That said, some moms-to-be find it somewhat uncomfortable to have the transducers strapped to their belly during labor.
#At home fetal heart monitor how to
If you or your partner is interested, ask your nurse or practitioner how the machine works and how to tell when it registers a contraction.Įlectronic fetal monitoring isn't painful. You'll hear the galloping sound of your baby's heart if the monitor's volume is turned up. The transducers are connected to a machine near your bed that records this information on paper. Another device that tracks your contractions is usually attached to a second band around your abdomen. This device monitors your baby's heartbeat. What is continuous external electronic fetal monitoring like?Īn electronic device called a transducer that is attached to wide, stretchy bands will be placed around your abdomen. If your pregnancy is low-risk and you go into labor spontaneously, your baby's heart rate may only be monitored intermittently. If you have a high-risk pregnancy or are having your labor induced or augmented with medication, you'll likely be hooked up to an electronic fetal monitor continuously throughout labor. Intermittent monitoring is done with an electronic fetal monitor, a handheld Doppler device, or a fetoscope. Your health provider will check your baby's heart rate either continuously with an electronic fetal monitor, or periodically (this is called intermittent auscultation).