Is it just me? - internal heart monitors

tlpyott · June 2015

We had our 4th childbirth class of 6 last night and the nurse explained how an internal heart monitor was used on the baby during labor and delivery. I was appalled when it was passed around class to see that it's inserted vaginally and then CORKSCREWED into the baby's head (to remain there until the baby is delivered)!!! Does anyone else have a complete and utter opposition to this??? And does anyone know if you can refuse this? They say it is painless, but really...I want no parts of anyone screwing a wire into my precious boy's head!

*shudder*

pinkspringtulip · June 2015

It's definitely not just you! I read about those recently (haven't seen one in person) and was all, "That is not happening to my daughter!". It seems so ... wrong! Plus they can't exactly ask the baby if it hurts so to say it's painless feels like a bit of a stretch for me!

aveline8 · June 2015

Agreed, I feel like this is inhumane since the poor baby is already going through the trauma of being born and also can't say if it hurts or not!!! I would never allow it unless it was an absolute last resort or somehow the ONLY option. But I can't see that happening.

mclaurin2015 · June 2015

I believe these internal monitors are only used in a crisis or fragile situation. My 17 year old had this done when he was born, but he also had an unstable heart rate. It really had no effect on him in any way. It only goes into the top layer. It's not like a needle through the skull or anything. He didn't even bleed with it.

kclg10 · June 2015

My son had it and I didn't even know until the next day when I noticed a red spot on his head and asked the nurse. My oxygen levels were going down during delivery and when they gave me oxygen is when they put the monitor on him.

I remember seeing it at our birthing class and looking at my husband like there is no way someone is screwing that into my baby's head!

Allison03 · June 2015

I had this with my daughter (didn't know how they attached it!) they only used it because her heart rate kept dropping and they said its a more accurate way to monitor baby's heart rate.

toccoaparker · June 2015

Both of my boys had this, I think it t may be my hospital policy? Where it was on my youngest you can still see, almost like a birth mark? I don't think it hurts them at all and I would rather have it and know baby was doing fine through labor than just assume or have to wait for ultrasound results

breezymeema7 · June 2015

Never had this.

laineyjewel · June 2015

Internal monitors should only be used when medically necessary. When there are any worries or complications they will use internal.

If I were you I would talk to your doctor and someone in L&D at the hospital to get a clarification of their policies and procedures with the internal monitors.

Personally, I would not want one used unless it was absolutely necessary.

sschwege · June 2015

I would ask your doctor what standard monitoring looks like at your hospital. Internal monitors are appropriate under certain circumstances, but should not be done routinely. Part of the problem is that they must break your bag of water to insert it, this generally makes labor more challenging and puts you 'on the clock' in terms of when they would want baby delivered (risk of infection). The ACOG supports either intermittent or continuous monitoring as appropriate in low risk mothers. You can read more about it here:
https://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/0801/p527.html

I had intermittent monitoring with both of my babies and it was wonderful. The nurse came every 15 or so minutes and listened with the Doppler. This gave me full freedom of movement, it even worked underwater, so I didn't have to get out of the bath.

You asked if you can refuse this, absolutely!! Please keep in mind that provided you are able to make decisions for yourself you can refuse any and all medical interventions, monitors, IVs everything. And while they may make you sign waivers or continue to pressure you, you can't be turned away they have to treat you.

CaliforniaDream87 · June 2015

breezymeema7 said:
Never had this.

Nope, me either.

Miz_Liz · June 2015

CaliforniaDream87 said:

breezymeema7 said:
Never had this.
Nope, me either.

Ditto. Never even knew it was a thing.

Joie80 · June 2015

Miz_Liz said:

CaliforniaDream87 said:

breezymeema7 said:
Never had this.
Nope, me either.
Ditto. Never even knew it was a thing.

Not here either!

Bailey1823A · June 2015

Internal monitors are only to be used if extremely necessary (typically with fetal distress due to constant repositioning so that an accurate hr is obtained for the baby). If should not be a routine practice. There are all kinds of risks in labor though and the baby could have worse abrasions to the head from pushing. Working in L&D, I think we use internals with maybe 1 out of 25 or so patients and again I only place one or ask the dr to place one if baby is having distress and I have having trouble keeping a continuous tracing on the heart rate monitor. Can you refuse one: sure but honestly I think knowing that your baby's heart rate is consistently low due to an internal monitor that is more accurate is better than someone guessing what the heart rate is due to an external that may not be recording well. Babies are rather resilient and have soft heads for a reason: to withstand any aspect of labor. They are scarier than they appear IMHO.

fionalouise007 · June 2015

Never heard of it.. Not standard practice where I'm from. Never mentioned at our hospital during the medical intervention discussion of our classes. Sounds disturbing.

lifesabeach85 · June 2015

I would ask your doctor or someone at the hospital where you will deliver under what circumstances they would use the internal monitor and if such practice is fairly routine.

At my hospital they don't even routinely use continual external monitoring (20 minutes on, 40 minutes off is the norm) and only use internal monitors in extreme cases (such as to confirm distress before performing a c section).

I personally would only do it if there is a very good reason.

gulimz · June 2015

It's only used when babys heart rate can't be traced or baby isn't doing so well. It doesn't harm the baby. What harms the baby is mothers thinking that it's not right for their kids and they would never put it on and they refuse it. Refusing monitoring is dangerous and harmful for your baby. Hopefully you wouldn't need it. It's not too common. But please don't put your baby's health in danger if you need one because you looked stuff up in Google or you think you know more then a doctor or nurse

mitsullivan · June 2015

They tend to use them if you have an epidural. I was able to refuse it with my 1st but they just started to do it like protocol without telling me. Once I saw I stopped them. And agreed with the dr. If she showed and signs of distress with the external than she could place it.

tlpyott · June 2015

@gulimz I actually learned about it in our childbirth class at the hospital, not Google. Please don't presume that you are speaking to someone ill-informed just because their opinion is different than yours. I'm doubting that you're a doctor either, who would know that "What harms the baby is mothers thinking that it's not right for their kids and they would never put it on and they refuse it." From what I'm seeing, there are mothers who have refused it with no adverse problems, and it's a shame you are criticizing their parenting decision.

tlpyott · June 2015

@mitsullivan thanks for sharing your experience. I think I would feel comfortable approaching it the way you did. I'm glad you can refuse it if such an intervention is truly not necessary.

tlpyott · June 2015

@sschwege thanks so much for the info! I'll definitely be checking out this resource!

MissusTexas · June 2015

Our hospital only does intermittent monitoring as needed, thankfully and you can insist upon that if you are concerned about the monitor.

irohspupil · June 2015

My MIL was locked in at 4cm dilated for several hours after being induced (she had been dilated at 3 for about a week before the induction). They inserted the internal fetal monitor into my husband and decided to perform a c-section. I don't think it would have been inserted if she hadn't been stuck at a 4 for so long.
However! My husband still has a small indentation in his head from the needle. It's a tiny soft spot that can only be felt, not seen.

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