I am officially at the last week of my first trimester! (Insert loud cheers and applause) These first weeks have been filled with a queasy tummy, a strange desire to drink white milk, and lots and lots of sleep. I am so excited to start the fun trimester. I recently went to my prenatal appointment and got to hear my sweet miracle’s heartbeat for the first time. Here are some things I’ve been thinking about this week:

Best Sound Ever

I am completely convinced the sound of an unborn baby’s heartbeat is the best sound in the world. It’s truly a miracle that while you may not look or feel pregnant, there is a tiny human growing and developing inside of you. I was especially excited with this pregnancy to have my husband and daughter at the appointment. The look on her face was priceless when she heard the Doppler make space-like sounds on my tummy.

When does the heartbeat begin?

A baby’s heart begins beating as early as 4 to 5 weeks of pregnancy! This is just a few weeks after conception. Crazy! Of course, you can’t heart it that early, but it’s a miracle to think of how quickly it begins. By 6-7 weeks, a vaginal ultrasound can show the sweet heartbeat.

Old Wives’ Tales

So can a heartbeat really tell you the gender of your baby? If so, it looks like another girl for me. According to old wives’ tales, if a baby’s heartbeat is 140 or lower, it is a boy. My little miracle had a heartbeat of 160 at my appointment. What do you think? Is there any truth to it? I’m not sure I buy into it. I will be thrilled to have a healthy boy or girl. But, it is interesting and fun to think about when you hear the heartbeat.

Sometimes it takes a while

At my appointment, it felt like it took forever for the midwife to find my baby’s heartbeat. Luckily, she was very calm and reassuring to me. For many women, this is normal with your first experience with the Doppler and heartbeat. Also, if you have a tilted uterus like I do, this can be a normal thing. No need to worry. Baby could also be very active and hard to catch.

So, as my first trimester ends, I thought it would be great to reflect on the amazing gift of a heart. I know I will love this baby with all of mine, and I can’t wait to hear those sweet sounds again. Ugh. 4 more weeks!

Karyn writes and loves life in Northeast Indiana. When she isn’t chasing her toddler around, she’s usually napping these days. 

Tags: doppler, first heartbeat, first trimester, midwife, mom's milk boutique, pregnancy

This entry was posted on Monday, February 10th, 2014 at 5:01 pm and is filed under Birth, Karyn Meyerhoff, Parenting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.