You are 16 weeks and 4 days

Until you can feel your baby move, hearing the heartbeat is the next best way to bond.

164 days until your due date

Around now, your doctor may be able to hear your baby's heartbeat with a handheld Doppler ultrasound device. Ultrasound doesn't travel well through air, so gel is put on the end of the probe (transducer) before it's placed on your abdomen. It picks up the heartbeat and turns it into a sound you can hear.

It's easy to tell your baby's heartbeat from yours, because it's almost twice as fast. But the baby's heart rate peaked about five weeks ago and has slowed since, as the nerves controlling its rhythm have matured.

In the second half of pregnancy, the heart rate ranges from 120 to 160 beats per minute and responds to many things, including your baby's activity.

Ask a Panel

My partner wants to rent a handheld Doppler so we can listen to the heartbeat at home. Is it a good idea?

Doctor: Handheld Doppler devices are sold over the counter in the US, with claims that parents can listen "in complete safety as early as 10 weeks" and "any time they want," implying no limit on use. But there's been no research on the effects of frequent use, which exposes the baby to more than prenatal care does. A Doppler isn't a toy, and using it this way is an unnecessary risk.

Midwife: A Doppler may reassure you if you're very anxious, but it can just as easily do the opposite if you can't find the heartbeat. Identifying the different sounds takes practice, and struggling to find the heartbeat (which happens to midwives too!) can be distressing. If you're worried about your baby, help is only a phone call away.

Mom: I'm a worrier, and using a Doppler gave me real peace of mind. I didn't use it often, only when there was good reason, such as after an episode of bleeding and clots, when hearing the heartbeat really calmed me down, which was good for the baby too. It's not a substitute for medical advice, but it was a useful extra.

As a matter of fact

Heart rate and sex

Your baby's heart rate doesn't tell you whether it's a boy or a girl.

A mid-1990s study using over 10,000 measurements disproved the theory that the speed of the heartbeat predicts the baby's sex.

This is general information based on NHS guidance, not medical advice, and every pregnancy is different. Talk to your midwife or GP about anything that worries you. If your baby's movements slow down or change, or you have bleeding, severe pain or leaking fluid, call your maternity unit straight away. In an emergency, call 999.