NST Questions....

noxie52

Okay, I am a planner.  At 32 weeks, my OB said I would need to begin NSTs for my GD.  If you have NSTs, how often do you have them in the 3rd trimester?  What is involved?  I have read conflicting things around NSTs.  What is your experience with them?   I never had them with DD despite my GD with her.

ladylaurali25

I started NST around 33 weeks and they have me scheduled for every week. They basically just hook me up to a monitor and every timeI feel  the baby moves I hit a button. It takes a look at how the heart rate correlates to his movement.

They really aren't bad, just kinda boring at times. But really, nothing to it.

MaxOrTori

I had them twice a week with my DD1.  They hooked me up to a monitor, and watched her heart rate and looked for movement.  Also, they monitored for contractions.

MomEads

I go twice a week for NSTs.  Same deal basically.... I am hooked to a monitor and the doc is looking for LO's heartrate to accelerate 3 times within a 10-15 minute period.  I don't push any buttons, it is all charted on the monitor...on one of those long pieces of computer paper.  The only thing that I don't like about them is that if by chance baby is sleeping, they use this buzzer to wake her up.    I am sure it's not a big deal, but I feel bad for her, like they scared her and woke her up.    It's all for the best in the end though.... a healthy baby!!!!!

KarlingG

I have had them 2x a week since 32 weeks.  I LOVE them.  Call me crazy.  I like to sit for about 30 min with my feet up listening to my babys heart beat and reading my Kindle.    It is me and baby time and with a toddler I dont get much of that.  They look for rises in the baby's heartbeat with movement and also you have a contraction moniter.

taylorsue00

i started mine at 30 weeks. we do them every tuesday and fridays.

tuesdays: 20 min on the NST monitor (20+ if she doesn't do well) than we do an ultrasound. i'm usually out within 30 min.

fridays: 20 min monitoring, no ultrasound.

i find it to be alot of fun because i get to see LO every week and listen to her heart. i just love hearing her heart!!

ColieJ

I get one everyday. Some days when Chloe behaves takes the minimum 20 min. Other days, like yesterday, can take 90 min. They are looking at baby HR and your contractions. Baby has to have an elevated heartrate 10 or 15 beats above baseline for 10 or 15 seconds, twice. Whether it is 10/10 or 15/15 depends on gestational age. Chloe has been reactive at 10/10 almost since we got here, which everyone keeps reminding me is unusual for her age. Since age started reactive they now won't let me off the monitor until she is. If baby isn't reactive they will do a BPP(biophysical profile) on you. Basically an ultrasound looking for 4 things. Fluid, big movement, small movement, and practice breathing. Your baby has 30 minutes to do all 4.

2mommiesinoh

I started them last week and have them once a week. Next week I will move to twice a week appointments.  They take about twenty minutes and you get hooked up to a fetal heart monitor and a contraction monitor.  Everytime I feel baby move I push a button and it makes a little mark on the paper so they can look at movement v heart rate.  I get to sit in a comfy recliner with my feet up and drink a huge glass of ice water while I listen to my little one's heart...it can get boring but usually my nurse is in and out talking to me the whole time.  I only started them this early because I was put on meds and my peri said if you go on meds, you start the tests no matter what week you are.