Expectant parents can easily hear their baby's heart beating via home use fetal heart rate Doppler monitor.

Expectant parents who decide to rent the Doppler instrument can check their unborn child's heart beating and bond with their baby. However these ultrasound medical instruments are not without controversy.

With the discovery of new sophisticated technology, expectant mothers and fathers can listen in on unborn child's heart beating virtually any time they want to. There has been a lot of controversy over these medical instruments, unfortunately, as physicians express concern that some expectant mothers who hear the unborn child's heart beating using an ultrasound instrument can be falsely reassured (or falsely anxious) and put off calling their physician in the case of a potential problem.

How Fetal Heart Rate Doppler Monitor Works

Fetal heart rate Doppler monitor works by sending ultrasounds (high frequency sound waves that pass through the body), through the pregnant woman's stomach to the baby. These high frequency sound waves bounce off the beating heart and alter frequency as the fetal heart muscle moves with every beat. Next, the instrument reads the returning high frequency sound waves and converts them to digital readouts and audible sounds of the fetal heart beating.

Where to Find the Best Fetal Doppler Monitor Rental Deals

Even though the U.S. Food and Drug Association state that purchase or rental of a Doppler instrument requires a prescription, these are available for rental over the Internet without one. On the other hand, it is a smart thing to get a prescription and go to a reputable website to get these medical instruments. Medical clinics and centers can offer U.S. Food and Drug Association approved home-use Doppler rentals. Rental charges usually go from $30 to $65 per one month, depending on the quality of the instrument.

For pregnant women who wish to hear to their child's heart beating often or having more than one child with whom they plan to use this instrument, purchase of one is a wise investment. Retail prices usually go from $250 to $750.

Home-Use Fetal Heart Rate Doppler Monitor for Prenatal Bonding

A home-use fetal heart rate Doppler monitor is quite simple to use. The expectant mother simply places the probe low on her stomach and slowly moves it around until she hears her unborn baby's heart beating. A water based gel (usually comes with the instrument) can be used on the stomach in order to protect the probe and minimize outside sounds. Detecting the child's heart beating is an overwhelming moment for an expectant mother. Sharing this highly emotional moment with the expectant father, family members and older siblings is a way to get everyone in the home emotional and happy about the new child.

Controversy Over Home-Use Fetal Doppler Monitors

Expectant mother should consider the fact that sometimes she can have difficulty finding the fetal heart rate, which may be stressful. What's more, she can pick up her own heartbeat, which is much slower than the baby's, and worry unnecessarily about how the little one is doing in there. Luckily there are no known (so far) health risks to listening frequently.

Maybe the most important thing to keep in mind when using this sophisticated instrument is that it is not a substitute for prenatal care. Viewing the home-use fetal heart rate Doppler monitor as a fun bonding experience with a baby can be a harmless way for an expectant mother to enjoy her pregnancy and share it with the expectant father.