would anyone who had continuous monitoring in labour please answer a simple question for me?

[GoldenGreen]

Hello - am asking for a friend - could you tell me how easy it is to move around whilst wearing the belt, and also how far away from the machine/bed can you get while wearing it - can you move away several feet, for example?

TIA - I did actually have this with ds when I first got to the hospital but I didn't move around at that point and just stayed on the bed so don't know how long the wires were!

[plonko]

This has been playing on my mind a bit. At my 12 week scan the sonographer found 2 simple cysts on right ovary. They're not massive and haven't bothered me in the slightest, but I was referred to have shared care. None of this was really explained to us in terms of how it could affect the rest of my pregnancy.

Clearly its something they'll look for at my next scan in 2 weeks, but was only when I saw my midwife that she explained I'll most likely have cfm during labour! How did something so normal cause my nice low risk pregnancy to suddenly require monitoring? I'm hoping they've gone as I want a water birth, and am dreading being strapped to a bed unnecessarily!

[FruitSaladIsNotPudding]

I couldn't move at all without breaking the trace. Couldn't bear to be stuck on my back though so they ended up attaching monitor to dd's head. Shit solution tbh.

[MummysHappyPills]

You would have thought they could invent something a bit less cumbersome in this day and age? It's not that complicated surely? I think I am going to try and invent a machine and sell it to all the hospitals in the world!

[milk]

I was able to stand next to the bed with the monitors on me :)

[TeaandHobnobs]

I had CFM as DS was prem, but I managed several hours walking around near my bed (the leads allowed me to go a couple of feet from the bed) and sitting on he birthing ball.

Unfortunately DS then turned back-to-back and it was much harder to keep the trace if I leant forward (I was knackered and trying to have a cheeky snooze leaning forward on the bed )

So I ended up on my back on the bed, because I was too exhausted to do anything else

[Belmo]

I couldn't get off the bed but could move about a bit and get on my hands and knees.

[Marmiteisyummy]

I got to the hospital at 7cm but had a couple of decelerations so had continuous monitoring with wires from then for the 2.5 hours til DS was born. I was stood by the bed and then knelt up on the bed leaning over the back of the bed. Only turned onto my back at the very last minute as needed an episiotomy to get DS out.
It is a bit restricting but it doesn't mean you have to be flat on your back.

[helsybells]

...Also, don't let them put CM on you unless they have a really valid reason and you are happy with it. It massively increases the likelihood of interventions, ventous, caesarean etc etc as things are picked up and worried about that would happen anyway/aren't always something to worry about so you should only have CM if you are happy to and there is a very valid reason.

[helsybells]

I haven't read all responses but at my hopsital they now have "wireless" continuous monitoring equipment. So I guess worth checking the status with the particular hospital in question.

[Mandinga79]

I moved around constantly while on continuous monitoring during induction post waters breaking, and it wasn't wireless. I don't recall sitting down for 12 hours. Me and DH got pretty good at adjusting belts and holding wires so I could keep moving and we never lost the signal. DS was sitting up very high so I was doing everything I could to make him drop! (Didn't work - had an EMCS in the end. Oh well.)

[MummysHappyPills]

Thanks liege. I would liek to think that I could move around as I liked and if the signal was lost for abit so be it, and have more of an intermittent monitoring scenario? Glad you had a good vbac experience. I also don't know what it is like to have a contraction!

[LiegeAndLief]

Sophia, I was at the John Radcliffe in Oxford. Might well be the case for other hospitals though...

Mummy, I think many hospitals "require" you to have CFM if you are having a VBAC. However, if you search the MN boards there have been many threads in the past about whether this is necessary and what to do if you want to refuse. I didn't want to refuse because of my complications but I had the same worries you do (cs was planned so I didn't know what labour would be like) - I can honestly say the wireless monitor hardly affected my labour.

[MaybeMabel]

Early on I was naughty and when alone unplugged and when for the odd stroll!

Later on I had an epidural, drip etc and the belt was the least of the things keeping me on the bed.

[MummysHappyPills]

That's the only thing that worries me about vbac. I hated being in hospital when I had my cs, our local one is dire. If I could have it my way I would have a homebirth, but I know that will be an impossibility for a vbac. And I also realise the less mobile I am the more likely I would need interventions/another CS. Sigh. I don't even like lying/sitting still when I have period pain so I can't imagine it is nice when in labour, so if nothing else I am sure I would have less tolerance for the pain and probably need pain relief.

Hope it all goes well for you op.

[MousyMouse]

not much, as cables too short and belt slipping with each contraction.

[SchrodingersMew]

I "needed" monitoring because I was induced but in the hospital I went to it seems pretty standard that most people are monitored.

[MummysHappyPills]

Sorry to hijack thread, but under what circumstances would you need continuous monitoring. I would like a VBAC for next dc after I had ELCS for breech dd, no other complications.

Do all VBACs need continuous monitoring? This is all hypothetical as am not even ttc yet!

[Thelittlestranger]

I just had a successful VBAC aftere two previous Sections and therefore 'had' to be monitored constantly. I requested the wireless one and got in the pool with it...and could walk around.

Not that I did a lot of walking around whilst i was having what seemed like just one constant contraction..!

[Sophiathesnowfairy]

Oooliege at which hospital did you get a wireless monitor? Am expecting number 4 in 7 weeks and know I will need to be monitored but also know my labour will be much smoother if I am able to move around.

[MsIngaFewmarbles]

It might be worth your friend asking.if they have wireless monitoring at the unit, a lot of big units have a set now.

[NoodieRoodie]

I had wireless monitoring (HB transferred due to violent vomiting for many hours and I needed it to stop!!)

I mooched all around the room and spent loads of time sitting on the toilet as it was the comfiest position for me.

The only issue I remember is that as DS moved down they had to keep adjusting the belt further down to keep a trace

[littlebluechair]

I was able to move around, stand, ball etc but obv not pace the corridors.

[GoldenGreen]

telemetry sounds like the way to go if available - thank you

[Sophiathesnowfairy]

I was able to go on a birthing ball and move around enough by the side of the bed with a supportive midwife.

[LiegeAndLief]

I had a wireless monitor (like Lindsey described) which allowed me to move wherever I wanted, could even go to the toilet down the corridor with it on. It was fantastic and allowed me to remain upright through the whole of my labour. HOWEVER, I only got it because I asked for it - apparently the hospital only had one so they didn't offer it out, you had to know it was there and request it! Might be worth asking for.

Mine was a high risk VBAC with pre-eclampsia, so I really didn't want to decline the monitoring. I'm sure the telemetric monitor made a massive difference to my labour.