constant fetal monitoring during VBAC

Hi all, first time posting but am hoping you are willing to share your knowledge / experience.

I want a VBAC. Our DS was prem, born at 32 weeks via emergency c/s due to infection caused by my waters breaking at 30 weeks. I did get to 4cm with him and have been told I am a reallly good chance of a VBAC because of that.

Anyway was talking to a midwife the other day who mentioned the hospital wouldnt discuss a VBAC with me until 36 weeks (currently 32), but that I should be made aware I would require a drip in the hand as soon as I went to birth suite, as well as CTG through my whole labour. I had the CTG with our DS and hated it, I was confined to the bed the whole time. I want an active labour, to use the shower, to walk around etc.

Before I go in all guns blazing at my 36 week appt I was hoping if anyone could share if they also had to have the constant CTG, if you refused, any resources you might have. I obviously dont want to risk my bubba, maybe I just need to find a way to have an active labour hooked up to it :(

TIA

You can negotiate the monitoring - they will most likely make you sign a waiver, absolving them of all responsibility if you rupture and they dont get it in time because you weren't being monitored.

At the end of the day they cannot MAKE you do ANYTHING in labour you dont want to do - they will try, but they can't force you.

Some hospitals also offer cordless monitors, so you can walk around and even some you can still wear in water.

Good luck with your VBAC! I am in the same boat, and standing my ground. A steadfast and protective hubby and a doula will be in my corner so I am confident I will not be bullied and manipulated.

Hi there,

Like Limeslice said they can't make you do anything you don't want to, its assult if they do. So its really up to you. Like you I didn't want these things in labour so after talking to a few hospitals I have decided to have a homebirth (which I know isn't for everyone) because I know I will be left to birth how I want.
The best thing the hospital will come up with is a compromise, monitoring on and off ect. But just be aware of what they say now and what happens on the day are likey to be two different things. Good luck with it all!

Just subbing to this thread...... I'm hoping for a VBAC too but this was something I hadn't thought of yet.
Glad you asked the question and good luck, I hope you get your Vbac & birth just the way YOU want it!!!

Hi UsPlus2 :)

Monitoring is negotiable, depending on your care provider.
With my VBAC I was in the public system, and every time I saw a different Dr or midwife they all had different opinions on what would be ok with them. So do your reading, find out what you need to know to make an informed decision, and then stand your ground.
Like Lime said, they cannot make you do anything.

I went in ready for a fight :lol: - however I did end up with continual monitoring - I was confined to bed as I went in 9cm dilated with waters intact & bub very high still. So they were worried about cord prolapse, it was a completely un-thought of scenario. Despite sitting on the bed for 5 hours, I did get my VBAC :) I also had continual monitoring with my 3rd labour and was able to move around a bit, and change positions etc. I couldn't use the shower though and this is what I would have really like to do with my VBAC.

Best of luck!

Hi there,

I am in the same situation as you and i have already discussed this with my OB.
I was horrified when he told me that i would have continuous monitoring as i needed to continually move throughout my labour last time.

My Ob said that i have 3 options, continuous monitoring on the bed, monitoring via telemetry (if it is installed in time at the hossy) which is wireless monitoring or i can have a scalp probe placed on bubs head.

I need to research the options further, but thought i would let you know the options that i was give,

Good luck

Definitely negotiable!! I didn't have constant monitoring, my midwives didn't believe that its a necessary thing, and that VBAC's are just like normal labouring women, so they don't do a lot of the things that a lot of OB's say that are necessary.

I had monitoring with a doppler from time to time, probably every hour-ish? I barely noticed it to be honest, just a few seconds here and there when they were checking bub's heartbeat. So you can always compromise to have that done instead :)

I would say that you can definately negotiate with the midwives and your Ob. I even have thinning of my scar on the left side and my OB believes it is still fine to let me to labour and have a VBAC. They said they are quite happy for me to have monitoring hourly, and at anytime needed- if I feel pain in my scar etc. They will allow me to walk, shower and get in the spa throughout my labour, and birth in any position which feels most comfortable. Good Luck! :)

I didn't have a VBAC (1st bub), but I did have continual monitoring (bub was breech). I was hooked up the machine on the bed intially, but I ended up jumping off the bed and walking back and forth to get things going (and the bed was painful). My IM then organised a telemetric monitor which stayed on right up til bub was born. I had it on in the shower, didn't even think of trying the bath.

I also had one of those IV thingys left in my arm in preparation of a c/s and they also put IV antibiotics in me cos bub was early. I just ignored it.

GL - remember everything's negotiable. and sometimes when you act like someone will work around you, they will. just get off the bed and move around.

