Welcoming your baby into the world is an incredible experience, and understanding the monitoring options available during labour can help you feel confident and in control. Monitoring keeps an eye on your baby’s well-being and your contractions to ensure everything is progressing as it should. Depending on your needs, your midwife or doctor might suggest different methods of monitoring. Let’s walk through the options you might encounter, so you can feel prepared for whatever comes your way.
Hand-held Monitoring (Intermittent Auscultation)
What It Is:
Hand-held monitoring uses a simple tool—like a Pinard stethoscope or a Doppler—to check your baby’s heartbeat at regular intervals throughout labour.
Why You’ll Love It:
Freedom to move: You can stay active, walk around, or use different positions during labour, which can make you feel more comfortable and help things progress.
Gentle and non-invasive: There are no wires or machines involved, so it’s as natural as it gets.
Perfect for low-risk pregnancies: This method is often all that’s needed if everything is progressing smoothly.
Things to Consider:
Limited information: It only provides a snapshot of your baby’s heartbeat at certain times, so it might not pick up on subtle changes.
Requires attention: Your midwife or doctor will need to check in regularly to monitor you.
Not suitable for everyone: If there are any risks or complications, a more continuous method might be recommended.
The Bottom Line:
Hand-held monitoring is ideal if you’re having a low-risk pregnancy and want a calm, natural labour experience. It keeps things simple while ensuring you and your baby are safe.
According to NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines, hand-held monitoring is recommended for women with low-risk pregnancies. Studies suggest it can reduce the likelihood of unnecessary interventions.
Wireless Monitoring (Telemetry)
What It Is:
Wireless monitors use clever technology to track your baby’s heart rate and your contractions in real-time—without tying you down to a machine.
Why You’ll Love It:
Move as you like: You can walk, bounce on a birthing ball, or even relax in the bath while being monitored.
Continuous care: It keeps track of your baby’s heartbeat and your contractions the whole time, so any changes are spotted quickly.
Comfortable: Since it’s wireless, you don’t have to deal with any cords getting in the way.
Things to Consider:
Technology hiccups: Sometimes the signal can drop out, or the equipment might not be available in every hospital.
Not always necessary: Continuous monitoring can sometimes lead to interventions, even when your baby is doing just fine.
The Bottom Line:
Wireless monitoring is a fantastic option if you need continuous care but still want the freedom to move around and stay comfortable. A study published in The Cochrane Library highlighted that wireless monitoring improves maternal mobility without compromising the detection of foetal distress.
Foetal Scalp Electrode Monitoring
What It Is:
This method involves attaching a tiny sensor directly to your baby’s scalp to measure their heartbeat. It’s usually used if more precise monitoring is needed.
Why You’ll Love It:
Highly accurate: It gives a crystal-clear picture of how your baby is doing, which can be really reassuring if there are any concerns.
Reliable in tricky situations: If other monitors aren’t picking up your baby’s heartbeat well (e.g., if they’re moving a lot), this method can step in.
Continuous monitoring: Keeps a constant check on your baby’s heart rate.
Things to Consider:
A bit more involved: It requires your waters to be broken and the electrode to be attached, which can feel a bit invasive.
Limits movement: You might need to stay in bed or in certain positions.
Small risk of infection: Because it touches your baby’s skin, there’s a very slight chance of infection.
The Bottom Line:
Foetal scalp monitoring is a helpful tool when more precise information is needed. While it’s a bit more involved, it’s a reassuring option if there are any concerns about your baby’s heart rate. Research shows that scalp electrode monitoring is effective in high-risk births but is generally reserved for situations where external monitoring fails or shows concerning results.
Wired ECG Monitoring (Cardiotocography or CTG)
What It Is:
This method uses sensors placed on your tummy to track your baby’s heart rate and your contractions continuously. The data is sent to a machine for your care team to monitor.
Why You’ll Love It:
Peace of mind: It gives a constant, detailed picture of how your baby is doing.
Widely available: Almost every hospital has this equipment, so it’s a reliable option.
Essential for high-risk labours: If complications arise, this method ensures your baby is monitored every step of the way.
Things to Consider:
Movement restrictions: Being attached to the machine means you might not be able to move around as freely.
Higher chance of interventions: Continuous monitoring can sometimes lead to interventions, like forceps or a caesarean, even if your baby is doing well.
Can feel a bit clunky: The wires and sensors might feel uncomfortable at times.
The Bottom Line:
Wired monitoring is a solid choice for high-risk pregnancies or when close monitoring is needed. It offers valuable reassurance but can feel a bit limiting. A landmark study (The Lancet, 2017) found that continuous monitoring with CTG may lead to increased intervention rates compared to intermittent monitoring.
Choosing the Right Monitoring Option
The choice of monitoring will depend on various factors, including your risk level, personal preferences, and hospital policies. For low-risk pregnancies, hand-held monitoring is often sufficient. However, in high-risk situations, continuous monitoring (either wireless or wired) or foetal scalp electrodes may be necessary.
Use B.R.A.I.N. to discuss your preferences and options with your midwife or doctor as understanding the pros and cons of each method will help you make decisions that align with your birth preferences.
B.R.A.I.N. is a decision making tool used to help you make informed decisions for labour and birth. Want to know more? Why not join an in-person or online antenatal course!
Final Thoughts
Labour monitoring plays a crucial role in ensuring a safe delivery for both mother and baby. Whether you opt for hand-held monitoring or require more advanced methods like foetal scalp electrodes, being informed about the benefits and limitations of each method is key to feeling empowered during labour.
Comments