Badum
When can you hear your baby's heartbeat with a phone app?
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Most parents first pick up sounds with a phone app like Badum between week 20 and week 26 of pregnancy. Earlier than that is uncommon, because the baby is still small and sits far from the belly wall. What you hear may include blood flow and body sounds as well as the heartbeat.
Why it is hard to hear anything before week 20
A phone microphone can only pick up sound that reaches your skin. Before week 20 the baby is small and sits low and deep in the pelvis, behind more tissue and fluid. Very little sound makes it to the surface.
The heartbeat you heard at an early scan came from a doppler or an ultrasound machine. Those send ultrasound into the body and listen for the echo. Badum sends nothing. It listens through the iPhone or Android phone's built-in microphone and amplifies what is already there.
What changes when you first hear something
Four things matter most.
- Baby's position. A baby facing your back is harder to hear than one facing forward.
- Placenta position. An anterior placenta sits between the baby and the belly wall and muffles sound. Parents with an anterior placenta often hear something later, from week 26 or so.
- Background noise. A television, traffic or a fan can drown out the faint sounds from your bump.
- Your phone case. A thick case lifts the microphone away from your skin. Take it off.
What to try
Find a quiet room and lie back comfortably. Take the phone case off. Rest the microphone end of the phone low on your bump and a little to one side. Press record in Badum, then move the amplify and noise-reduction sliders until the sound is clear. Headphones help you hear detail.
When to try again
If you hear nothing yet, try again a week or two later. Sounds get easier to catch as the baby grows and moves closer to the belly wall. Keep sessions short and relaxed.
Not hearing anything with a phone app says nothing about your baby's health. Badum is a keepsake, not a check. If you are worried about movements or anything else, contact your midwife or doctor.
Related questions
Can you hear the baby's heartbeat at 12 weeks with a phone?
Very rarely. At 12 weeks the baby is tiny and sits deep in the pelvis, so almost no sound reaches a phone microphone. A midwife or doctor uses a doppler or ultrasound at that stage, and both are medical devices.
Does hearing the heartbeat with Badum mean the baby is fine?
No. Badum amplifies your phone's microphone and does not check on your baby's health. Only your midwife or doctor can do that. If something worries you, contact them.
Get Badum on iPhone and Android
Badum is not a medical device and does not provide a medical diagnosis or replace prenatal care. Always talk to your doctor or midwife about your pregnancy and your baby's health.