Monitoring your baby when you are in labour

Welcome to Ramsay Health Care, we look forward to caring for you and your family during your stay with us. Our aim is to provide you with a safe and enjoyable experience.

The purpose of this information is to outline how we plan to monitor your baby during labour and the use of your birth plan when you choose to attend one of our maternity hospitals.

Monitoring your baby:

To assist us to provide optimum care of your baby during labour and birth it is important that your baby's heart rate is monitored. Depending on the situation there are different ways that this can be done:

• Using a small portable ultrasound (doppler)

• Using a machine called a CTG (cardiotocograph). The baby's heart rate and your contractions are monitored electronically

• An electrode can be placed directly on the baby's head to record the heart rate( this is only used occasionally when it is difficult to record the heart rate using the two methods outlined above)

At all Ramsay Health Care maternity facilities a CTG is performed on admission. This establishes a baseline and re-assurance of the baby’s state of health or heart rate. The CTG is repeated intermittently throughout your labour unless there are indications for continual CTG monitoring.

Please note: If you have any questions in relation to this practice contact your obstetrician or the maternity unit manager of the Ramsay maternity unit you have chosen to have your baby.

If you choose to have a birth plan:

Some people choose to have a birth plan. They see it as an opportunity to write down any thoughts or wishes they have about their labour and /or stay in hospital.

It is very important that you discuss your plan with your obstetrician and midwifery staff. This will give us an opportunity to let you know what we have available to meet your wishes and what is safe and practical according to your individual circumstances.

You will need to be flexible and be prepared to do things differently if complications arise for you or your baby. Childbirth is not always "normal" and intervention may be required under certain circumstances.

If intervention is required your obstetrician/midwife will explain why the intervention is necessary and the associated risks and benefits of the intervention.

If you have any questions in relation to this information please do not hesitate to contact your obstetrician and the maternity unit you have chosen to have your baby.