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Bebe Heart Monitor Instructions

The Bebe Sounds Prenatal Heart Listener by Graco helps expectant parents monitor the sounds their baby makes while in the womb. Because the Heart Listener amplifies the natural sounds made by your baby, rather than using Dopler ultrasound equipment, the noises you hear with your Heart Listener will be different than what you hear during an ultrasound at your doctor's office. Learning to use the Bebe Sounds Prenatal Heart Listener is quick and easy, leaving you more time to monitor your little one.

  1. Battery Information

    • The Bebe Sounds Prenatal Heart Listener is powered by a single 9-volt battery. For the best performance, the manufacturer suggests using alkaline, rather than rechargeable, batteries to power your Heart Listener. To install the battery in your Heart Listener, remove the battery cover on the top of the device and insert a new 9-volt battery. Be sure to use new batteries to power your Heart Listener, as older batteries will interfere with the performance of the device.

    Best Listening Conditions

    • The best time to start using the Heart Listener to monitor your baby is late in the second trimester, when you can hear your baby's heartbeat. Before the second trimester, you can use the Heart Listener to monitor your baby's kicks, hiccups and movements, though these sounds are often a lot harder to catch. The Bebe Sounds Heart Listener performs best when used in a quiet, calm room, three to four hours after eating.

    Sounds

    • Some of the sounds you can expect to hear with the Bebe Sounds Heart Listener are kicks, hiccups, heartbeats and nutrients passing into the placenta. Kicks often sound like a series of uneven thumps, while hiccups sound like two rapid and soft drumbeats. Nutrients passing into the placenta make an unmistakable whooshing noise. Your baby's heartbeat will sound much different from your own, similar to a softly galloping horse. The heartbeat will also be much faster than an adult heartbeat, beating at between 120 and 180 beats per minute.

    Using the Heart Listener

    • The Bebe Sounds Heart Listener is operated by pressing and holding the "Activation" button on the device. To avoid a feedback squeal, only press the "Activation" button when the device is pressed against the skin. The volume on the Heart Listener should be turned all the way down when the device is turned on and then adjusted to suit your preference; this will minimize static interruptions. You can also use your Heart Listener to record the sounds that your baby makes. Just plug the recording cable into one of the jacks on your fetal monitor and plug the other end into a portable tape recorder.

    Care and Maintenance

    • Proper care and maintenance can help keep your Heart Listener functioning at its best. This includes keeping the Heart Listener clean, out of extreme temperatures and away from excess moisture. Should your Heart Listener need to be cleaned, wipe it with a soft cloth that has been dampened with a solution of mild soap and water. If your Heart Listener is accidentally immersed in water, remove the battery and thoroughly dry the device before replacing the battery.

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