UPers: What do you monitor? (Or, do I really need to test urine?)

[Azadehhast]

I'm healthy and fit, and this is my first pregnancy. I was planning just to monitor fundal height, weight gain, fetal heart rate with fetoscope, and maybe blood pressure. It seems like dealing with those urine test strips are just added hassle and worry to me.

What do you UPers do? Should I really worry about testing urine?

[elevena true]

i would say that the ph pee strips can offer a lot of insight into what is going on that one might not otherwise be in tune with. i think they are a good idea.....particularly because of the indications given can be at a time before there is a significant problem.

[Multimomma]

I always test, but I have had pre-e in the past and do not want to go into that blindly. It's really not a burden, just once a month, or every week.

[jenninjapan]

I ended up with PP pre-e and so have been doing urine testing every two weeks in my last tri this time round.  It takes less than 2 minutes to get your results and really, you are going to pee anyway, right? I would say it is definitely worth the time.

[happynaturalmama]

So far we've been doing fundal height, BP, weight and fetal heart tones.  I had a MW assisted HB last time and near the end of my pregnancy even she stopped doing the urine strips, she said in the absence of other symptoms it doesn't really tell you much, or something along those lines.

Which test strips do you use if you do test and how do you know if there is a problem?  I honestly haven't looked into them. 

[tracymom1]

I have been testing my urine every month, and now at 34 weeks, once a week. I want to have as much information about my health as possible at all times, just in case of potential problems. I am an RN so I like diagnostic tests - they bring me comfort and knowledge and should anything ever be askew, I would know exactly what to tell my midwife (who does my routine well woman care), should I need to call her.

I also check fundal height, BP, weight and fetal heart tones. I keep a very clear record of everything that I can bring with to the hospital in case of transfer.

ETA: these are the ones I use - http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=8089

[SouthernStormy]

I just do BP, fundal height and weight.

[happynaturalmama]

Tracysmom- this may be a dumb question but does it tell you how to read the test?  It says it tests for lots of things but how do you know what is wrong, if something is?

[Magali]

I did buy the urine test strips and found it so much easier testing myself at home than at the Dr.s office like I did the first time around.  I also used a fetoscope, and bought a blood pressure monitor. All in all it cost me around $200 and I consider it money well spent.

Edited by Magali - 6/3/11 at 6:27pm

[tracymom1]

Originally Posted by happynaturalmama 

Tracysmom- this may be a dumb question but does it tell you how to read the test?  It says it tests for lots of things but how do you know what is wrong, if something is?

The bottle that they come in give the range of colors that the test strip can turn. You hold the strip up to the bottle and compare the colors and see which one is closest to yours. It is very easy!

[Azadehhast]

So glad for the input everyone! And thanks Magali! A source for these things was going to be my next question! Now I'm all set to test away!

[zoebird]

I didn't record or test anything. I'm not against any, I just didn't feel any were necessary. :)

[sapphire_chan]

I bought the strips and used them at home, mostly to have the satisfaction of doing something pregnancy related. "ooo I peed on a strip, I'm pregnant!" Honestly if I hadn't gotten the glucose/protein strips I probably would've been taking a pregnancy test a day.

(Did get OB care later on, they used the exact same strips in their office, which I was mildly amused by.)

[dauphinette]

ditto. But I do think next time I would just for fun and teo keep a little bit of a record of the pregnancy.

 

Originally Posted by zoebird 

I didn't record or test anything. I'm not against any, I just didn't feel any were necessary. :)

[zoebird]

well, i have a record, but I don't think a dream and contemplative prayer journal "counts."

[BroodyWoodsgal]

Originally Posted by zoebird 

well, i have a record, but I don't think a dream and contemplative prayer journal "counts."

Double love it!

[rjruiz_415]

I never really monitored anything. I mean, I did weight my sefl occasionally. And I would go check my BP if i was feeling a bit off. But I have a history of trouble-free pg's

[tutucrazy]

The mw doing my prenatal care has been doing fundal height, BP, fetoscope, weight and urine strips.

[jaylily]

I was wondering about this too.  I check my weight occasionally and also keep a close eye on the colour of urine, just to make sure I am well hydrated.  I pay a lot of attention to movement.  I may check some other things as well - thanks for the link to the urine strips :)

[LadyJennifer]

I've been doing the weight, blood pressure, fundal height, pee strips, FHT (now that I can find them on my fetoscope), and occasionally I check my blood sugar. I love doing all of it. I keep records like the ones Tracymom linked to. I like being in control, and knowing how the "diagnostic" things are:)

ETA, I also notice my pee color, keep a healthy diet, mentally keep track of movement, intuition on how I and baby are doing, and keep a pregnancy journal that I write in once a week:)