epidural

[chocbiscuits]

If you have an epidural (which I didnt with Ds1), do you have to have continuous fetal heartbeat monitoring??? (strapped to a belt thing)?
just wondering..

[RedOnHerBeheadedHead]

yes you do - we did about this in ante-natal group - you are completely hooked up! One in your back, drip on your arm i think - also BP on your other arm and band around your belly.

[RedOnHerBeheadedHead]

i remember thinking god what a pallaver! (sp??)

[chocbiscuits]

yeh! sounds it

[Pinkchampagne]

Yes you do

[cthea]

You have the epidural (coming up on your shoulder for ease of access) which is topped up as needed via a syringe. The fetal monitoring can come on and off (e.g. if you need to move about, go to the loo, all seems fine and no need for constant monitoring).

[Mintpurple]

cthea is right if its a mobile epidural - intermittent monitoring, drip down (only leaving the cannula in your arm), up and about mobilising.

Some hospitals may be a bit more keen on monitoring, if its not a mobile epidural.

However, even with a mobile epi, you will probably get progressively less mobile as you have more top ups. Shouldnt be a pallaver though

[TeenyTinyTorya]

Same as Red - it was a nightmare.

[godivas]

yes you do, and it's a bit itchy too :-)

[wasabipeanut]

yes - I was induced then had epidural after my tens machine and breathing techniques strangely failed to cope with a chemical induction.

I do remember thinking to myself "can they actually attach any more lines to me??" I had so much fluid drip into me over the course of labour that my ankles swelled up to giant balloon proportions.

Really, it was freaky. All went away though eventually.

[OneLieIn]

yes you do and yes i did

[frazzledoldbag34]

Yes, I think so.
Epidural is fabulous though and TBH by the time I got mine I was delighted to be made to lie down on the bed with the monitor on as was totally knackered from 12 hours (all night) pacing about the bloody delivery room doing the 'active labour' thing. Had managed to go from 4cm to um, 4cm in 12 hours of pacing, leaning, birthing ball rocking and bouncing etc (2nd baby too!)
Then had a lovely epidural, lovely pain free normal delivery, lovely baby. What's not to like?
sorry , the answer to your question was Yes!