online 24 hours a day, everyday, using a credit/debit card through our secure processing area. We also accept cheques and postal orders (for sale items only).

FAQ - hiring a doppler

What is the minimum rental period?

The minimum rental period is two months. If you hire your doppler for five continuous months we will consider the unit paid for and transfer ownership to you. This is why we set up a five-month agreement. Although the agreement is set up for five months, you are free to return your doppler (and end your rental) at anytime you like.

When does my rental period start from?

Your period of rental begins on the day we send out your doppler. For example: You order on 1st May, and we dispatch your doppler. Your initial, two month rental period ends on 1st July and the second payment will be taken on that day.

What if you are out of rental stock?

If we are out of rental stock you will be informed at the time you order. You will also be given an expected 'waiting' time. Your money will still be debited on the day after you order. This secures your place in the queue for rental dopplers. Your rental period, however, will not begin until we send out the dopper, i.e. you will not lose any rental time as a result of the delay.

What do I need to do at the end of my rental?

You simply need to inform us (before your payment day) that you intend to return your doppler. Then you post it back to us. Feel free to any of AN Post's services, but for your own protection, we suggest that you use a registered service. You do not need to send back the gel.

Are my details safe with you?

Yes! Our online payment area is totally secure and we do not share your personal details with any third parties. Furthermore, we will never use your telephone number for marketing purposes.

I have a question which is not answered here.

Please email: eire@baby-beats.com

FAQ - Dopplers

What are dopplers?

Dopplers are portable antenatal listening devices which enable you to listen to your baby's movements and heartbeat. Using the same technology as the units used by your midwife, Baby Beats dopplers are a safe, easy and reliable way of keeping in touch with your developing baby.
Baby Beats dopplers provide a calming connection to the new life inside you - from as early as ten weeks of pregnancy.

Are they safe to use?

Baby dopplers have an incredible safety record.They have been used daily for the last thirty years around the world; it is estimated there are around five million in use every single day. No adverse effects to either mother or baby have ever been reported.

Our dopplers must not be confused with the ultrasound scanners used in hospital to show images of your baby. Although our pocket dopplers use ultrasound it is at an extrememly low power output. That is why they run on just a household battery!

How do Baby Beats dopplers work?

The doppler issues low-frequency ultrasound waves which 'bounce off' tissues in the body. The return wave from the baby's movements and heartbeat is translated into an audible signal we can hear. The process can be likened to the echo location used by bats and dolphins.

How do I use my doppler?

It couldn't be simpler:

 1. Press the 'on' button on your doppler;
 2. Use the dial (located on the side of the device) to adjust the speaker volume;
 3. Apply a generous squidge of gel to your abdomen; and
 4. Hold the flat end of the transducer against your skin.
     You do not need to press hard.

That's it!

Where will I find my baby?

This varies, depending on how many weeks you are. If you are in the early stages of pregnancy, you will find the baby is lower down your abdomen than you might imagine. First locate your pelvic brim - it is the place your underwear normally rests (your bikini line). This is where you should hold the doppler to hear your baby. As your pregnancy progresses, your baby will move upwards, out of your pelvis and into your abdomen (which is why you start to 'show' after the first trimester.)

If you are in the early stages of pregnancy, you might find that angling the head of the doppler very slightly downwards might help to pick up the heartbeat. Remember, until 12 or 13 weeks of pregnancy, your baby is tucked away in your pelvis, below your pelvic brim.

Also, at this stage, your baby is still very small and moves around a great deal. Midwives often liken it to a goldfish in a bowl - darting about quickly - so please don't worry if it takes you a few attempts to pick up the heartbeat. Just persevere and don't move the doppler around too quickly as it is easy to miss your baby. As a general guide, aim to move the doppler no more than an inch in a ten second period.

I'm getting a lot of interference - what should I do?

The interference heard gets greater as the battery gets nearer to the end of its life - try using a new battery. Also, always use a generous dollop of gel. Re-apply if you have been using your doppler for a while as the gel tends to dry out.

I'm picking up lots of other noises - what are they?

Your doppler will pick up many interesting noises, and not just the heartbeat! Here are some that you may hear through your doppler:

• A 'wooshing' noise is the sound of the blood supply to the placenta.
• A roaring, like waves on a beach, is the sound of your placenta.
• Your own pulse! Don't forget that your baby's heartbeat is about twice as fast as this.
• A pulse that is more high-pitched than your baby's heartbeat, but at the same speed. This is the pulse through the umbilical cord; a very pregnant and reassuring noise!