What is fetal monitoring during a vbac?

[MummyLuce]

Sunni why I didn't ask at the time bit at a recent appt the consultant said I would be getting fetal monitoring to monitor baby's heart to make sure uterus hasn't ruptured. What does this mean? Will I have to lie down all the time or just sit on the bed or will I be able to walk about etc. want to avoid an epidural but might be a bit hard if I have to deal with the pains remaining stationary

Sunni? I meant dunno

Didn't want to leave you unanswered but i had an epidural so was stationery (due to pain of induction!). I had fetal monitoring when being induced to check baby's heartbeat - it picked up that she was distressed and induction had to be slowed down.

You can have intermittent fetal monitoring (midwife checks with doppler etc) or continuous fetal monitoring (with a belt/sensors on). CFM can mean you have to stay fairly still/not move around the room - but ask about telemetric CFM which is wireless and should give you more mobility.

With a vbac the NICE guidelines recommend continuous fetal monitoring. As puddock says, this does not have to be stationary.

I would recommend asking that in your next appointment, and making sure that the midwife knows you want to be able to move. There is the possibility that there will not be enough equipment to provide this monitoring at the time, and so you may be given the option of stationary CFM or intermittent monitoring which will allow you to keep moving around.

As an aside, if given the option of intermittent monitoring instead, please be aware that this deviates from the NICE guidelines for vbac.

Please also be aware that this means you will not have a continuous record of FHR.