Educate me about a NST

[isosmom]

I've got one scheduled for Tuesday now that I'm post-date (don't even get me started). Nurse told me I just get hooked up to a monitor and they listen to the heartbeat for half an hour to make sure it accels and decels along with movements, etc. Is this it? Should I expect something else?
Never had one with the other dc, but I guess even though I've had absolutely no problems this pg, now I'm at risk because babe decided not to come on it's edd. Grrr. : Oh, and now I have to see an ob for my visits and not a mw like I have been my entire pg because I'm overdue.

[marisa]

They aren't a big deal at all. Just two monitors strapped on your belly with velcro while you recline for about 20 mins or so. The machine will scratch out a little line showing activity.

I know that it's frustrating to be treated risky just because baby is taking it's time. My midwives are acting the same way.

[dcgrl]

I had my first NST on Thursday--it's pretty much what the nurse described. They hook up two monitors, one measures the baby's heartbeat, the other measures any contractions you have. They look for variability in the heartrate, a baseline between 120 and 160, and make sure that the heartrate goes up when the baby moves. Sorry you're having to deal with this--hopefully your baby will come between now and then.

[chrysalis]

wow, they actually have passed you from the CNM's to the OB cuz you are now past 40 wx???!!! wow that really bites. but you know what, most of the time you will be w/ the nurses at the hospital anyway and not the OB. at least mine was hardly there...the nurse almost delivered megh had i stayed stretched (they kept 'stretching' me they said...i kept popping back).

i have never had a NST either. they seem common. doesn't sound like a big deal though. i wonder if monitoring baby and my heartones for about 20 mins is considered a NST during labor, or is a NST only when not in labor? i know my LM wants to do the heart tone monitoring for at least 20 mins on me as i'm a VBAC...just to be safe. i said no problem.

[isosmom]

Thanks for your replies. Maybe I'll catch a nap during it.
Yeah, I have to see an ob for my appts. now, but a mw will still deliver. Stupid.

[tiffanymm]

Thanks for posting this. I have to start NST's next week now that I am past due.

[Googy]

Yep, NSTs are totally no big deal. Just bring a book or magazine because you will be on it for a good 20 minutes. Doing an NST when you are postdate is standard practice. When our babies are overdue there is less amniotic fluid, so they have a greater chance of resting on their umbilical cord, which can cause fetal distress (this is still rare, but happens enough that they like to check). The NST will just rule this out (If you've been getting good, regular movements then you shouldn't be too concerned). They just want to make sure your babe is still happy and healthy in there. If the babe looks good, they will let you go. If things look bad they start talking induction and such.

[BarefootinBrooklyn]

I had one at 36 weeks because I got nervous the baby wasn't moving as much, and at a much slower pace...(turns out she was just having a couple of quiet days, as she perked right up in the days following the NST)

They are no big deal at all, just as everyone has said, they hook you up to the baby heartbeat monitor, and may give you a button to press when you feel movement so they can see if the movement of the baby correlates to a change in baby's heart rate.

You could bring a book or magazine, not a bad idea, I just closed my eyes and rested a little bit, using the time to connect with the baby at a strange time of being electronically "connected" to her as well.

Good luck!

[aylaanne]

I brought my HB midwife and my DH to my NST. Tomorrow I have another one, because I'm way later than you, and I'm bringing my mom so that DH can go to work. Also, you may want to do whatever tends to work to get your baby moving before the test. For me, we're going to do an abdominal exam before we go to the clinic, because that always gets the baby moving. You may also want to make sure you have a snack.

My backup is requesting weekly NSTs and BPPs until I deliver. I was really upset that we introduced the ultrasound after I'd managed to avoid it for the whole pregnancy.

[Da WIC Lady]

I was facinated by the monitor and watching the uterine activity numbers and relating them to how I felt at the time. Then again I'm a geek and look at things differently.

Anna

[Googy]

Originally Posted by aylaanne

Also, you may want to do whatever tends to work to get your baby moving before the test. For me, we're going to do an abdominal exam before we go to the clinic, because that always gets the baby moving. You may also want to make sure you have a snack.

Good advice. I had one when my babe was REALLY quiet and it really freaked us all out. It took an hour and a half for us to get the proper heartbeat accelerations. Drink some cold water and have a snack ahead of time, which will increase your chances of getting a good result.