monitoring during labour

[twinklestars]

hi, has anyone had to be monitored from start to finish during labour before ? if so can you tell me whats involved are you stuck in bed all time?

[Junglemum]

Not necessarily. I had a wireless monitor that meant i could walk around pretty much as i pleased. You can always ask if they have one.

[Miss E]

I was monitored (one with wires) the whole time and hooked up to an IV. But, I was able to move around and with the help of a fantastic midwife was able to have an active labor.

[butterfly_warrior]

I could move around as much as the wires let me, and they were fairly long... but mostly I got freaked out as if I moved too much the monitor would lose Sam. When I mentioned that I wasn't coping because of that I was given one that attached to Sam with a scalp clip.

BW

[twinklestars]

if you dont mind me asking butterfly warrior did the scalp clip hurt my doctor wonts one to go on my babys head but i looked it up on net looks quite scarey & said can cause infection but im guessing doctor knows best the monitors dont worry me but the scalp one does more worryed going to hurt the baby

[twinklestars]

thanks for all your replys & if anyone else had a monitor on babys head during labour was it all ok

[~Minny~]

I had monitoring the whole time i was in hossy.

1, was with being strapped to the bed
2. was a portable monitor...much better!
3. was with the scalp monitor

the scalp monitor wasnt the most comfortable to put on but it did make it easyer to move around.

[Mildez]

Where I work unfortunately we don't have ones that give you a great range of movement. Well you can move but it usually means loosing bubs heart beat and readjusting it alot. You can use some good sticky tape (if not allergic to it) over the straps which seems to help.
With the scalp monitoring it does require a vaginal examination which often takes quite a bit longer then a normal vaginal examination. I'd say its similar discomfort. Also you have to have ruptured membranes to have the scalp clip put on and nothing like Hepatitis, syphylis etc due to the risk to bub. Its easier to apply when your dilated quite a bit over 2-3cm as the target your aiming for (bubs head) is bigger the more dilated the cervix is.
My Aunty had an undiagnosed breech and her son had the scalp clip attached to his bum. Surprisingly it was still effective

[twinklestars]

thanks for your reply i had never heard of the scalp monitor till doctor said i just said oh ok than went home & looked it up didnt have any monitors with last 2 so bit new to me but i guess its more common in labour than i though so good to hear others thats had it , it brings peace of mind knowing its ok yeah im guessing putting it on wont be a pleasent experence! wont be looking fwd to that part but what evas best for bubba had to laugh bout putting monitors on babys bum lol thats so much for the info !!!

[~Minny~]

Is there a reason they want you to have continuous monitoring?

I had all that monitoring as i was trying for a vbac

[mzcatieboo]

i was monitored untill my contractions got to much to lay down then i got up and moved around and said the only chance they have of getting me back up on the bed was if i had an epidural, she checked and told me i could have it and was monitored for the rest of my labour.

[Alan]

To put a scalp monitor on your waters will have to be broken. 2 wires are attatched to your baby's head by a small screw which screws into your baby's scalp but not into the bone. There is a chance of an infection at the insertion site.

[AndiE]

DS1 - I was monitored continuously from the time they could get me onto the bed for an examination as DS1 was experiencing a drop in heart rate during contractions (which is normal, but his rate was dropping a little lower than they liked). Bub ended up having scalp monitor placed. DS1 was born less than 3 hours after getting to hospital. For me labouring on my back wasn't that big a deal, although I'd anticipated an active labour (of which I'd experienced several hours at home). Bub showed no marks after being born and didn't appear to have been too concerned about having been attached to a scalp monitor for an hour or so .

DS2 - Same as above except bub didn't need scalp monitor. However, the monitor I wore must have been a more modern one (than with DS1) as I wasn't required to lay down when I had it on. Mind you, I didn't feel the need to be too active with my labour (I just swayed back and forth through contractions), so I can't tell you how much "freedom" you'd have with it on. Again, DS2 was born approx 3 hours after getting to hospital, so I wasn't hooked up to a monitor for too long.

FWIW my Ob said that if a scalp monitor was used on bub (this was before I had DS2) then I would have more freedom of movement than if I was hooked up to an "ordinary" monitor.

I'm a little curious too as to why they'd tell you now they want a scalp monitor on bub's head ... would've thought that was something that would crop up as needed during your labour. Then again, I'm not a birth professional either!

[Jaffaz]

I had a monitor that restricted me to the bed, midwife got a bit nasty as I felt like I needed to go to the toilet and they didn't like having to take it off then put it back on again.

But it wasn't to bad, I really liked that DH could talk me through my contractions as he could see them peak on the monitor. I am planning to ask to be monitored again this time, because DH was so great last time I want that verbal support again. Plus i like to know bub is ok!!

[miss.mestiza]

while I was waiting for a bed at the birthing suite i had to be monitored, took almost an hour to finally get a bed! but yeah, I was hooked on to the machine, after that i wasn't monitored only monitored as i was delivering my daughter.

[twinklestars]

thanks everyone for your helpfull replys