NST question

BrittanyCupcakes

I've been going in for twice weekly NSTs for 3 or 4 weeks now, but I'm not really sure what they look at. I know there's a heart monitor and a contraction monitor. It prints out the results on a strip of paper. At the end of the session, they look at the strip of paper and determine whether or not they need to show the doctor. 

So a few weeks ago I overheard two of the nurses, and they were counting something on the strip. They counted three. Today, it was 12. One of them said something about one of the somethings in particular, but they agreed I was good to go, and sent me home.

Are those the contractions? 12 in a 15-20 minute window seems excessive. I know I was having them but they weren't the painful icky ones I've been having lately, just a bit of uncomfortable tightening. 

I know I should just ask, and I probably will on Thursday. I know they'll tell me if something's up. I'm just getting a little anxious about having this baby! I'm facing an induction next Thursday (not scheduled yet, but that will probably happen at my OB appointment this Thursday) due to GD and I'd really like her to come on her own before that happens. I have not had any cervical checks, so whatever is going on (or not) is a complete mystery to me!

My AF levels are good. I got to see the screen this time since they had me in a different room than usual, and she's definitely in the right position! I saw her cute little booty, which I am probably way more excited about than I should be, but I haven't gotten to see her since the anatomy scan! 

Jalee85

I get them weekly, and my strip prints out right in front of me! I always check it out and I'm pretty sure that the one strip is to show the HR spikes and the other one is to show contractions. Since, I've been told I haven't had any contractions yet it is pretty easy to know which strip is for what. Maybe they were discussing movements? I'm not 100%  sure though it may be easier to just ask!

alfan004

From what I learned in nursing school, they are recording two things. Fetal HR and uterine contractions. Top line is fetal HR and bottom is uterine contractions. They check the baseline of the fetal HR and make sure it is within normal range and they also look at the fluctuations (accelerations and decelerations). If you are having any type of contractions, they monitor how the baby was able to handle them i.e. If the HR drops or accelerates, etc. Also, they want to see that if the baby moves, the HR rises and then goes back to baseline shortly after. That is a good sign. Hope this helps!

Jalee85

Oh, and they don't do the US with the screen in front of you? Wow, that's crazy! I am glad you finally got to see her.

Inn2

I go weekly and we have asked a lot of questions. They could be counting your babies increase in heartbeat or your contractions. Mine said to "pass" they needed to see my babies heart rate accelerate 3x in 20 minutes (at least). Once they set the baseline heart rate, they want to see the movements=heart rate increases. Mine likes to sleep at this time, so I drink juice and sometimes the baby gets noise blasted at her/him. They also count my contractions, but mine don 't like to show much on the monitor. The nurses always feel them but the monitors dislike me and so I end up pushing a button when I feel them.

BrittanyCupcakes

Thanks! That makes sense. 

At this office, the machine is next to me, but not in a way that I can really see them to look at the strip without twisting and turning too much and probably moving the monitors. And since they've got a row of 5 chairs with the machines in between every two and curtains to separate them, half the time there's a curtain in the way, depending on which chair I'm in. So it's not set up for me to see what's going on. I just try to take the time to relax and play a game on my phone or something, but I'm really curious about all this stuff. 

BrittanyCupcakes

Jalee85 said:

Oh, and they don't do the US with the screen in front of you? Wow, that's crazy! I am glad you finally got to see her.

No. The U/S machine in the NST room is just one of those small ones with the one screen that only the nurse gets to see. Sad. They have a room specifically for ultrasounds that has a nice big screen on the wall, and then the one exam room I've been in also has an ultrasound machine with a smaller screen on the wall. 

Jalee85

BrittanyCupcakes said:

Jalee85 said:

Oh, and they don't do the US with the screen in front of you? Wow, that's crazy! I am glad you finally got to see her.

No. The U/S machine in the NST room is just one of those small ones with the one screen that only the nurse gets to see. Sad. They have a room specifically for ultrasounds that has a nice big screen on the wall, and then the one exam room I've been in also has an ultrasound machine with a smaller screen on the wall. 

Dang, my BPP is actually in the ultrasound room, and then my NST is a separate appointment.