Using a fetal monitor at home can provide parents with comfort and reassurance that their pregnancy is progressing as it should. A fetal monitor can also offer peace of mind to those couples who are currently experiencing complications in their pregnancy as the device can help to alert you when there is a serious problem with your baby. Couples that must often go to the emergency room due to problems in the pregnancy may find that a home fetal baby heart monitor helps to reduce the number of trips they make.

Meditech Fetal doppler monitors are handheld devices that are generally easy to use. At home models usually run on batteries. If you are using one of these devices, you can start trying to detect your baby's heartbeat as early as eight weeks although most parents won't be able to find the heartbeat until the 10th to 12th week of pregnancy. Additionally, many at home models allow you to record the sound of your child's heartbeat, which you can easily download onto your computer as a special keepsake of your pregnancy.

Because these devices are meant to be used at home, using and reading Meditech fetal monitor is fairly simple. To find your child's heartbeat, place the special gel or lotion on your belly just above the pubic bone and then slowly move the probe around, tilting it at different angles. Digital fetal monitors will automatically display the number of heartbeats per minute on their screen. If your fetal monitor is not digital, then count the number of heartbeats you hear over the course of ten seconds and multiply this by six to get the beats per minute.