Opinions/advice please

[bronze]

Having just read the birth education thread its got me thinking again

Basically I've always wanted a a homebirth but thats never been an option because dh doesnt agree. Fair enough. So I've tried for a waterbirth, problems in labour meant no with ds1. Ds2 arrived soon after arriving at hospital.
DD was prem and a crash section with GA.
I've seen the consultant this time and though they've agreed to a vbac they want me to be monitored the whole time which basically means being on my back the whole time

All I really want to know is whats the least amount of intervention I could push for safetly.
Obviously I dont want to put the baby in danger but the idea of being on my back in labour terrifies me. People have said theyve moved around on monitors but mw says its not really possible. Do I really need to be monitored constantly? Any advice?

I wanna moooove

bumping for you

I had constant monitoring for DS2's birth (VBAC). DS3's I refused to be monitored, sat on the birth ball for the first part of labour, and then moved to the bed - hangingo ver the back of it with me bum sticking up in the air.

I had hoped to be "mobile" but my body said no - I wasn't going to argue.

They checked the DS's heartbeat with a handheld doppler at regular intervals (totally non-instrusive) and checked my blood pressure reasonably frequently as well.

I'd gone with my birth note with a big "no monitoring" emblazened on the top - they gave me the whole "it's at your own risk" speel and I just said no.

don't know about the monitoring bit, but I think with a VBAC they would.

Are walking monitors available? They do exist and it is worth asking.

My MW at the time of giving birth was fab, she new I had wanted as natural a labour as possible, and as such ensured that even with the monitor on (attached to me) I could move a little, she moved it/checked it whenever I moved, and did whatever adjustments I needed to. To be honest, I did not wnat to get up and walk around, but spent much of my time on all fours which was fine. Near the end, she held it when it moved so she could not hear baby, and kept doing it until she heard DD ok! She even moved it so I could sit up and have a cup of tea! I think it depends on how busy they are, and who you get?

don't know much about VBAC, but I had a fair bit of monitoring with my induction of DS; it isn't really possible to move easily while it's attached to the machine, but you can have it positioned so that you can be on your side. I ended up having most of my later labour on my side, despite wanting to be upright (legs said nooo) - being on my back was a total no-no. In fact, I nearly delivered on my side! If they insist on constant monitoring, that might be helpful to you.

Good luck!

theyy CAN'T insist on constant monitoring, you have a right to refuse anything. I also refused to have a Cannulla (sp) during DS's labour too - despite them giving me all the "well if we need to do a crash CS it'll be harder to get it in" blah blab blah.

They can try and persaude you with their safety spiel, but they can't make you.

Do you have to be on your back for constant monitoring?
Seriously- this has never been mentioned... and I am 37 weeks! (emcs last time for DD)

When I have had monitor on previously (1st labour) I am sure I was upright, though as FAQ said- not actually moving around...

They aren't putting a canula in either... sounds mad but the canula is what gave me the greatest pain with my cs- way worse bruising on my hands too.

eachpeachpearmum - I wasn't on my back constantly with the monitoring cos I had a bad back so they let me lie on my side.

But surely best way to keep labour going, and fairly speedily is upright?
I have been told if I don't progress quickly enough for them they will 'do something' about it. (last labour was 25 hrs, she wasn't coming out...)

sure, if you're legs will take it - if you read my earlier post, you'll see that mine were having none of it.

Ask them for the references that support their claim that continuous monitoring will improve the safety of either you or your baby.

To the best of my knowledge, there isn't any.

Being cynical, I can see an argument that says using continuous monitoring allows the MWs to keep an eye on a number of women from a central station simultaneously...

I had constant monitoring and was mobile throughout my labour (only got on the bed for examinations). I gave birth squatting and nobody mentioned at any point that you couldn't monitor whilst someone was moving about.

See I know I can just say no. I'm pretty good at it now when it comes to medical professionals but on the other hand I don't want to put the baby at unnecessary risk so was wondering how far to go down the 'no' route. I can just imagine the guilt if anything went wrong.

Thumbwitch I suspect my legs will take it. I spent most of my last three labours walking around and then gave birth on my knees. Maybe I can just insist on going to the loo so much they have to take me off the monitor loads. Or could they just leave a doppler with us, we're both quite practised with them now.

I wonder if the different people got different monitors (mobile or not) because of postcode lotteries yet again and as live in rural Norfolk where the government seems to forget exists and the NHS provision can be pitiful the money for decent monitors hasnt reached here yet.

I'm quite tempted to leave going to the hospital to the last minute but this also means trying to keep under wraps from DH quite how far on I am.

Obviously if I go prem again all this will be for nothing.

bronze - I did a lot of reading and research into it before DS3's birth. The monitor (can't remember the name of it - the one that they strap round you and have the machine with it - I did do reading honest) is by no means the only way to detect quickly that the you or the baby are in any danger.

There are lot of other signs (again can't actually think of them just now - I do have a good excuse, I've woken up with sticky eyes, and I think my "caffeinie withdrawal" headache yesterday is actually my sinuses as I'm in agony today) as well, just EFM (is that what it is?) is the most convinient for them.

I had virtually no intervention with DS3's labour and birth and I'm absolutely certain that contributed to a really good birth experience for me.

ECG?

Hope you feel better

ahh that's the one - thought it at an "E" in it somewhere

Anymore opinions? Any paeds, mws or doulas willing to share their sage advice

Not an expert at all but all the reading I have done says you have choices all the way - its just that no-one really points this out to us!

If you want to be mobile you want to be mobile and as various people above comment, there are other ways to check the babe is okay that do not involve you being stuck on a bed - which is clearly for the good of the staff/institution not you yourself....midwives are a mixed bunch (from what I gather on here - no offence to any lovely midwives reading!!) but generally they want you to have a good birth so you being clear with them about what you want has got to be a good start? So discussing the position for monitoring is crucial.

Re your dh - I am thinking of choosing a few of the birth stories on here to let mine read - both the good ones and the horrendous intervention-laden ones, to reassure him more about my desire for as little intervention as poss. Is there any chance yours would do that? As I suspect a good advocate would make all the difference?

Good luck with it all!

it is ultimately your choice and you don;t need to have any monitoring, or continous monitoring ,you can make an informed decision to refuse any or all treatment/intervention

AIMS is a good resource

i had continous monitoring, and the leads were long enough to sit on the birth ball, stand by the bed, etc

also, you can keep asking to go to the loo , for whihc you have to be unhooked from the monitor

dan 39 my birth story (for dc} is here (from a slant though as appropriate to that thread. though I suspect it won't be much help for you. Intervention in that case probably (almost definitely) saved my daughters life.

I do think that pethidine in my first labour was a factor in why my ds had to be revived. if thats a help