Nst?

jln14

What exactly are the looking for with the nst? I am almost 34 wks and have diet controlled GD, but am coming in for weekly nsts? Just to monitor baby's movement/heart rate?  

memali26

They are looking for a certain number of movements and accompanying heart accelerations from the baby in a set amount of time. I don't remember exactly how many, but basically they just want to see that the baby is moving well and his/her heart rate is responding accordingly. 

I had them once a week from 34 on with DD1 and twice a week from 36 on with DD2, they took anywhere from 20-45 minutes. 

Ann003

They are looking for baby's heart rate to accelerate above baseline at least 2xs in 20 minutes.  It usually coincides with baby's movement.  Sometimes you can "prod" a quiet baby with food or ice water.  I find my babies respond well if I eat right before the test.  They could care less about cold water, LOL.  Since you have GD, they won't offer you juice to get the baby going, so bring a snack.  

Annelea

I dont have GD,but have high BP, i have been going for weekly NST's since 30 weeks, (now at 38 & they are getting old) they want the heart rate to go above 20bpm when baby moves withing a 20-30min, time frame. I have went 2 times where baby will not coperate at all, the first time the nurse insisted i drink grape juice when i have always got him to move with orange juice, well 3 hours later and 4 glasses of grape juice i had to go for a biophysical u/s and then back the next day for another NST where i had a different nurse and she gave me OJ and i was done in a half hour! last week LO did not go above the 160 bpm they wanted, so after 4hrs they rushed me down for a u/s where everything turned out fine. today he kicked it in gear within the first 20mins! so be prepared to stay longer than you expect!  i just started going after my ob appts., the few times i have went 2 or 3 hrs earlier to allow plenty of  time (this after he would not coperate) he did what he was supposed to do right away and i have hours to kill in town before my next appt.