Listening to a Baby Heart Beat is Fun and Exciting

My sister recently had her second child last week and she said that the only thing that she missed about being pregnant was the way that she and her first child would sit and listen to the baby heart beat and baby sounds using a baby heartbeat monitor.

A baby heart monitor is used to check the baby heart rate during pregnancy and to ensure that everything is fine. There are different types of these monitors and using one can be fun and exciting, especially for children and new parents. Even for adults it is important to keep an eye on your heart rate and to try and catch any problems early on. This can be done in various ways and for different reasons which can range from measuring heart rate for heart patients to knowing when your heart rate is at the optimum level for weight loss during exercise.

To measure your heart rate, simply check your pulse. Place your index and third fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe. To check your pulse at your wrist, place two fingers between the bone and the tendon over your radial artery — which is located on the thumb side of your wrist. When you feel your pulse, count the number of beats in 15 seconds. Multiply this number by 4 to calculate your beats per minute.

How to find your target heart rate

Calculate your target heart-rate zone by subtracting your age from 220 to get your maximum heart rate, and then multiplying that number by 0.7 (for the lower end of your target range) and 0.85 (for the upper end). For a 55-year-old, for example, the maximum heart rate would be 165 beats per minute, and the range during exercise is 116 and 140 beats per minute. Those numbers are approximate; individual targets might vary.

Keep in mind that many factors can influence heart rate, including:

• Activity level

• Fitness level

• Air temperature

• Body position (standing up or lying down, for example)

• Emotions

• Body size

• Medications

What's the best way to take my baby's temperature?

Another device which is essential in a home with children is the baby thermometer which will see much use. Some digital thermometers are specifically designed for use in the rectum, but most can be used rectally, orally, or under the arm. (If you take your baby's temperature using more than one method, you'll want to designate a thermometer for each.) Digital ear thermometers are usually more expensive and can only be used in the ear. Taking your child's temperature orally won't be an option until he's a little older. Each method has advantages and disadvantages, so talk it over with your doctor to see which method might work best for your baby.

Whichever method you use, don't take your baby's temperature right after a bath, as it could affect his temperature. Wait at least 20 minutes after bath time for an accurate reading. Also wait to use the baby thermometer if the baby has been swaddled.