Feeling the baby

**harman** · 01-04-2004, 02:08 PM

I had my first appointment with the midwife the other day. She went through all the normal stuff and then went to send me on my way. As I am a bit paranoid I asked her if she would feel my stomach to see if she could feel anything yet.

She said if I was 10 weeks she wouldn't be able to feel anything at all and there was no point. She agreed though to put my mind at rest and said I felt more like 14 weeks than 10 and was I sure on my dates. She also said if I was only 10 weeks she wouldn't be able to pick up a heart beat on the doppler thingy but she found one straight away.

I am pretty definite on my dates, so why would my stomach feel bigger than it's supposed to? She thought it may have something to do with cs scar. Also when can you normally hear the heart beat, could I have got my dates wrong?

**pie** · 01-04-2004, 02:12 PM

What was your last period like? If it was light you could have had an implantation bleed?

**pebbles** · 01-04-2004, 02:21 PM

maybe it is just higher because it is your fourth? I dont know what is the earliest they can pick up the heartbeat, I know with mine I dont think they could pick one up until I was 15weeks

**harman** · 01-04-2004, 02:21 PM

From what I remember it was pretty heavy, they normally are.

**pie** · 01-04-2004, 02:21 PM

I don't know then...have they offered you a dating scan?

**harman** · 01-04-2004, 02:28 PM

First scan isn't until I'm 17 weeks. Ages away. Could there be more than one do you think?

**Oakmaiden** · 01-04-2004, 02:28 PM

Basically, it is very unusual to be able to feel the baby above the pubic bone before 12 weeks - the number of baby's you have had shouldn't alter this. Also before the 12+ week mark it is very very hard to hear a heartbeat - the baby is SOOO tiny, and as I say, it very rarely comes above the pubic bone and so you can't get to the right place to find it.

Are you absolutely certain of your dates?

**Oakmaiden** · 01-04-2004, 02:30 PM

It is not impossible that that is the reason - but it is unlikely. It would still be very hard to find the heartbeat even if there were 2, and I would still be surprised for the uterus to be that big by this stage.