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Are Baby Heart Rate Monitors Also for Home Use?
Although baby heart rate monitors are most commonly used at pre-natal visits and during labor, some women like the idea of monitoring their babies at home. The Bellybeats or Babybeat Fetal Doppler baby monitor system can be rented for as little as $24-$49/month or purchased for as much as $499. Women who have miscarried or have had trouble with past pregnancies may find great comfort and peace of mind with a system like this, which allows them to keep track of their baby's every breath to know that the term is going well.
There are two kinds of heart rate monitors - external and internal. An external baby monitor system can be used to check the baby's heart rate and infant stress, gauge the length of contractions and assess the level of amniotic fluid during pregnancy. The baby infant monitor can be in any form, either a stethoscope, elastic sensor or an ultrasound device. You can get the information on a printed chart or hear the beeping sound. You can make sure the baby is fine and also monitor the contractions of the uterus during labor with the help of heart monitor readings.
Baby heart rate monitors can also be internal. Usually the internal baby monitor system is only used when complications arise during labor. Once the mother's cervix has dilated at least two centimeters and the amniotic sac has ruptured, continuous internal monitoring is done to find out whether the stressfulness of labor is threatening the baby's health and also to measure the strength/duration of labor contractions. To do this, an electrode is inserted in through the vagina, cervix, uterus and to the baby's head. Chart print-outs and beeping sounds let doctors and nurses know exactly what's going on during this urgent time.
Most external heart rate monitors are used after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The woman being tested will lie on her back or left side, with two sensor belts attached around her belly. One sensor will track the baby's heart rate, while the other measures the timing and strength of her contractions. The sensors attach to a recording device, which beeps or prints out reports immediately. During a 30-minute non-stress test, the mother will be asked to push a button whenever the baby moves or whenever she has a contraction. During the contraction stress test, contractions are induced using oxytocin intravenously, while contractions are measured. All in all, digital baby monitors are the best way to ensure the health of a forthcoming baby.
Further information concerning heart rate monitors
Facts About Using a Video Baby Monitor
How Helpful Is A Wireless Video Baby Monitor Really?