Continuous monitoring - just not possible for me to stay "active". Why?

[floozieinthejacuzzi]

I was wondering if anyone knows whether the shape of pelvis(or womb?) could have an impact on whether it is still possible to stay upright/mobile whilst being continuously monitored during labour, or if the labouring woman has to lie on a bed, so as not to lose the trace.
The reason I ask is because it has happened to me - twice! - and I'm already worrying that it'll happen again if we do go on to have another baby and I'm not even pregnant yet! (not going to happen anytime soon as DS only 3 months old and ebf).

With my first (DD 2.4 yrs) there was meconium and I was told I would need continuous monitoring. Tried to remain on the birth ball but kept losing the trace and the mw was not happy to hold the sensor in place (DH was on back massage duty), so I was "encouraged" to get on the bed. There was no getting off it after that! and so began a cascde of intervention (not as bad as for some women - "just" syntocinon, then episiotomy and nearly ventouse but DD decided to make an entry without it).
Thankfully, everyone was healthy, but I decided that if it was to happen again there was no way in hell that I would be forced again to labour on my back again. (told DH enough times, so he knew the drill).

Fast forward 2 yrs to DS' birth. Had meconium again, continuous monitoring advised etc etc. So when the trace kept being lost yet again (deja feckin' vu) DH offered to hold the sensor (mw wanted me to lie on bed), but it just wasn't possible to keep the trace unfortunately and again I had to get on the bed. Not fun when baby was back to back, but managed to get through it on g&a.
They also tried to attach a foetal scalp electrode at one point, to allow me more movement but for some reason it didn't work(I think it was because of the Tens machine I had on, but they said no).

I wouldn't have felt comfortable refusing continuous monitoring (difficult to do anyway when in full on labour!...).

I get annoyed when I read that you can still be active in labour even if you have continuous monitoring because it certainly wasn't the case for me! (Surely I can't be alone). They don't tell you that before hooking you up!
I know that lots of other women can and have been in more vertical positions or bouncing on ball etc during continuous monitoring, so is there some reason why I can't!? Anyone else had similar experience?

I don't think its likely to be your shape.
Abdominal monitors sometimes struggle to give a clear signal because of
:mothers movement
:baby's position
:fat on the tummy blocking the signal.

Scalp electrodes usually work, you were unlucky.

One issue is the newness of the equipment. The more modern are more sensitive and less likely to lose signal.

It might be worth having a chat with a Supervisor of midwives attached to your local delivery suite. She might have some useful suggestions based on what equipment is available locally.

I tried to sit on the edge of the bed but even that caused them to loose trace! Baby's heart beat was dropping and I ended up with emcs so was glad to be monitored as it turned out the cord was round his neck twice but was certainly not the labour I had in mind!

Thanks for the replies ladies. I guess I'll just put it down to being really unlucky, although I am convinced that if I get pregnant again, that the very same thing will happen again!

I'm happy to have the continuous monitoring if called for but I was so disappointed that I had to labour/deliver on the bed yet again the second time. Baby's heartbeat was dipping very low at times (40bpm I think), so it was for the best I guess, that I had the continuous monitoring. However, at the back of my mind I can't help but wonder if I was in a different/more natural position that baby wouldn't have been getting so distressed. Luckily, he was fine when born, but these things still niggle me 3 months on.

It may be worth having a chat with the supervisor of midwives if I get pregnant again, so as to ease my mind before another labour. I did actually have a chat with one during my second pregnancy regarding issues with my first delivery, which I found helpful. She also said that I could be active in labour even with continuous monitoring should it happen again, but obviously it's just not meant to be for me I think. Either that or they have really dodgy, old equipment at my hospital, perhaps!

As for the scalp electrode, they also tried to attach one during my first labour, with no success (I sound like the most unlucky woman in labour!), which makes me think that the Tens machine was interfering with it, as I was wearing it both times, but that could just be nonsense...I guess I could bring it up with the supervisor of mws if I ever chat with her again.