Monitoring your baby

Monitoring your baby

Routine cardio tocograph (CTG) is not needed in low risk, normally progressing labour. But if a CTG is needed then this usually means that you may be immobilized as the best recordings are obtained if you are lying on the bed. You can get up and stand/walk within the limits of the electric cable. Usually your midwife will listen to your baby’s heart rate with a battery operated hand held doppler unit similar to the ones you have already seen in clinic and at home visits this pregnancy.  This will be around every 20 minutes in established labour and once you are pushing after most contractions.

Signs of Fetal distress
Throughout the labour your midwife will monitor the heart rate of your baby at certain intervals. In certain circumstances, such as an unusually fast or slow heart rate or the passing of meconium into the liquid around your baby may mean we recommend closer monitoring of your baby for the rest of the labour. This is done by using an external CTG for continuous monitoring or sometimes by attaching a small clip known as a fetal scalp electrode (FSE) onto the baby’s scalp. A fetal scalp clip is recommended when we aren’t able to get a good recording abdominally as it gives a very accurate recording.