I have an EFM machine!

[DL]

Can you believe it?

I was asking around the midwifery today (where I do reception work) if they had any old monitor belts that I could have. I was originally thinking about making a homemade monitor set-up using ace bandages, yarn, and attaching them to a cardboard box in order to similate being hooked up to an EFM machine. I thought it would be neat to demonstrate what it's like to try differing positions and comfort measures if mom is hooked up to the monitor. Then I thought that it wouldn't hurt to just ask if they had any old monitor belts that I could have instead of me using ace bandages (and I could rig up everything else with homemade stuff); I thought it unlikely that they'd have any for me to use. BUT...I'm a "can't win if you don't enter" kind of person and asked anyway. Well.....it so happens that they had an old set-up that they don't use anymore; it isn't working properly. The midwife and office manager said that I could just take it home and use it whenever I want (and that they'll probably just end up giving it to me)! So...I've got the actual machine (already loaded with strip paper), transducers, belts, plugs, EVERYTHING! Cool, huh? I know that they said that it won't run the strip paper, but I don't know if the transducers work at all yet or not (I'll have to play with it myself and see). This will be great for use with doula clients and REALLY awesome for childbirth ed classes! I can hardly believe it!

[capandcradle]

How neat for demonstrations! Don't forget, though, that there are downsides to the ultrasound exposure, and even turned off it will be good to show that between mom wanting to move and baby wiggling finding FHTs can be a challenge if mom wants to be upright.

[DL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by capandcradle How neat for demonstrations! Don't forget, though, that there are downsides to the ultrasound exposure, and even turned off it will be good to show that between mom wanting to move and baby wiggling finding FHTs can be a challenge if mom wants to be upright.

Oh yes; you are absolutely correct, Anne! You know, I really don't plan on turning the thing on at all with mommas, especially for the reason you stated. I'm no big fan of monitoring for most cases, but this will be really cool for demonstration purposes (and that's all it'll be used for). The transducers just might not work at all anyway; I think I might try to see what it will do on myself, though, just out of curiosity! (i.e. will it pick up my pulse or heartbeat, or record pressure when pushed on? lol) ....All I plan to do is to strap clients/students up so they can feel first hand what it's like to be attached to this thing. Then we can try different positions so they can see first-hand 1)how restricting it can be and 2) that whenever it is necessary, how we can try different things in spite of it (hoping to not keep losing the FHTs, as you said). I tell you, I don't think I've ever been so excited to have a broken thing in my life!

[1stimestar]

That would be a really neat teaching aid. You would have to be very careful about covering your bohunkus though with your certifying org if you did turn it on. Or even if you didn't, some health care providers will not like you having one. You can also use it to teach dads to NOT look at it. So many times in labor I find the dads watching it instead of paying attention to the moms. That is something I cover in my prenatals. Have fun.

[everydaymiracles]

Wow - great visual aid! I have used a dad in my class and have used clothes pegs attached to yarn and a card describing what it is to show the cascade of interventions - efm, IV, catheter, pulse oximeter, bp cuff, epidural, etc. Is 'funny' to see dad hooked up but is good to have him be the one trying to move, change positions with all these leads/pegs - helps to get them to see how restrictive it is and then be more on board to encourage mum to avoid (or delay) those interventions when possible. Have fun with it! Robyn

PS one of the things that my student midwife always did was to place the doptone on my then 2 yo's chest to pick up her 'baby' - EFM transducer should be able to pick up your heart beat, one would think!

[DL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1stimestar That would be a really neat teaching aid. You would have to be very careful about covering your bohunkus though with your certifying org if you did turn it on.

Naaaaaa.......It won't be a problem...I won't be turning it on for pregnant mommas at all--never. I haven't had the chance to mess with it yet (still in it's carrying bag), but I really don't think it works AT ALL anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1stimestar Or even if you didn't, some health care providers will not like you having one.

That's the least of my concerns (actually, with the way I'm going to use it...I have no concerns): 1. It's none of their business since it isn't theirs (can you tell I'm a non-conformist rebel? ) 2. It's BROKEN, so it won't be fullfilling any medical purposes. Demonstration ONLY.....just like some doulas & CBEs have amniohooks and incomplete epidural kits to pass around soley to look at for educational purposes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1stimestar You can also use it to teach dads to NOT look at it. So many times in labor I find the dads watching it instead of paying attention to the moms. That is something I cover in my prenatals. Have fun.

Excellent idea, Georganne! Thanks for the idea!

[heathenmamaof5]

Wow Lori! Great find!

[DL]

I've discovered that it's a 1988 model; it probably hasn't worked for quite some time. I plugged everything in and turned it on, and the first thing I noticed was that the display didn't light up at all....totally dark. The machine is definitely getting juice, as it makes a hum. I applied u/s gel and tried to pick up my heartbeat.....no difference. I turned the volume up all the way, and nothing. So....it's broken and I couldn't be "bad" with it even if I wanted to!

It has everything with it, though: operator's manual, extra strips (which are cool in and of itself, IMO), 2 u/s transducers, 1 toco, several belts, a push button thingy (for NSTs), optional earphones (looks like the top portion of a stethescope), bottle of u/s gel, tube of defibullator gel, tape measure (fundal measurements I presume), some blue plasticy papers (reminds me of chux pads, but without the filling; not sure what they're for?), and a phone cord (to plug in for data transfers for in-hospital use, or from home in order to transfer data to hospital--I learned that from the manual ).

Y'all are probably tired of hearing about this, but I just wanted to update you on it's broken status. I'm very excited to have it to use, and you ladies are the ONLY ones that would understand how this could possibly excite me!

[Tiffany]

That is so fun Lori! Great tool