When Does My Baby's Heartbeat Start During Pregnancy?

Your baby will heartbeat, most likely, before you even know you're pregnant. Your baby's heartbeat starts from around 22 days after conception, although this will not be heard or seen for a while yet. 

When Can I See My Baby's Heartbeat?

Unless scheduled for an earlier scan, you will be called in for a scan from anywhere between 10-14 weeks pregnant. The earliest you will be able to detect your baby's heart beat on-screen is from 5 weeks after your missed period. During your first ultrasound you may not be able to detect a heartbeat or even identify a 'baby' as such because of how tiny they are.

But don't worry, you will be back for plenty of scans throughout your pregnancy so you've got plenty of opportunities to witness the beating of your baby's heart. Your baby's heart beat will be identified by a tiny flutter/flicker like movement. 

What Week Can I Hear My Baby's Heartbeat?

This is all dependent on your baby and the following points:

• The position of your baby, 
• Your current weight, 
• The accuracy of your due date. 

You should be able to hear your baby's heartbeat from around 10-12 weeks but everyone is different and sometimes your baby doesn't want to play game. Your baby's heart beat can often be heard as galloping horses or some say a train. It is an old wives tale that if your baby's heartbeat sounds like a train, you're expecting a little boy. But if your baby's heartbeat sounds like galloping horses, you're expecting a little girl. Whether you choose to believe this or not is your choice but I suppose it adds some fun to the guessing game. 

What Should My Baby's Heart Rate Be?

Your baby's heart rate should range between 120 and 160 bpm. Another way to decide the sex of your baby by their heart beat is by their heart rate and this is something that can be guessed as early as your first trimester. The following statements are yet another tale that you can choose if you believe but does actually have some medical belief behind it. 

• If your baby's heartbeat is over 140 bpm, you're carrying a girl. 
• If your baby's heartbeat is under 140 bpm, you're carrying a boy.