OB says I need Continuous Fetal Monitoring for VBAC, any advice?

[canadianmum]

My twins were born by C-section at 32+5 due to severe pre-eclampsia so I have never been in labour. This time I am having one baby, have no signs of pre-eclampsia and am already 37+4. So I told the consultant (his dogsbody) that I wanted a VBAC and he was cool with that, but says I must have Continuous Fetal Monitoring from 3-4cm dilation, due to tiny risk of uterine rupture.

Anyone else been told this? Can I say no? Has anyone had successful VBAC at home or in a birth centre under similar circumstances?

Klaw my scar still hadn't healed 15 months after the birth if there is anything you want to ask.

Thanks Ejt1764, There was only a mw from the time we got to hopsital. She did get her dh to call for a mw to come to the house and check her as she did not want to go in too early... it was discussed with cmw and was in her birth plan but mw said to go to hospital as it would take her at least 30 minutes to get out there... so we got her into car to go to hospital despite much protesting that she was not getting in any car!

Nab3, I assume you're talking about the external scar.... how were you dealing with this, what did the HCPs say about it?

The GPs left it though I might have had antibiotics once. In the end I went pivate and had it resutured.

Not read whole thread so apologise if this point has already been made...

Ask if your hospital has a telemetry system of monitoring - this is a cordless system which means that you can mobilise as normal. Our hospital has this but apparently it lives in a cupboard and if often forgotton about.

Plus you can mobilise a little with the normal monitoring on. Get up (close to bed), go on all 4's, lean over end of bed etc etc so not all bad.

Klaw - Sorry, haven't been on here for a while due to having zero time due to newborn and toddler. I'd been having labour pains on and off a week before I gave birth and they were making my scar hurt. I went to hospital a day before I gave birth complaining of scar pain. They monitored me and told me the contractions were just Braxton Hicks and that they wouldn't be strong enough to rupture the scar. The pain was probably due to baby's head pressing on the scar tissue, having recently engaged in my pelvis. That night I had contractions every 15 minutes then the next morning they were every 5 minutes. I went to hospital and was 3 cm dilated. The midwife put me on a monitor and I seemed to be coping well. After 2 hours I suddenly had a contraction that was much more painful than the others and the pain continued after the contraction was over. At that point the midwife couldn't fine the baby's hearbeat. A doctor was called in, he couldn't fine it either and upon examining me, said it looked like my scar was rupturing and they had to get the baby out immediately. He pressed the alarm button and I was rushed (they were running to the theatre with me on a trolley) in for surgery. After the birth I was told that they didn't even have to cut me open, they just pulled the scar apart with their hands (yuk, sorry if tmi). I had a drain which was removed after a couple of days. I had an allergic reaction to a plaster they put on the scar which resulted in my having a row of big blisters which all burst leaving raw skin. 4 weeks on my scar still hasn't healed despite a course of antibiotics and a couple of iodine dressings. There is a small hole (about 1 cm) of skin that is still open and the edge of the scar near it looks angry and red. Emotionally I feel very, very down as I can barely walk and am pretty much housebound. No health professional seems willing to treat me at home, even though it's very difficult for me to get to the doctor's surgery, being quite immobile and having two children. No one can tell me how long the scar's going to take to heal and I get the impression it could be a very long time. I'm going absolutely mad stuck in the house and feel really sorry for my 3 yr old as I can't take him out anywhere so he's very bored. Plus it's quite painful. I'll keep you posted on my progress, if there is any!

pammi

am very sorry you had such a traumatic experience, i am glad you and your baby are ok, but i appreciate it must have been terrifying, and you must still be feeling very raw.

if you need to debrief, you could contact sheila kitzinger;s birth crisis helpline or the birth trauma association.

be kind to yourself x

PS

could you not request your Gp to ask the district nurse to come to you, rather than you going there.. you might have to make a fuss, but you should be helped as much as you can