Non stress tests

jbl126

I was told by my ob at my visit yesterday that I will be starting non stress tests in a month.  And I have to go twice a week for them.  before I go google crazy, can someone share with me their experiences on this.  TIA!

heathb21

You're going twice a week?  I've been going once a week since 31 wks.

Basically you sit there for anywhere from an hour to 2 hours depending on how your babies are responding and if they are moving.  And they put 3 monitors on you.  One on each baby to measure their heartrate, and one on you to measure contractions.  Then they give you a little buzzer thingy that you press each time that you feel one of the babies move.  What they are looking for is that the babies heartrate goes up 12-15 pts when they are moving and stay up there for a few seconds (I forgot how long).  They also want their heartrates between 120-160, although when mine are really active they go up higher than 160 and no one has been concerned about that. 

Now if you have a "fun" baby like me that will sit there and punch the monitor nonstop, so they can't get a good read on her heartbeat, you'll be there for awhile.

NST's are not bad at all.  I would suggest eating before you go, so the babies will be more active. 

debisheldon

heathb21:

You're going twice a week?  I've been going once a week since 31 wks.

Basically you sit there for anywhere from an hour to 2 hours depending on how your babies are responding and if they are moving.  And they put 3 monitors on you.  One on each baby to measure their heartrate, and one on you to measure contractions.  Then they give you a little buzzer thingy that you press each time that you feel one of the babies move.  What they are looking for is that the babies heartrate goes up 12-15 pts when they are moving and stay up there for a few seconds (I forgot how long).  They also want their heartrates between 120-160, although when mine are really active they go up higher than 160 and no one has been concerned about that. 

Now if you have a "fun" baby like me that will sit there and punch the monitor nonstop, so they can't get a good read on her heartbeat, you'll be there for awhile.

NST's are not bad at all.  I would suggest eating before you go, so the babies will be more active. 

That is pretty much it! My babies dont like the monitors and kick them off. I need to have the nurse sit there holding them on!

seattlestef

Yep, they aren't a big deal. I was also having two NSTs a week for the last few weeks of my pregnancy. I actually looked forward to them since they were easy and I got to hear their heartbeats.

hotfudgecustard

heathb21:

NST's are not bad at all.  I would suggest eating before you go, so the babies will be more active. 

Ditto this.  I've had 3 now, I think.... (pg. brain taking over).  One a week for three weeks.  We've stopped at Taco Bell on the way to the hospital and it seems to have made the test easier/shorter.  Tues. when the nurse came in to unhook all the monitors so soon after getting it all hooked up, I asked why it was so short.  She asked if I'd eaten before coming and said that usually helps.