Checking your baby’s wellbeing while you are in labour

If your pregnancy has been ‘normal’ and there are no problems during labour, your midwife will listen to your baby’s heart rate every 15 minutes using a Pinnards (plastic, trumpet-shaped instrument) or Sonicaid (a battery operated machine so you can also hear the heart rate). If there are any problems with the heart rate during labour then we will offer you continuous monitoring of your baby’s heart rate.

Checking your baby’s wellbeing using a Monitor

Monitoring your baby is usually offered continuously if we think your baby is tired or distressed in any way.  This is also offered for other reasons such as:

• admissions to hospital during pregnancy
• you have high blood pressure or other problems of pregnancy
• baby is being born prematurely
• induction of labour (depending upon the circumstances)
• baby is thought to be smaller than average for your dates
• you need a drip to help boost the strength and frequency of your contractions
• you are expecting twins
• you have had a previous Caesarean section.
• labour slowing down
• possible fetal distress or meconium (where the baby has had its bowels open)
• transfer out of the birth centre
• assisted births

How do we do it?

Continuous monitoring of your baby’s heart rate will be done using a cardio-tocograph monitor (CTG) machine.

Your baby’s heart rate will then be continuously recorded on paper and reviewed by midwives and doctors. If you need a CTG throughout your labour, you can still stand up, sit on a chair, or kneel on all fours. Your midwife can assist you to get into a comfortable position.

This page was last modified on Thu Jul 29 2010