Fetal non stress tests

katiebond007 · September 2015

Does anyone else find the fetal non stress tests kind of stressful and scary? Sitting there for a half hour listening to the heart beat fluctuate and waiting for movement, I find it kind of scary. Just wondering if anyone else feels the same. This was my first one, I think from now on I will bring headphones with me.....

MissChris627 · September 2015

It's more boring than anything. I hate sitting there, waiting, wondering when the nurse will come back - 20 minutes? 30 minutes? Is this enough movement, or will I have to sit here for an extra 10 minutes? If I have to wait, how bad am I going to need to pee from drinking all of this cold water to get her to move?

elisnyd16 · September 2015

You can ask them to turn the sound off

VioletandRose · September 2015

I had my first today and actually thought it was relaxing. Am I weird? Just hearing any heartbeat is reassuring to me. And the chair was super comfortable. I wanted to fall asleep...

trishee13 · September 2015

I haven't had one of these and my doctor hasn't mentioned it. When do you normally do this test? And does everyone do it?

blsav23 · September 2015

I have to do them twice weekly now but just bc I'm having twins. I kinda like getting reassurance that everything is ok at frequent intervals

I don't think they typically do them on singletons, do they?

Rikki_5 · September 2015

trishee13 said:

I haven't had one of these and my doctor hasn't mentioned it. When do you normally do this test? And does everyone do it?

I get them weekly cuz I'm an oldy (age 38) which is considered advanced maternal age

ChrissyLady1115 · September 2015

I've been for 2 now, and yes, I find them a little stressful as well... but I also feel reassured by the fact that if anything is wrong, or weird, I'm right there in the maternity ward and all will be well

The first one was great, he passed all of his accelerations in the first 10 minutes, second one took a little longer. Being a first timer, I just don't know what's normal and what's not, so it worries me a bit.

I have to have them weekly because I have Gestational Diabetes AND I'm an old lady! FTM at 39

feeohhnaax7 · September 2015

I didn't find mine stressful at all. I had my first one today and he did great. The nurse was in there the entire time with me, I'll be going weekly because of my GD so that makes me feel a lot better.

shannnnny · September 2015

I do them twice a week cause of my blood pressure. I like the reassurance. Puts my mind at ease.

cindykinnear · September 2015

@trishee13 I don't think they typically do them in a normal pregnancy. I am on my third baby and I never had one until today, and it was because I wasn't feeling the baby move and they wanted to check that everything was ok! As long as everything is going well, you don't need one.
I didn't mind the test because I was so flustered thinking there was something wrong, so it was a great relief to hear the heart beating and knowing the baby was ok.

beanie1977 · September 2015

I'm doing them twice weekly because of GD and my "advanced maternal age." I like them. It's reassuring to hear/see my LO move and the nurses usually stick around and make good conversation. The biggest pain for me is the time it takes to do it. Thank goodness my work schedule is flexible because with my old job I would have been fired or needed to quit if I had to leave twice a week for an appointment.

rgisaly · September 2015

I don't have one scheduled until a week past my due date.

cararie · September 2015

I just had my first one this past Monday and like others said I find it reassuring anytime I can hear LO's heartbeat! She passed all of her necessary accelerations in the first 10-15 minutes and the nurse was there the whole time letting me know how she was doing. I'll be going every week because of GD and elevated hormone levels.

gerbies · September 2015

I have 2 NSTs a week. I find them stressful...only because I just want the baby to pass. I have gone 2 times a week since week 32 (I am now 37 1/2 weeks) due to being 40 and having high fluid (polyhydramnios). I am not concerned about the baby, but I don't want to have to be monitored beyond the 20-30 minutes. Last week, there was a heart rate drop while I was moving (I was slipping off the hospital bed because my pants were slippery). Even though my doctor thought things were fine, protocol required that I be monitored for multiple hours at the hospital. I was at the hospital for 6 HOURS! And I had to undress and put on a gown and have a pelvic/cervical check by a resident doctor I just met. And everything ended up being fine with the baby. I want to avoid a repeat experience at all costs. I typically have juice on my way to my appointment and will poke him through my stomach to ensure he's reactive.

MandahGirly · September 2015

I have had 3 so far (GD) and baby has done textbook great so far. The only annoying thing I had to deal with is the one time it kept picking up my heartbeat instead of LOs so the machine kept beeping.

ilene13 · October 2015

At my ob's office they do them starting at 38 weeks once a week and twice a week for those with complications. I do find it a little stressful mostly because i have to lay down on the hard table so I'm uncomfortable an after a while its hard for me to breathe and then baby decides to reposition himself and loses the monitor a bit and I have to stay there a bit longer.

whitemn04 · October 2015

I get them weekly due to GD. The first two times baby passed within 15 minutes. The next time I felt him moving but to start the nurse was tracing my heart rate so I ended up sitting there for over an hour. They kept buzzing him to wake him up when I felt he was moving fine. Baby gets ticked off every time they put those monitors on and goes nuts. I hate them just for the fact I am so uncomfortable trying to be still on an uncomfortable exam table.

leah665 · October 2015

trishee13 said:
I haven't had one of these and my doctor hasn't mentioned it. When do you normally do this test? And does everyone do it?

I think they're usually done for high risk pregnancies. I'm low risk and won't get one unless I hit 41 weeks.

Leabyrd · October 2015

I'm not high risk at all but I have them every week now, I'm 26 years old but I have had hypothyroidism since I was 15 and I think that's why they are doing them just to make sure everything is progressing well.

kim1228 · October 2015

Does everyone have to do this? I'm only 36w, but my doctors haven't mentioned these to me yet...

clafo · October 2015

katiebond007 said:

Does anyone else find the fetal non stress tests kind of stressful and scary? Sitting there for a half hour listening to the heart beat fluctuate and waiting for movement, I find it kind of scary. Just wondering if anyone else feels the same. This was my first one, I think from now on I will bring headphones with me.....

I was fine with the tests until yesterday. Baby girl didn't want to cooperate and wasn't moving as much as they wanted her to...so she basically failed her test. They sent me over to get an ultrasound to check her breathing movements, fluid among other things. Thankfully she passed that test. Freaked me out a little. It definitely got my behind in gear to get my hospital bag packed and complete all the odds and ends to prepare for her arrival. Lol I've been trying to avoid caffeine, but I seriously might have to drink coffee before my Friday test to get her moving.

Mbechara · October 2015

Rikki_5 said:

trishee13 said:

I haven't had one of these and my doctor hasn't mentioned it. When do you normally do this test? And does everyone do it?

I get them weekly cuz I'm an oldy (age 38) which is considered advanced maternal age

Oldy... What.
I'm 38 too but haven't had one of these.
I live in Toronto,Canada. I wonder if that makes a difference.

danixbanani24 · October 2015

I've been getting them weekly since oh gosh I think 34 weeks? seems like a long time now, hoping this week's test will be my last! I find them boring but also reassuring because I hear the baby's heartbeat and the nurses always come in and say WOW active baby! haha, I get them because I had a low PAPP-A number earlier in pregnancy...I also get weekly sonograms. *shrug*

Telebell · October 2015

I'm 37 weeks and have to have them every week now because my fluid is a bit low. It seems like overkill to me but I don't mind it. Last time I had a little contraction during the test and wouldn't even have noticed if I weren't hooked up.

jennifercurry1 · October 2015

I've had two from having high BP. I actually loved them, really relaxing to hear his heartbeat and know that everything is going smoothly in there! The recliner is pretty comfy too, a nice break from work! lol

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