They want to screw what into my baby's head?

[Dea]

I just got home from my bradley class and we were talking about epidurals, and I was impressed that my instructor explained them as a tool. That they have a place in the world, but we are fully within our rights to refuse them. She went on to explain what happens with one, where it goes, side effects for the mother and baby and what to expect, ie. catheder.
Then we talked about external and internal fetal monitoring and she explained that with an epidural your blood pressure lowers and they give you lots of saline to boost it, which means there will be less oxygen going to the baby, so there is more need for internal monitoring. Then she showed us the monitor for the baby. OMG! I do not want one of those coming anywhere near my baby, EVER! I don't care if someone tells me it's a little wire, it's being screwed into my baby's scalp, AND THAT IS NOT OKAY!
So... I think the hormones are getting the better of me today, but it really freaked me out!

[flapjack]

Internal monitors can be pretty rarely used these days, and there are alternatives, including fetal blood sampling. I don't remember the last time I heard/saw of a baby with a clip monitor, tbh.
Has your instructor talked about using your BRAIN?
Benefits- what are they?
Risks- what are they?
Alternatives- are there any?
Intuition- what does it tell you?
Nothing- what happens if you leave well alone???

[Justmee]

I had internal monitoring with Rena (twin B ) because they couldn't get a HB on her after her sister was born. When the internal monitor showed a weak HB they decided to give 1 try w/ the vacuum (thankfully didn't need a section, one push and she was out APGAR of 4 but okay within a short period B"H). The monitor wasn't drilled into her head, just stuck there.

[StrawberryFields]

I had an internal fetal monitor after I transferred to the hospital with ds. The idea freaked me out a little too but everything was fine, he was no worse for wear with just a tiny little red mark on his head that subsided gosh, probably within the first day even. I barely remember it.

My blood pressure is very very low to start with and it totally bottomed out after my epidural, and we had already been having heart rate/oxygen problems with ds at home. So while screwing something into my ds' head didn't sound like the perfect peaceful homebirth I had planned, in the end it was just a small blip on the radar screen of my journey to have a healthy baby.

[smokeylo]

I've seen it done as a doula, and no, it's not nice. Can you imagine that? The first thing you feel is a screw in your head. Ow.

[mom2tillie]

Tillie had one, I would never let that happen again... I was very uninformed. It doesn't "screw" in though, it's supposed to be more like a when you stick a pin through the top layer of skin on your finger, just attached there but you never can be sure...

-Iris

[applecore]

Unfortunately it is still done often in my area. It seems like it's always one of those domino interventions. Things look questionable on the external monitor, so lets do one internally! Oh, and while we're at it, let's put in a pressure catheter as well! :

[Nikki Christina]

EH.
ive had 2 epidural's, no catheder's, no internal monitoring

[spu]

I had an internal monitor with both pregnancies, and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. In fact, it gave me much more freedom of movement (and peace of min). DH's hb was really regular, with no rise and fall during contrax, which was a slight cause for concern. I was laboring naturally, and the belt monitor kept losing his hb, so I was thrilled to get the internal - I could roll around, walk, go to the bathroom, sit on the ball, hang from the bars, whatever I needed to do, and I knew if there was something to be concerned about with his hb, we'd catch it sooner rather than later. I recall it being kind of like a little clip - kind of like a chip clip with maybe 2 or 3 'teeth' that grab onto the baby's scalp.

[operamommy]

MIL told me that during her labor with dh, she had to have an internal monitor. And yep, at that time they actually screwed them in (32 years ago). They misjudged and put the monitor right between his eyes. Just think if they'd misjudged even more - he would have been blinded.

So glad that internal monitoring - when needed - is better now!

[the elyse]

the big drawback to having it other than it being a needle stick in utero (or just to see how baby's heartbeat is doing when there are other efficient ways to check it) is you have to break the amniotic sac to put it in place...not something you want to do without thinking about the many risks of AROM.

[Nature]

Hmmm I had this for one of my pregnancies but it wasn't "stuck" in her head. It was stuck on with sticky tape like an EKG lead.

[angelcat]

Originally Posted by spu

I had an internal monitor with both pregnancies, and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. In fact, it gave me much more freedom of movement (and peace of min). DH's hb was really regular, with no rise and fall during contrax, which was a slight cause for concern. I was laboring naturally, and the belt monitor kept losing his hb, so I was thrilled to get the internal - I could roll around, walk, go to the bathroom, sit on the ball, hang from the bars, whatever I needed to do, and I knew if there was something to be concerned about with his hb, we'd catch it sooner rather than later. I recall it being kind of like a little clip - kind of like a chip clip with maybe 2 or 3 'teeth' that grab onto the baby's scalp.

I had one too, and it was so I could move around. I had back labour, and since they woudln't give me an epidural, I HAD to be able to move around.

It was VERY scary getting it done, but once it was in place, it was so much better than the external monitoring. Oh, and it was also scary when they took it off before my c-section. It was really scary suddenly not knowing how baby was doing, even if it was only for 15 minutes or so.

[flapjack]

But- there's no scientific evidence at all to justify routine continuous monitoring of baby's heartbeat during labour. It's been proven to increase the likelihood of an emergency c-section, but its use has no effect on APGAR scores at birth, neonatal morbidity or any other means of measuring outcomes. The one instance where it can be justified for baby's sake is if a short burst of monitoring detects an abnormal decel pattern, which can indicate fetal distress or to confirm current distress following the passing of meconium, and for mum's sake during a VBAC to watch for uterine rupture.
This is going to sound like a condemnation, and I'm sorry, I can't find another way of wording it and I'm not trying to cause offence to anyone here. If you are told, though, that your baby's heart beat MUST be monitored because that is how the hospital always does it, be aware that it's based upon tradition, not current medical evidence.

ETA: forgot induction. Doh. Sorry.

[Dea]

Holy hot thread batman.
It still scares me, even if it's just stuck on with sticky tape. It seems unnatural to me for a baby to be born with something foreign on their body. I totally understand that it's crucial for some women, and kudos to them, they are strong mamas. I just hope that I don't have to make that decision.

[angelcat]

I had to be monitored-I had pit to augment labour. Before that, they weren't monitoring constantly, but I wished they were.

I'd want monitoring anyhow. I HAVE to know what's going on, or I worry. It's just how I am.

[ecstaticmama24]

My first had an internal monitor. The didn't even explain it to me. It was pretty much horrible, and the first 2 births i experienced are the reason for my birth centre birth with my 3rd, and now my homebirth with this baby.

[the elyse]

just fyi: you don't have to have an internal monitor while on pit...i've worked with plenty of clients that induced with external monitors only.

[angelcat]

Originally Posted by the elyse

just fyi: you don't have to have an internal monitor while on pit...i've worked with plenty of clients that induced with external monitors only.

I did start out with that, but it wouldn't stay in place wile I was on the birthing ball. Since they wouldn't give me an epi, I had to be able to move around and change position. (back labour).

[flapjack]

Angelcat, you went through an induction with no epidural? (removes hat respectfully.) Well done. I don't think I'd have the guts to do that.