So about my baby's heartbeat.......

amazing_love · #1 September 24th, 2009, 02:15 PM

183 seems fast compared to a lot of others i've heard about on the forum. So what does this mean exactly, if anything? I know there's a myth about it telling the gender but i can't remember which sex was the faster HB or how accurate that even is.

BabyBird · #2 September 24th, 2009, 02:18 PM

Your baby's HR fluctuates a lot so one "snapshot" rate isn't anything to worry about. I am not sure about the old wives tale either but Haylea's was always sort of on the low side...120's when she was resting but at times during NSTs she would get as high as 180...although not often. Your baby's HR could have been higher just because it was an active time.

amazing_love · #3 September 24th, 2009, 02:41 PM

Yea our baby did seem really active at the time so maybe that was part of it. I pretty much answered my own question by googling. It said your baby's heartbeat continues to beat faster and faster until around 9 weeks. That is the point when it's the fastest and then it starts to decrease to a more normal range. So it sounds completely normal.

Christine-MA · #4 September 24th, 2009, 03:27 PM

Like April said, it will fluctuate with time. My first HB was 107 or so at 5w6d. That's lower than others had reported at their first u/s, but the HB had literally JUST started beating. I've seen a curve before of how it starts low, goes up, then goes back down. My second HB was 176 at 8 weeks, so not too far off from yours. Most of the times after that were in the 150s

Congrats on the great appt!

Oh, and the wives tale is faster HB means a girl, slower means a boy, but I swear for everyone I've heard that is right, another is wrong. I looked into some research done and I believe I read it was right 51% of the time or something lol

Jodi0804 · #5 September 24th, 2009, 03:42 PM

At my u/s at 8 weeks baby's hb was 180 and its definitely a boy. His is always higher though since he is very active!!

Glad your appt went well!

polarbearmama · #6 September 24th, 2009, 06:43 PM

I remember thinking this exact same thing around my 9 week U/S as well because Mari's heartrate was in the 180s and that seemed quite high to me, but I also googled it and found out the same thing you did that the heartrate peaks around 9 weeks or so...so definitely normal...and I'm sure you caught him/her at a very active time

ChristinaR · #7 September 24th, 2009, 06:47 PM

Yeah I'm not sure about that whole wives tale about the heart rates. At my 10 week appt the babies HR was in the 180's so I was convinced we were having a girl but that's so not the case. I can't wait to find out what you're having.

Oreobaby · #8 September 24th, 2009, 06:48 PM

I know I have visited much Krista...but I am very excited about your sticky bean!! and yippee for a nice strong HB

LindsLuvsSi · #9 September 24th, 2009, 09:15 PM

I don't agree with the old wives tale with the heart rate....It seems to differ on everyone I know....some followed it others didn't. (but I think it seems from everyone here that it's the opposite, higher= boy, lower=girl) But I don't really think it's a true, accurate of gender. Zane's was fast/high, always in the 160s. He's def. a boy

Etph007 · #10 September 25th, 2009, 06:16 AM

my LO seems to always be in the 150s or 160s and he's a boy

I agree that I wouldn't worry too much about it!! The dr. will let you know if there's something to be concerned about!

Lyz · #11 September 25th, 2009, 09:06 AM

Bella's heartbeat was in the 180s at about the week as you. The next time I heard it, it came down to the normal 160's that she typically runs. The old wive's tale is one of those "take it with a grain of salt". It was true for me, but I know others it wasn't (using Erin as an example). I know it'll feel like eternity until you find out the gender of your baby but it will be here before you know it!

karenwalter · #12 September 25th, 2009, 04:59 PM

My first U/S the baby had a HR in the 180's. Now by doppler it seems to always run 150-160's. I had heard a HR above 140 means girl and below 140 means boy but it was wrong because he's definently a boy!