Constant Fetal Monitoring??

[Fizzielove]

Do I really HAVE to have constant monitoring is I am having a VBAC!

Had a meeting with consultant yesterday and stood my ground by saying No! I didn't want it - she kept on telling me that it was due to uterine rupture - FFS 0.05% - surely the risk by giving birth by CS is higher!

So I've got her to agree that if I go into spontaneous labour before my due date they will not constinuously monitor me until the latter stages and that I will be able to use the bath for pain relief.

Was I right?

As a Doula I have supported a few VBAC's, each has chosen what monitoring they feel comfortable with-
Had constant monitoring all the time from arrival at hospital, then her second VBAC in an MLU with intermittent monitoring
Another client chose half an hour of monitoring at the start, then intermittent
Another had intermittent at a home birth
Another intermittent in hospital.
It is much harder to be mobile whjen constantly monitored, you have to weigh up the risks and choose what feels right to you.
Good info here-
www.homebirth.org.uk/vbac.htm
Selina

PS No you dont 'have' to have it, you can listen to their advice and decline to take it!

So is a water birth actually possible?

Fizzie - sorry not able to answer your question but just wanted to share my current experience. Aiming for vbac after two cs. Consultant has agreed to allow me to labour normally if I go into labour spontaneously but will book elective section and would not induce labour. I'm only 15 wks so I haven't got down to the nitty gritty of monitoring but it is my intention that if I have to be continuously monitored and bed bound then I would rather have an elective cs. I hope they will either have long enough leads that I could be mobile round the bed or agree to intermittent monitoring.

well that's my opinion - if I can't be mobile - then I'd rather just organise the c-section and be done with it- the leads are not that long - they'd let you get off the bed - just- consultant kept going on about how I'd be able to use the ball - seriously! I don't think the ball really will reduce the pain that much compared to a bath!

They've said that they won't induce me and that if I don't go myself then it'll have to be a c-section - which is fine with me - I am not an unreasonable person.

My worry is that if I can't be upright & mobile to let gravity do it's work then the labour could be longer. I had thought about staying at home until the last minute t not sure hoe sensible that is invade the baby or I run into trouble. It's difficult isn't it. I hadn't thought of the bath, but since you've mentioned it......

Hallo

Just wanted to chip in with some support. I had a fantastic vba2c in may, at liverpool women's, where a very progressive new attitude seems to be developing. My consultant was happy for me to decline cfm (having been clear I understood the relative risks and benefits) and labour on the midwife led unit. They offered the birth pool, but as I only got to hospital at the pushing stage it was all kind of immaterial.

Also get a doula. They can decline all sorts of stuff for you, give you space and time to think. Mine was generally wonderful. Can't recommend it enough. Spent my HiP grant on paying for her and saved the NHS the cost of C/S.

I've had 4 inductions (non vbac of course) and with the last one I refused continuous monitoring apart from the 40mins after they popped the stuff in. It was the only one that I didn't demand an epidural for - it def made a huge difference to me.

MY birth plan was quite simple:
DH here to carry bags and see baby, midwives will need to be birthing partner
No continuous monitoring
No catheter if have epidural
Not going on postnatal ward, will be going home after 6 hours.

They laughed but did follow it.