[Miss Chris]

Hi everyone-

I haven't really been over here much but I've been an avid lurker during this pregnancy and now I have a question to ask.

My due date was the 21st, Sunday, and my midwife wants me to go in for a Biophysical profile and NST, tomorrow or Friday. Unfortunately there are no appointments available on Friday so I'm looking at doing this tomorrow. Does this seem a little premature?

My daughter was born on her due date, and frankly I expected this baby to come a little sooner (I know, it's foolish to expect things but here I am) and now I'm feeling very anxious and upset.

I know she just wants to be cautious and keep an eye on things but even the need to go in for the test makes me feel a little pressured. Like I'm on a timer and I should be starting to worry. After all, you don't start testing someone unless you're concerned that something might be wrong, right? I've had a ridiculously easy pregnancy. My baby is head down, good heartbeat, moves well, my blood pressure is low, no heartburn, no back pain, I haven't even had the relatively minor swelling in my hands and feet that I had in my last pregnancy.

So I feel like I should just calm down because it's just standard procedure and I'm healthy and my baby is healthy and worrying is totally counterproductive. But I also feel like, I'm healthy, my baby is healthy, there is nothing to worry about, so why do I have to go do this annoying test and waste my time and make myself anxious?

I guess I'm mostly tired and over emotional and impatient and needed to rant for a minute to some mamas who would understand.

Thanks for listening. Just putting it out helps.

Miss Chris

 

[HappiLeigh]

The NST is not a big deal, so if it's not an issue of cost or something else, I'd probably just be inclined to go and keep your provider happy. I had one a couple weeks ago after a few days of decreased fetal movement, and I was surprised at how little there was to it--I just sat in a recliner for fifteen minutes or so with a monitor belt on and pushed a button on a little remote thingy every time I felt the baby move. It was very low key. So I guess I'd just vote for doing it, but not worrying about it.

Hope you go into labor before then and it doesn't matter...good luck!

 

[PseudoDiva]

I agree with Leigh. I'm 41w1d, and I just went in yesterday. It's a really simple, non-invasive test and it ended up providing me with a LOT of peace of mind. I'm planning a HB, but I did want to make sure our little guy was doing well.

I say do it. Like you I also had a pretty easy pregnancy.

 

[Nicole730]

I think if you feel comfortable with everything, then don't do it. I can't imagine my midwife (homebirth) suggesting I go in for tests unless something indicated it. The doctor I am seeing for parallel care wants to see me at 41 weeks if I don't have the baby by then, but she never mentioned any NSTs before that.

With my last pregnancy I had quite a few NSTs and at one of them baby's heartbeat stayed in the 160s (it was always in the 150s before that) and the machine kept beeping and blaring like there was something wrong, which freaked me out a lot. Because of that I "had" to have a biophysical profile and then DS was sleeping or something and didn't move...so we failed that. I "had" to be induced immediately or else...well got checked in to the hospital and baby's heartrate was fine and he was moving all over, so I got to go home and not be induced.

I guess my point it, they could find something wrong that isn't wrong and add all sorts of stress!

 

[Miss Chris]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

I think that what Nicole experienced is what I'm most worried about. It seems to me from poking around on the internet that 41 weeks is pretty much the standard to start monitoring and my concern is that I go in tomorrow and by some fluke bad result they get all panicky and start trying to induce me when every indication in terms of my own health and my baby's movement tells me we're just fine. I know some obstetricians routinely induce at 40 wks 1 day and I'm very happy to be with a midwife who has no interest in doing so without cause before 42 weeks. I'm anxious about getting into a hospital with a different model of care and finding a bunch of scare mongering and pressure in there.

I'm also planning a homebirth and I don't want to find myself suddenly pushed into an induced hospital birth because of a screwy test result at 40wks 4 days so I'm thinking of just delaying the test until Monday and hoping that it turns out to be moot because I deliver before then. But I guess I lack confidence in that decision.

Miss Chris

 

[judybean]

I'm with Nicole... and I'd delay it also. If things are fine (which.. you seem to be pretty in tune with things, so you would probably know if anything was amiss), then just go with that. Just over 40w is really not overdue in the least. Since 40 weeks is AVERAGE, it's means that just as many women birth at 38 as do at 42.

(I'm a long-baby-baker myself... so yeah, it's a slippery slope sometimes and it's way too easy for people to FIND things to be concerned about)

 

[Nicole730]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miss Chris But I guess I lack confidence in that decision.

It is so hard, when someone professional is telling you otherwise.

Right now it's easy for me to say, in your situation, I would decline the NST for a few more days, but under pressure I would probably do it. I was able to leave the hospital and not be induced last pregnancy because my mom was there and there was no way her baby was going to be induced. I listened to what she said over what the doctor said. But without her there I would have agreed to an induction and who knows where that would have led...considering DS didn't come until a week later on his own.

 

[NicoleS]

It's an easy thing...I did them weekly from 32 weeks on with my 2nd pregnancy (problems with her cord they wanted to monitor).

 

[PseudoDiva]

Miss Chris, I really feel your pain. I did the one NST on Tuesday, and it was a relief, but I'm supposed to go in for another NST tomorrow, and yet another on Tuesday (at which point I'll be 42w.) I just know that when I see the OB next Thursday, she will try to force me into an induction.

We have to remember: WE pay the doctors for their medical advice. We do not pay them to run our lives, to force us into decisions that we are not comfortable with, or to assume responsibility for us without taking into account our own opinions and inclinations on the matter. You're the one in charge here!

I actually have been wondering if anyone has any information about the "against medical advice" waiver that you can be asked to sign if you choose not to induce at 42 weeks. Anyone? Maybe it's a question for the general board...

 

[Miss Chris]

I totally agree PsuedoDiva that we let doctors intimidate us far too much when they are essentially service providers who we are hiring and who we have the right to agree with or not. I wouldn't let my mechanic boss me around or try to frighten me into things but when it comes to my health I find myself much less assertive.

Anyway, I decided to delay the test until monday but it all turned out to be a moot point because my beautiful son was born last night after 4 intense hours and he is perfect in every possible way.

Thank you everyone for your advice and I wish you all equally happy results.

Miss Chris

 

[kittentips]

I had a very nervous caregiver with my first birth and truely believe that is why I ended up with an augment labour and ventouse delivery. I was overdue and she was so concerned that my placenta etc would be compromised and baby would go into distress regardless of the fact his heartbeat was strong and steady throughout my long labour.

This time my new midwife asked me to go for a scan and NST at 37 weeks just to make sure baby was happy, my placenta wasn't calcified etc. Even though I'm not a fan of scans and monitoring this time I was happy to oblige and I'm glad I did because it gave us both peace of mind that I was perfectly fine to go overdue again and that there was no need to worry.

That said I would only agree to further NSTs if I was further than 42 weeks, but I seem to carry overdue with my babies.

You need to do what you are comfortable with though, if baby's heartbeat is fine at your midwife checkups and you can feel regular movement I wouldn't worry to much.

 

[Nicole730]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miss Chris Anyway, I decided to delay the test until monday but it all turned out to be a moot point because my beautiful son was born last night after 4 intense hours and he is perfect in every possible way.

Yay! Congrats to you!!

 

[judybean]

WOWOW!!! That's SOOOOOO exciting!!! Congratulations!!!