# Birth positions with continuous monitoring



## embojet

So I will probably have to be monitored continuously during my labour which sucks as I'd really like to be active. Are you literally stcuk laying on your back?


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## snowfia

I was continuously monitored and i was on my knees leaning on the back of the bed.
Before i started pushing i was on my back so they could do an internal but when i needed to push i asked if i could turn over because i really didn't want to be on my back.

You can be in practically any position you want even when being monitored. They just don't like it because it's more awkward for them. Just stand your ground if you want to be moving about or in a different position :)


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## stardust599

Stand your ground. I wasn't allowed (or thought I wasn't but now I realise it should have been my choice) to move off my back because it was making monitoring difficult. In my notes it says a few times "choice of position interfering with CTG monitoring" quite a few times from when I rolled or sat up with the pain and I was immediately told to lie back down so they could hold the monitors on. Horrible. When pushing my daughter was trapped because I was on my back so I didn't listen and just turned myself over (the aren't allowed to stop you doing anything) and she was out in 3 pushes (from being trapped at crowning for 30mins)

If you can avoid it I would x


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## happygal

when i was induced i was monitored constantly and wasn't allowed off my back x


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## Nix

You really can move about as you need to as long as make sure that there is contact so that you are monitored correctly. As others have said it is a lot to do with it being easier for the midwives if you are on your back but it is so much worse for you and your labour. xx


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## LouLou78

On my third I was continuously monitored. I certainly didn't want to be on the bed so I requested for a fetal scalp electrode (the clip). I was then able to mobilise throughout with no interference on the CTG, infact I never got on the bed until I wanted to push. :)


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## stardust599

LouLou78 said:


> On my third I was continuously monitored. I certainly didn't want to be on the bed so I requested for a fetal scalp electrode (the clip). I was then able to mobilise throughout with no interference on the CTG, infact I never got on the bed until I wanted to push. :)



Is this attached to anything - like a CTG monitor thing? I might request this in my next birth instead of CTG if I have to be induced. Much less restrictive than having 2 bands round your waist and attached to a machine!


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## kanga

happygal said:


> when i was induced i was monitored constantly and wasn't allowed off my back x

Same here

Although its easy to moan about the midwives, they are doing a very important job monitoring your baby and they only want to be able to do it effectively. If youre having a difficult labour and your baby isnt happy, you'll probably want to stay on your back to get the trace on the monitor as well as possible, because working out if/when a critical moment for the baby is going to appear is very important


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## kanga

stardust599 said:


> LouLou78 said:
> 
> 
> On my third I was continuously monitored. I certainly didn't want to be on the bed so I requested for a fetal scalp electrode (the clip). I was then able to mobilise throughout with no interference on the CTG, infact I never got on the bed until I wanted to push. :)
> 
> 
> 
> Is this attached to anything - like a CTG monitor thing? I might request this in my next birth instead of CTG if I have to be induced. Much less restrictive than having 2 bands round your waist and attached to a machine!Click to expand...

 Yes - the babys head! Its a bit like a staple that goes into your babys scalp. If I had known what it actually was I would never have agreed to it. When my baby came out he had little wounds in his sacalp where the clip had been :cry:


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## teal

I was on my back and my side while hooked up for continuous monitoring :( xx


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## Vesta

I was monitored due to the baby being in distress and couldn't move about. However it was only the last 2 hours of my labour I spent in hospital. The other 34 hours of my labour I was at home so could do as I pleased.


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## LouLou78

stardust599 said:


> LouLou78 said:
> 
> 
> On my third I was continuously monitored. I certainly didn't want to be on the bed so I requested for a fetal scalp electrode (the clip). I was then able to mobilise throughout with no interference on the CTG, infact I never got on the bed until I wanted to push. :)
> 
> 
> 
> Is this attached to anything - like a CTG monitor thing? I might request this in my next birth instead of CTG if I have to be induced. Much less restrictive than having 2 bands round your waist and attached to a machine!Click to expand...

Just for reassurance, its not as bad as a staple as kanga has said and majority of the babies I have delivered who have had the clip only have the appearance of a scratch, nothing more. The actual clip is thread like, one very fine and does go through the excess scalp that presents on the baby's head, quite superficial, not deep at all. Then all that hangs out of you is a tampon string type wire that is long and attaches to the CTG machine, no need for the external transducer on your tummy. Just the contraction toco. For all the high risk women I look after who have the clip I have never had a baby with anything more that a scratch on their head. So, I see it that if you are high risk have a poor CTG etc, therefore require continuous monitoring then it is a good way to have a clear uninterupted CTG trace and be able to mobilise at the same time. I don't want the midwife constantly pushing the transducer still on my tummy whilst I am moving around in distress with contractions, therefore having loss of contract on my baby's trace, so clip it was. :)


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## dan-o

embojet said:


> So I will probably have to be monitored continuously during my labour which sucks as I'd really like to be active. Are you literally stcuk laying on your back?

No, you can still have some freedom! 

I was continuously monitored (very annoying!) and had an AB drip in (GBS+) and had anti embolism stockings on (you can imagine what I must have looked like lol) but I still managed to pace, stand, rock, use birthing ball, kneel over the bed and finally went on my back holding my legs back to push him out... only beacuse he was posterior.. so needed plenty of room! x


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## ducktanian

I also had to have continuous monitoring from the as soon as I got to the hospital. Waters had gone, contractions were coming too close together and baby was distressed. Spent the entire 8 hours in the hospital on my back or side bar one bathroom break!! The first midwife we had literally wouldn't let me move an inch. Very hard when the contractions were not letting up at all. Think she was just a bit of a hardcase cos she also wouldn't let me drink any water. I had my husband sneak me sips of water when she wasn't looking:haha: As soon as the staff changed over in the morning, I asked the new midwife if I could at least change positions on the bed and she was really surprised that I hadn't be allowed to for the previous 4 hours. They used the scalp clip towards the end as the belly monitor wasn't picking up what they needed. In hindsight I think I would have been a bit more assertive and tried to get up and walk around a few times. Think it would have helped me more. I did ask to change to being on all fours close to him being born and the midwife was fine with it but at that stage I wasn't able to get myself off my back having been there for so long:haha:


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