
This could be because of the position of the baby, or because the mom-to-be is overweight or she has an anteverted uterus (a uterus that is naturally bent forward towards the tummy and over the cervix). Sometimes, in the early weeks, doctors have difficulty finding the heartbeat. Listening to the baby's heartbeat isn't always easy. For the rest of the pregnancy, the accepted safe range for foetal heart rate is 110-160 bpm.

The baby’s heart rate goes up to 140-170 bpm for a short period between the ninth and 10th week of pregnancy. If you are hearing the heartbeat within the first eight weeks of pregnancy, the normal range to expect is 90-110 bpm. Next, he or she will do some calculations to determine the heartbeat and heart rhythm of your baby. Here is what to expect when you go in to hear your baby's heartbeat: your doctor will use a handheld doppler device or a Pinard stethoscope to find the baby's heartbeat.

Your doctor will monitor the baby’s heartbeat and heart rhythm every time you go in for a checkup. Here's what to expect if you are going to hear your baby's heartbeat: Foetal age Though the heartbeat can be discerned between the sixth and ninth week of pregnancy, many parents-to-be hear it for the first time during the routine pregnancy checkup and pregnancy ultrasound, either between the ninth and 11th week of pregnancy or during the 11th to 13th week of pregnancy. The “lub dub” sound can be heard as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. The baby's heart muscles start contracting around the third week and the heart starts beating at 90-110 beats per minute (bpm) during the fifth week of pregnancy. It is a very special moment when you get to hear your baby’s heart beating for the first time.
