Possessed fetal doppler machine

[dinski]

I am 5 months pregnant. Yesterday I was awoken at 4am by this crackling noise which I thought was my radio going on although I hadn't set the alarm. I then realised that it was the fetal doppler that I rent to listen to my baby's heartbeat. I switched it off. 5 minutes later it came on again, just crackling (it only crackles unless you actually put it to something to listen to) :shock: . The on/off button was not responding and it took me a few seconds to switch it off. It then came on for a third time about 5 minutes after that :shock: :shock: . Exasperated I decided to remove the battery. I have kept the battery out of it except when I am using it. It was probably a glitch in the machine itself but it was very creepy and I don't really know how a failing battery can make this happen. Until then it has been working fine. It made me think about the different mediums for evp (although I didn't actually hear any voices or anything).

The doppler is about the size of a telephone. Here is a photo of a fetal doppler, just in case anyone is wondering what these look like;

http://www.twinsthings.co.uk/monitor.htm

 

[mindalai]

Most doppler machines that I've used have been a bit crackly. It would only take the smallest thing to set it off - a fly walking on it or similar. Or if the switch wasn't working properly perhaps it was just a bit of interference? If you hold a lightswitch so it's almost, but not quite, on then any radio in the room will start to crackle. I bet it was a similar effect.

 

[Anonymous]

Fetal doppler machine

Hi

I've never encountered one of these machines, but it does sound like it has a faulty switch.

If the switch is the common rocker type and it has got 'stiff' in the off position, it probably isn't clicking over fully, and falls back to the ON position.

Since you say you hire it, why not take it back to the shop/neo natal unit and hire a different one, and report what you think is a fault at the same time.

I am sure they will be pleased to do an exchange, and thank you for pointing out possibly faulty equipment.

 

[Richard_Cheese]

Interesting device, have you tried listening through walls or such with it?

 

[eyepod]

Why would you need one of these for use at home? Are you sure it's completely safe for regular use? I only ask because in the past I've had ultrasound treatment to reduce scar tissue on a tendon. It actually changes the makeup of the tissue. Obviously these monitors work at a different frequency than would be used in a physio department, but I'd be a little bit worried that bombarding a tiny person inside with ultrasound on a daily basis might not be entirely good for it.

 

[infinitysymbol]

In answer to some of the replies, 1) there is no switch as such just a button that you press into. This is not activated easily and you have to press quite hard on it. It can't be activated by being flipped as it is not a light-switch type button. 2) The company I have/am renting it from is an online company that has suddenly closed so I won't be returning it in the near future. 3) It is not dangerous to the unborn baby unless you were to use it constantly, i.e. 24/7. If you use it a couple of times a week, it is fine.

To add to my original post, I yesterday went out and bought a new battery for it as I originally thought this may have been causing it to turn on by itself. I was shocked by being woken at exactly the same time in the morning to its crackling and am obviously EXTREMELY freaked out now. It is not the battery. My husband postulated that perhaps the electronics have malfunctioned to such an extent that it has now programmed itself to turn on at a specific time in the morning. This might well be the case but why has it done this and why at this specific time in the morning? Anyway, there is probably a rational explanation, its just extremely unnerving to be awoken by this loud crackling :? I also noticed that sometimes when I listen to my baby's heartbeat I can also hear a sound that almost sounds like a human voice and is quite unnerving. Perhaps my unborn child is trying to tell me something

 

[henry]

I was shocked by being woken at exactly the same time in the morning to its crackling and am obviously EXTREMELY freaked out now... I also noticed that sometimes when I listen to my baby's heartbeat I can also hear a sound that almost sounds like a human voice and is quite unnerving. Perhaps my unborn child is trying to tell me something.

Are you saying that it went off at exactly 4am once more, even after installing a new battery?

Is there a time circuit built into the unit? Ie., does it display the time/date or otherwise use a time function? Wouldnt have thought so given the use of the device. From the link you have posted it doesnt even appear to have a display?

As for the strange sounds when you use it, can you record the output? Maybe to your PC?

 

[infinitysymbol]

Are you saying that it went off at exactly 4am once more, even after installing a new battery?

Yes, that is why I was so freaked out.

Is there a time circuit built into the unit? Ie., does it display the time/date or otherwise use a time function? Wouldnt have thought so given the use of the device. From the link you have posted it doesnt even appear to have a display?

It is fairly basic in the sense that it doesn't have a display. Unlike other dopplers I chose one where you can't see the heart rate as I have read that some dopplers can confuse babys heartrate (which is normally quite high) with mothers pulse (which can be much lower) which can cause undue worry to the mother.

As for the strange sounds when you use it, can you record the output? Maybe to your PC?

I can't do it on this laptop but will try and get my husband to help me do it on his computer although may take a while as his pc crashed a few days ago and he has had to reconfigure all the software.