are there any guidelines available for being monitored

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A friend of mine is due to give birth soon and is feeling quite depressed about it.

Her history is that her first pregnancy ended when the baby's heart stopped beating at 28 weeks. She became pregnant again and has a healthy son but was induced 2 weeks early and monitored throughout the labour. She was forced to give birth on her back and was made to lie on the bed for the whole thing because of being monitored.

Now that she is pregnant again she is panicking about the labour and is feeling very depressed (she understands the need for monitoring though)

I vaguely remember reading something somewhere about guidelines for being monitored ie having a wire long enough so that the woman can move about and walk round the bed However I've searched and can't find any literature on it.

Can someone let me know if there are any guidelines available that she can present to the midwives so that they allow her to labour a little more comfortably.

It might be worth checking to see if the hospital has some wireless monitors - I used one when I VBACed recently. It meant I could move around the bed and change position easily. I don't know about guidelines though...

Does your friend gain comfort from being continuously monitored? I'm fairly sure that in most circumstances there isn't any research to suggest that continuous monitoring improves outcomes over monitoring done regularly by a hand held device (certainly wrt VBACs).

I sympathise so much for your friend - we recently lost DD2 at 36 weeks in similar circumstances and I'm terrified of the thought of being pregnant and giving birth again. I honestly don't know what will give me more confidence at the time.

I think, if it were me and I wanted to be monitored continuously, I would be pushing the hospital for a better solution. They should be able to find a longer wire, or a wireless unit, so that there's much more freedom of movement, and that would make life much more pleasant.

I'll keep my fingers crossed she gets a better experience and a beautiful, healthy third child .

sorry for late response i am typing onehanded at the mo as have sick baby and toddler, aaarghh!

thanks for the advice re wireless monitors mrsflyingkebab

tangle i think she does gain reassurance from the monitoring but hated being strapped down. I am so sorry about the loss of your your daughter - nobody should have to go through that kind of pain

I was only on the monitor for the 20min triage assessment, but they were very good about it and said at the start if I was uncomfy I could get up and move around (although it was a long wire, so obviously not too far).

You could try reading through the most recent set of NICE guidelines, I'll have a look for the link now...

And sorry as well, for the loss of both babies mentioned on this thread :-( I think my heart would break.

guidance.nice.org.uk/CG55

Haven't had time to read it through to see what it says as am on library rota this morning. Good luck with it!

There is now a monitor that they can place on the baby's scalp which apparently allows more freedom of movement. I didn't fancy the invasion myself, but I can see in your friend's position it may be useful.

I had continual monitoring with DS1 and was able to move around a reasonable amount- I think if your friend sees a consultant 1st and explains her problem, she can have it on her notes. These things are best negotiated in advance IME.

I already have agreement that if i need monitoring it can be done on the floor (which is where I want to be anyway). I know you can be monitored on a birthing ball also as this was mentioned in NCT classes.

I was monitored & gave birth on all fours on the floor.

Never got on to bed at all.