Constant monitoring & TENS

[downonthefarm]

I've been told I have to have constant monitoring of the babies' heartbeats during labour (having twins). Would I still be able to use a TENS device, or would electromagnetic interference affect the heartbeat readings?
I tried to request intermittent monitoring but the consultant is having none of it - any one else had similar conversations with a different outcome?

I had a band thingy round my belly that monitored the baby's heartbeat during labour and I used a TENS machine throughout.
I think it should be fine, but I would have thought your consultant would know the answer.

you don't HAVE to do anything. a consultant or midwife can explain to you the whys, wherefores and hows, the local policies and procedures and OFFER YOU CHOICES. You can then make a decision. Not them.

However - yes, you can use a Tens if you have continuous monitoring.

Interested in this... I'm also pregnant with twins. When I had DS a year ago, the TENS was invaluable. I arrived at hospital 10cm dilated and still wearing it but they did take it off me immediately because they wanted a continual trace while I pushed and it was interfering with the machine. To be honest, at that point I didn't care cause the TENS was no longer doing anything for me but I don't know how I'd have coped if they'd taken it off me any sooner... I've been worrying about what's going to happen this time around... Can imagine myself screaming out for drugs that I don't need or want if they won't let me have the TENS...

I had continual monitoring and kept my TENS on throughout inc 3rd stage.

Another who had it on the entire time, and was monitored. I think it was still going for a while afterwards as we forgot to turn it off in the excitement!

I was told I had to be monitored with child number 4 (child number 2 was a c-section). I'd had monitoring with child number 3 and because that was my VBAC I didn't see why I had to have it with number 4. I felt very sure of my midwife who said it was hospital policy to have a registrar come in and talk at to me. She was very nice but clearly just following the policy without listening to me so I pretended to have a contraction and just ignored her!

Number delivered safely 3 hours later with just the original MW present.

You can keep TENS on with continuous monitoring (unless it appeared to be interfering with signal) (obv not if you were using water as pain relief - which can be done with certain continuous monitoring devices)

I've been told cfm is recommended as I will be VBACing but intend to refuse it grin.