"A pinard horn stands on a flat base and looks a lot like a vase with a hollow core about the diameter of a pencil. It is through this hollow core that the sound of a baby’s heartbeat travels from pregnant belly to naked ear. The smaller open end of the cone is the part you put to the ear, while the wider, flat end is placed on the pregnant belly. As the heartbeat sounds travel up through the cone, the wide opening at the top amplifies them. Pinard horns are made out of wood, plastic, or aluminum. The sound of a baby’s heartbeat through a pinard horn is described as more subtle/less distinct; more like a vibration you feel with your ear. Pinard horns are available for use at home and can be purchased in alternative and holistic health stores, and are often the listening device of choice for many midwives. Like the stethoscope and fetoscopes, pinard horns require practice in order to adequately determine what you are hearing." - Norah Miner Lirag