NST questions

[angieb]

Not harmful. You should be having them once or twice weekly when you get farther along (somewhere between 28-32 weeks). I had monitors on me for 2+ hours both of my hospital admissions plus twice weekly from 28 weeks on. DS is perfectly fine.

[aajatwins]

No worries, Mama - those NSTs don't harm the babies. I spent a lot of time with those uncomfortable monitors on my belly last pregnancy. I'm sure your sweetie was avoiding the monitors easily because it is so early for NST (I was also told they aren't much use before 28 weeks). Mine with my twin boys were never shorter than 30 mins. I did have two wiggly babies to get readings on instead of just one, but they usually seemed more like 1.5 hrs+. I'm sure if you have more in the future, baby will be bigger and easier to keep on the monitor, so it probably won't take quite so long. It's just more frustrating when they stay on the monitor almost long enough and then move away... then the clock starts all over!

[cmccaffrey]

I don't think the baby moving a lot around is harmful. He just might be tired afterwards if he's not used to it. When I was hooked up, Mason was wiggly the whole time too, but that was not unusual for him. He was a fireball. So I guess the reason you're so worried is because your little one doesn't move around quite that much? I think he'd be alright. Did you ask the nurses or your doctor? I don't think increased movement is really a worry, just decreased movement.

[brandib]

also, once you're further along, you should only be hooked up for about 20 minutes or max 1hr because I believe if they aren't reactive after an hour, they just go straight to BPP.

[brandib]

Hi Jean. Like Angie said, 23 weeks is really too early for NST's. When I was at labor and delivery that early, they just used the doppler to listen to the heartbeat becasue they said theres no point trying the monitors becaue baby is so small. My MFM doesn't start them until 28 weeks. My four babies always kicked a ton with the monitors on, but the monitors can't and don't hurt the baby at all. :0) With my 3rd pregnancy I had weekly NST"s and with my last pregnancy I had weekly BPP's. Both are very safe and cause no stress to the baby :0)

[jean]

Do you think it did harm to my baby by making it move all around the uterus for that long?

[angieb]

23 weeks is really too young for an NST. There aren't even really standards for what would be a passing test strip at that age. And a BPP wouldn't be much better because babies aren't practicing breathing that young yet. I'm surprised they didn't just do an ultrasound to check everything out. Normally NST's are about a half hourish. And yeah, DS actually would kick so hard it would push the monitor away from my belly, but he's not too traumatized by it.

[z1ggy23]

I have had a few that took hours to get the 15 minute uninterrupted strip they want and I have had ones that took 20 minutes to get the 15 minute strip. Sometimes babies are just wiggly and hard to find on the NST (especially as early on as you are).

[cmccaffrey]

I had a few NSTs with Mason and he did the same thing. I wonder if it has something to do with the noise... it's probably really loud for such little ears. Also, the NSTs I had were really long too... Could it be because you're still really early along? I bet it's that combined with your history.

I found this article from acog... it has interesting information on NSTs.

http://www.acog.org/publications/patien ... /bp098.cfm

[lizard]

oh my goodness 2.5 hours?? wow. that is super long. i am surprised they didn't just move to the BPP after 1 hour. that seems kinda ridiculous to make you sit there that long, poor you and baby. i would recommend eating and drinking something right before the NST and during if need be. I had them done weekly once i hit 32 wks i think? i learned pretty quick to be eating and drinking the whole time = outta there in 20min. 23 wks does seem early to do NST's. hope next time it goes better!!