monitoring every 15 min?!!!!

Hiya,
Just had my 38 week appt. and was told that ALL BIRTHS have monitoring every 15 minutes!!! I am hoping my midwife (who I really like) meant 15 min out of every hour but she's not one to make mistakes and given we talked about the type of monitor and movement once it's on, I don't think she made a mistake....
Obviously I will not be doing this :eek:
How ridiculous if it's true though! Talk about added stress!
Anyway, if I have to fight the midwife I get allocated when I'm in labour (current one isn't on labour ward anymore) what would be a good compromise that wont see me having an emergency c-sec due to stupid innapropriate monitoring or something?!
I've been reading Christy's thread on her monitoring sitation (good luck at your appt. this week!) and cannot comprehend why I would have to have it so often too....

Current research is quite overwhelmingly in favour of intermittent listening to the baby's heartbeat using a doppler or a pinards stethoscope. Research has proven that there is no difference in outcomes when continuous CTG monitoring is used. Occasional monitoring of the baby's heartbeat after a contraction should be mre than sufficient during a natural labour. If your health provider is trying to persuade you to do something you'd rather not, just calmly state the facts and politely decline.

It is important to remember that, if you have taken the time to educate yourself as far as what is best for your needs and your baby's needs, the staff around you have to respect that. They may ask you to sign a disclaimer saying you've declined monitoring that was offered; but that is no problem, as you are obviously taking responsibility for your decision, especially as you should know it is the right one.

Try not to think too much about it now. Deal with it when the time comes. They cannot do anything you dont want once you are in labour and you say no, speically if you dont have any pre-exisitng conditions they need to keep on top of.
Monitoring could be as simple as checking BP or baby movements every 15mins, checking your temp, and I should imagine if youa re in acitve labour, and moving around, they aren't going to pester you too much.

I know once I had my epi, and I was confined to my bed, I had constant monitoring. I had an auto BP cuff which worked about every 15mins, I had a thing over my fingertip, I also had a CTG on my belly (until that stopped working well) and they checked everything on my chart every 15mins or so.

Despite what people think, I really dont believe they want to rush you in for a c/s if things aren't exactly textbook. I do firmly feel that all your medical providers know they importance of vaginal birth over intervention, and at the end of the day they will go for that before other options.
I dont know too many people who have had c/s for inappropriate reasons. Generally they come about from long labours not prgressing, distress in mums or bubs or for other medical problems. They will not whip you off to a theatre if they dont get 15min monitoring right.

So - ignore what they have told you, focus on postive birhting affirmations, and go for it!

So is monitoring this often the norm then? I'm happy to compromise but like you say, I'm not going to worry too much about it until the time comes.

I know that monitoring is the norm with any form of inducement as well as higher risk births. I have just been given heaps of wonderful information that I am bringing to the hospital with me, if you want to send me an email I'll forward it to you. christy7@bellybelly.com.au I got some really great information today... so I've got around 10 pages correlated with information about uterine rupture & some one constant monitoring.

You are definatley right about one thing, that the stress about monitoring is too much. I don't agree with having so much intervention and stress when we as birthing women need to be focusing on our baby & labour and not about getting on/off the bed every 15 minutes for another 15 minutes... I am all for checking on the baby & using dopplers is a much easier alternative during labour.

Hi, just thought I'd add my experience, I had constant monitoring for at least the last 3 hours of my labour (may have been longer, you know how time becomes warped) with my DD as when my waters ruptured they contained meconium and I'd been in labour for 72 hours so there was some concern about her wellbeing - I am not a medical professional but just wanted to say that it didn't diminish the experience for me and I hardly think about it now, nearly 2 years later. It really wasn't that bad (although it meant I couldn't have my water birth - bummer!)

All hospitals have different policies on monitoring in labour. Where i work we monitor every 30mins. By 'monitor' i mean: feel your tummy for contractions, listen into bubs with a doppler or pinnards, take your pulse. Every 1 - 2 hours we will also take your BP and temp. Of course, when there are complication factors present, the policies change and monitoring may become more frequent. Remember that you have the right to refuse ANY treatment/procedure :)