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and sometimes when you act like someone will work around you, they will. just get off the bed and move around.

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Very true :) great advice.

I didn't have a VBAC but both my labours I was subjected to constant CTG monitoring. I actually tried to avoid it for my second, but.......

Anyway, you can have an active labour with monitoring. Maybe you could negotiate part monitiring, say 1/2 hour every couple of hours. I stayed quite active during both labours and just made DH drag the monitor and drip around the room. I removed the monitor when my synto was stopped (long story) for about 12 hours and we walked the streets of our local town, then the hospital corridors. Only real bummer about it is you can't get into the shower or bath with monitor on.

Thanks so much for your replies ladies. I have spoken to another Dr since I posted this questions and she was very much all for the constant CTG, saying I wouldnt have a choice, yadda yadda :P I didnt argue since I figured I would save my energy for when I actually go into the birth suite. Thanks for the replies, I showed them to my DP and I think they have given him the power to say no (if the circumstances allow it). Fleur, good point on being flexible to the circumstances, hard to know some times between when its needed and when the Dr's just want to enforce it. Guess we will just have to play it by ear.

nell nell - thanks, think I will also look into ways to still have an active birth if we do end up on it.

i went through a private OB for my VBAC- he was fine with 30 mins monitoring on arrival at hossy and then quick monitoring every 30 mins with portable doppler throughout labour.
When i got to hossy I had to tell them what i had agreed to and stick to it! the hossy also tried to push for a scalp monitor but i wouldnt have a bar of it!!
stick to your guns and know what you want to have happen!!!!
you can do this!!!
good luck

Thanks Det. I'm feeling rather strong about it today, reading lots of sucesssful VBAC stories and reading strengths of other mums helps alot :)

I had a successful VBAC 17 days ago :) During the pregnancy I was worried about continuos monitoring but the ob and midwives were great they said it was only nesseccary to have hourly monitoring and would even allow me to labour/bith in the spa as I had issues with my pelvis...
My waters broke at midnight I went to hospital they monitored me for 30mins to 1 hr, nothing much going on and they could barely touch my cervix so they put me in a room to 'try' to sleep. not until 6.30 in the morning was I examined again and I was 5cm dilated so I went on the monitor again, by this time I was happy to be monitored. As my labour progressed the baby's heartrate was dropping with contractions and taking a few minutes to pick back up so I ended up with continuos monitoring and I even had internal monitoring (which isn't actually that bad- it's certainly not the horrific thing everyone makes out, just a sticker on the head with a cord to pick up the heartrate) anyway, regardless to how I felt about it all before I went into labour I actually appreciated it because it meant that I could keep trying for a natural birth- which I got :) instead of being rushed off for another c/s and I knew that my baby was still safe! So what I'm really trying to say is that I think the doctors and midwives usually only do what they think is needed and I ended up with my VBAC which is so liberating after having a c/s with my first child.
It turned out that the cord was around my baby's neck twice, and during contractions it would tighten causing her heartrate to drop. I was pushing for 3 hours so she came out purple and took a few minutes to breathe, but we are fine now and she is doing perfectly :)
GOOD LUCK! with your VBAC I hope it's everything you want it to be!

Thanks to you all for asking those questions and providing those wonderful answers.
I had an early epidural with my DS so I was confined to the bed the entire time I was pushing and for most of the labour itself, so I was hoping o have an active labour this time.

I was given the go-ahead for a VBAC last wednesday, and was told I'd have to have constant monitoring too - not what I wanted to hear at all as I have seen the new birthing baths that have been installed in my local hospital's birthing suites and I really wanted to be able to use one! It doesn't help that 2 of the midwives I have spoken to have confirmed the constant monitoring as well.

So now I know that I CAN get what I want without being monitored all the time but only once every half hour to an hour.

Thanks again or saving me the time in having to post my on question :) And good luck to everyone else on their VBACs!

Just remember, they cannot strap you down against your will...
There are other methods they can use that are more accurate to detect UR.
They CANNOT refuse your care in a public hospital simply because you refuse to have constant monitoring, and even if they could, they aren't going to have you man handled from the ward.

Make sure your DH is strong and won't take their crap, focus on yourself and trust that your DH will be your protector, talk for you and you can focus and stay in your own zone to birth.

I second all that Limeslice says. I have heard of women being told that they will have to find another hospital (public) if they refuse things like continuous monitoring, etc, for higher risk labours. It's all scaremongering of course, and could be solved by lots of meetings with hospital management, but if I was facing a VBAC then I would be agreeing to everything the doctor suggested ante-nattaly. Then withdrawing consent in labour ;)