On Friday I went in for my first Nonstress Test (NST). The test name reflects the fact that under ideal situations the baby is not our under any stresses and monitored as he or she is moving. In some cases is the baby remains sleeping a stimulus such as the mom drinking cold water or a buzzer being rung is used to wake the baby.
Since this was the first one I have had I was given instructions to read about the test. A monitor was put with a pink band over it to measure movements around my uterus including possible contractions. Though it is not viewable from the angle Matt took these photos, a monitor with a blue band was put under the pink one to measure the baby’s heartbeat when still and during his or her movements.
The monitors are hooked up to machine called a cardiotocograph. The machine shows the current measurements and also prints them out for a doctor to review.
This screen shows the baby’s heartbeat at 149 and my uterine activity at 16. Our baby’s heartbeat tends to be at 140 or so and increased several times to up to 160. The baby kicked a lot and hard during this, I had feared she would kick the monitor off me which the nurse said could happen, though it did not.
My uterine activity was more constant going up one time to 50 showing a possible small contraction.
The nurse checked in on me after the first 10 minutes. Dr. G came in after another 30 or so to read the results. As the baby showed several instances of moving more frequently and I had only one possible contaction, these were read as good results from us both.
I was given a plastic bag to take the colored straps home. I will get a NST every Friday in September and start getting them twice a week in October.
~ Danielle
Over 40 First Time Mom 