From: M16585@mwvm.mitre.org
Subject: Re: Use of drugs during labor - and electronic monitoring
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean VA 22102
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 13:26:07 GMT

In article <1992Jul27.193823.13707@umiami.ir.miami.edu>
ahelmers@umiami.ir.miami.edu writes:
 
>
>In article <1992Jul27.195837.26820@watson.ibm.com>, lisa@watson.ibm.com (Lisa Leutenegger) writes:
>> In article <LOWRY.92Jul27141802@rotor.watson.ibm.com> lowry@watson.ibm.com (Andy Lowry) writes:
>>>I'm talking about the nonintrusive kind that they
>>>simply strap to your stomach
>>
>> I would hardly call those straps nonintrusive - they restrict movement
>> and require the woman to lie on her back - or maybe (with luck and an
>> understanding attendant) she may get to sit down or stand up.  But basically
>> she has to stay still with very little movement.   I want to lie on my
>> side (almost on my stomach) when I am lying down.  I want to be able
>> to walk around.  I want to be able to do pelvic rock exercises if I have
>> a posterior baby.  I want to be able to take a shower....
>
 
Well, for what it's worth, I had a late labor-2wks, contractions started at
3:23am(do you think perhaps this was memorable?)and by noon were 5min apart
We waited until 12:30pm whichwas an hour of 5min apart before we called the
doc.  He told us to go on to the hospital--we got there about 1pm and they
checked me, said I was 4cm and 40%effaced and told me to walk around.
 
After 2 1/2hrs of that, I went back and there was no change. They slipped the
monitor on(the kind that goes on your tummy w/ the icky gel) and checked
the baby(no problems) took it off and said to stand/walk/ whatever was
comfortable
 
I should add here that we went to Fairfax Hospital, VA which we were told
would NOT be accomodating if we wanted to walk/shower/etc--THEY WERE! Don't
believe all you hear, even from people who work there or have been there.
 
Well, somewhere around 5 I think they put the monitor on, wanted it to stay,
but If I really wanted it off, they'd take it off. Then they gave me potocin.
THAT's when the real pain started, and I thought'with all this pain, we must
be making progress--WRONG!. By 7:pm, I wanted pain med. My Dr said Okay, but
it took close to an hour to get because of some extra tests they had to do
first(due to other medical prob).
 
I was more than a little scared of the epidural, I had heard if it's done
wrong you can be paralized.  Well, the staff were great-and said not to worry
The whole time the monitor was going and the baby was fine.  I barely felt
anything when they put the epidural in--not anywhere  close to being worth
all my worries.  The fluid was cold, I recall, but that was normal they said.
 
Well, even with being able to relax finally, I still didn't dilate or efface
any more and my contractions were only about 3 1/2 min apart.
 
My Dr said we would do a C-Section since I wasn't progressing, but I think the
decision was also based on how tired I was--My hubby took pictures and I looked
like...well, pretty bad. I originally wanted an entirely natural birth, but
I had told everyone that if things didn't go well, I would do what wwas  best
for both me and my baby.
 
 
>This is what you THINK you want now, Lisa.  I'm not flaming you, but you don't
>know what you will be wanting in labor, you simply haven't experienced it yet.
>
Definitely--keep your options open--most health professionals understand what
you're going through & they try to help as best they can
>>
>> A woman who is electronically monitored is more likely to have a
>> cesarean or a forceps delivery than one who is not.  The problem
>> is that doctors simply don't have a clear idea on how to interpret
>> the data they get from these machines.
>>
 
Really? I had never heard that before--where did you get your data?
Anyone Else heard this?
 
>> As a final note - EFM uses ultrasound technology - which in itself is
>> possibly harmful to the fetus.  I for one do not want to expose my fetus
>> to hours of a technology that has not been proven safe and from the
>> 1 or 2 articles I have read it is quite possibly unsafe.
>
Stefan had no problems, and is still very healthy. I hadn't heard anything
about possible harmful effects or I probably wouldn't have kept it on for
so long.
 
>>>Another upside is that the coach knows before the
>>>mother-to-be when labor pains are beginning to subside.
>>
>> I want my husband to pay attention to me - not a machine.
>
Mine did, I personally though, couldn't have cared less that they were ending
they *still* hurt and even if they were ending-they didn't feel like it
>
Ellie Mom of Stefan 13 months
Life is too important to be taken seriously.
Newsgroups: misc.kids,misc.education