Mobility whilst being continuously monitored?

[choudru]

I am 5 months pregnant with my second child. My DS was born at 31 weeks by emergency c-section and I have (almost!)decided to go for a VBAC this time.

I have been informed by my consultant that I will be continuously monitored during labour because of the complications of last birth. I'm already a bit nervous about going through natural labour and the idea of having my mobility restricted by the monitor makes me feel slightly panicked.

I want the freedom to get up off my back, to get on all fours, squat, whatever position I feel most comfortable in at the time.

I wanted to know if there are any MNetters out there who could tell me what their experience with being monitored was.

Were any of you still able to have a reasonably active labour or were you asked to remain on your back?

I just refused the continuous monitoring I was supposed to have? I also refused to have a catheter fitted when I had a epidural, you do have these choices they just seem to imply that you don't?

I had a monitor belt thing on as I had a low lying placenta, but was still able to sit on one of the big exercise balls and bounce up and down (sounds weird now - things you do in childbirth) . The strap fell off a few times but we just put it on again.

Am sure you will be ok to move a bit.

there has been a few threads on this

firstly, you do not have to have continous monitoring!

will try and find the thread and link to it

I had a VBAC, did not refuse continous monitoring, but was enouraged off the bed,to stand and move with contractions...the leads are long enough, but you can ask for intermittent monitoring.

my labour went well, but i had spent the vast majority of it at home, upright, active, and moving.....

if you are considering a VBAC you might want to consider having a doula

Had monitors from 6cm onwards. IME the default is that they will ask you to lie down as that gives the best traces on monitor. However if you ask - and I did - to try different positions and have a supportive midwife they can fiddle the monitors until they get a trace that is good enough. I managed the last 3cms in a knees-to-chest, elbows on bunch of pillows type position which kept the pressure on cervix going so progressed fast enough.

Personally I found I did not want to take the risk of baby becoming distressed so accepted the monitors even if I did not think them essential. But I would encourage you to try within the confines to keep upright / mobile as much as poss - gets the whole thing moving much faster.

I think everything depends on the midwife involved. I was monitored but I needed to enjoy the freedom to move with each contraction. Everytime I got into a comfy position on the ball the paranoid midwife made me move. In the end I was so frustrated and claustraphobic I tore off the monitoring straps and sank down into a squatting position for my contraction - was bliss! The silly moo ran round saying you can't do that, you can't take them off. I said TOUGH, I've just done it , at which point she she started going off on one until her senior midwife sent her out of the room. Wish I'd had the balls to ask for a different midwife really.
Anyway, I guess my point is monitoring means you are retricted, but as the other posts have said, the options are there for YOU to choose, not some bolshy midwife. Lets face it, its easier for them if you're tied to a bed but not neccesarily for you.

It's also worth asking if they have a wireless telemetry set, so even though you still have the things strapped round you and they have to fiddle to get a trace, you're not attached to the monitor itself.
(I found out by word of mouth at my antenatal class that my hosp has one but you have to request it).

Or you can say you'd rather you were Sonicaided every 10min - some MWs may go for this as it's easier to use than the continuous one.

You may find that it doesn't come down to it - I was told at 12 weeks that I would certainly have to have CFM and I was Special and High Risk and should shut up and do as I was told, but by 30wks they'd got so fed up with my pregnancy progressing perfectly normally the consultant didn't even want to see me again unless I went overdue...