Hearing Baby Heart Beat.
Hearing Your Baby's Heartbeat It may be possible to hear your baby's heartbeat with a stethoscope at 20 weeks. Before doctors had doppler equipment that enabled them to hear the heartbeat and ultrasound to see the heart beating, a stethoscope helped the listener hear the baby's heartbeat. This usually occurred after quickening for most women.
The sound you hear through a stethoscope may be different than what you are used to hearing at the doctor's office. The sound isn't loud. If you've never listened through a stethoscope, it may be difficult to hear at first. It does get easier as the baby gets larger and sounds are louder.
If you can't hear your baby's heartbeat with a stethoscope, don't worry. It's not always easy for a doctor who does this on a regular basis! If you hear a swishing sound (baby's heartbeat), you have to differentiate it from a beating sound (mother's heartbeat). A baby's heart beats rapidly, usually 120 to 160 beats every minute. Your heartbeat or pulse rate is slower, in the range of 60 to 80 beats a minute. Don't be afraid to ask your healthcare provider to help you distinguish the sounds.

