fetal movement assessment

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

I was just wondering if you could help me with some questions on fetal assessment. I work nights on a maternity floor and I am wondering what kind of assessments I should be doing at night if the mother is sleeping (for an AP pt.). Do I wake her to ask her if the fetus is moving, because they will usually say no because they have been sleeping. I guess I am also confused as to what I should be documenting. I dont want to say the fetus isnt active. Can you please help. Thanks!

I usually tell mom to hit her call light when she Gets Up to the bathroom during the night. I give them 10-15minutes before going in and that is usually enough time for them to tell if they are having fetal movement. I also usually chart just that also. Up to BR states fetal movement at this time. Hope this helps.

I usually chart what the mom says. Like "the baby is really active." Or you can also chart if you see/feel fetal movement through the abdomen. For example- fetal movement palpated through abdomen.

I don't make a big deal of this unless mom is off the EFM for long periods of time. We don't have a lot of AP patient's on my small unit. So we usually have the EFM going at least every couple of hours.

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

All our APs get qshift assessments along c FHTs. Usually when I'm doing FHTs, I can feel for myself if baby is moving....it's my experience that they move away from the doppler. Always, I ask mom baby is moving what's normal for her.

Daisy has a good idea too. Keep in mind, though, that is mom has taken sleep aids like Ambien, baby might be a bit sluggish too, even into the next morning's NST

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