My sister is a speech/language pathologist who does a lot of early intervention work with babies. She was mentioning to me yesterday that most of the babies she has as clients have one thing in common... fetal monitors were not used during their mom's l&d. Obviously this is just an observation and not a scientific study, but it interested me.
Now for me, that was a no brainer. I never once considered refusing a monitor, but obviously many people do. I was just curious what YOUR opinion was.
kptoys
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Re: Fetal Monitors
I had an external monitor on every couple hours in the beginning of my labor. Then when they broke my water they kept it on me. There was a small amount melaconin (sp?) in the water. They saw that every time I had a contraction Emmas heart rate would drop. They put an internal monitor on Emmas head. They did a c-section to get her out. She was in distress. Without the monitors I don''t know what the outcome would have been...
Claud2001
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Re: Fetal Monitors
I had a monitor on at all times once I was given the epidural. It did not bother me, b/c I couldn''t get up and walk with the epidural anyway.
I know that some women feel very strongly against being confined to the bed during L&D, so that is often the reason why they refuse the fetal monitor. Let''s face it - without the epidural, lying in a bed is THE MOST uncomfortable place to be when you are contracting.
I think it''s important for the Mom to maintain (to the best of her abilities) as much 'freedom' from the bed as she can, but still allow the hospital staff to do regular checks (I don''t know how often) with the fetal monitor throughout the L&D....only b/c the baby''s vital signs could change in an instant.
michele31
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Re: Fetal Monitors
I know that even with the water birth a mother is monitored every 15 minutes. But to be tied down to the bed for full-time monitoring is just not IMO something I would do, unless it was medically necessary. Can you ask your SIL how she feels that monitoring would have changed a speech problem in a child? I don''t understand it at all. Plus you are home for some of your labor and you cannot monitor yourself. Is she suggesting that you get to the hospital asap to get hooked-up?
Claud2001
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Re: Fetal Monitors
Posted by michele31 Can you ask your SIL how she feels that monitoring would have changed a speech problem in a child? I don''''t understand it at all.
Jen - do you know if the children your SIL works with have a type of neurological problem? What is the nature of their problems that causes them to need the help of a speech pathologist?
JennRenee
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Re: Fetal Monitors
It''s my sister, and not my SIL.
Speech Pathology encompasses far more than speech problems. She works with autistic, brain damaged, and other special needs children on issues that include, but are not limited to, language acquisition and feeding therapy. All of these conditions could possibly be cause by trauma at birth. Speech pathologists are more than just 'lisp fixers'.
This, as I said, is the observation of just one person, but honestly, I find the coincidence upsetting. Fetal monitoring can give the medical professionals a quick heads up if the baby goes into distress. Sometimes all it takes is a minute...
My annoyance and discomfort at being tethered to a bed is secondary to the well-being of my child. Chances are that we will all have normal, uneventful births. I wish THAT more than anything, but I'm not taking any chances.
Victoria
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Re: Fetal Monitors
I did not think I would mind the monitor either, since I too thought it might only take minute. It is not always as simple or comfortable as you might think. I walked around for most of my labor, but once per hour I had to return to the bed for 20 minutes of fetal monitoring. It became very uncomfortable because I had to be on my back for the whole 20 minutes while having back labor. That is the worst position for back labor. After 20 mins. I would beg my DH to get the nurse to get me off the monitor. Twice they told me the monitor had stopped picking up the signal for a few minutes and the ENTIRE 20 mins. had to be repeated. I was furious they had not come in earlier to tell me they were starting over. As i started transition (7-10cm) my cntrx were right on top of each other and I refused to be on my back. When they came in to start the monitor I said I was staying on my side and they would have to find I way to get it to work in that position -or NO MONITOR. They managed to get it to work that way. You must be adamant or have a coach speak up for you. It ws more work for the nurses to find the baby on my side, but I felt it was best for my labor to stay off my back.
michele31
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Re: Fetal Monitors
I know that I have women can be monitored on their side. But I am sure the baby's position makes a difference though. Plus I have never heard of a hospital where you weren't monitored at all during your L&D. I would think those mothers had monitoring but not every single second. So she thinks that you need to be monitored from the moment you go into labor until the birth is over?Does this mean you are rushing to the hospital early?
I know Speech therapists help a variety of children and that they do a lot more than stutters and lisps. They really help children a lot! My nephew is austic and the speech therapists helps with a ton of developmental issue. My SIL was monitored because she has a heart murmor (sp) and she had the epi and my nephew still has autism.
JennRenee
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Re: Fetal Monitors
No, my sister is not suggesting being monitored from the very first contraction, just very often. The moms she works with were not monitored at all, as per their choice. This is a fact. You get to know people very well when you come to their house 3+ times a week to work with their baby, and case histories are always done at the beginning.
As for your nephew, I'm sure your SIL's being monitored or not had nothing to do with it. As I'm sure you know, no one really knows exactly what causes autism, HOWEVER, there are other exceptionalities that sometimes go hand-in-hand with autism, and those are the things that are often caused by birth trauma.
Kathi
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Re: Fetal Monitors
That is very interesting, Jenn Renee. Does your sister know what the correlation is? Is there research on this or just your sister's experience?
BTW, I was on a fetal monitor for almost 36 hours straight... external for about 28 of those hours then internal. My poor Peanut had a bruise on his head for weeks!!
