Non Stress Test

I had to have NSTs with all 3 of pregnancies from 22-26 onwards. I agree with the full tummy. Baby tended to move more after I ate a good meal. I also found scheduling first thing in the morning was the best time for me personally because that was always my babies most active time apart for at night when I would lay down to sleep.

A few times when my babies would not co-operate and sleep the whole time the doctor would use a buzzer on my belly to wake him up. I personally thought it was a little mean to the little guys but no matter what I did they just kept sleeping.

Good luck. It is a big chunk of time that you get to just lay still and enjoy listening to your little peanut.

i've had to get tons of non stress tests during both of my pregnancies....i was given a button to press everytime the baby moved, but if it was sleeping or whatever, they would buzz it....put a little vibrater thing to my tummy, and give it a buzz, then the baby would move like crazy.....

I can't even count how many NSTs I had with my pregnancies. In the last few weeks I needed them every other day. Kinda fun the first few times with the first pregnancy, but then...boring. (I had many that lasted over an hour.) For sure...bring something fun to read!

As for the concerns about juice: I didn't want to drink juice either so the nurse would give me ice water. I don't think it helped, but the OB wants to avoid sending you for an ultrasound (if you fail the NST). So they'll try all sorts of things -- the juice, the ice water, lie on your side, etc.

PS...Don't be alarmed if your baby doesn't cooperate and you have to go for an ultrasound. Sometimes it happens, but nothing was ever wrong with my babies. These aren't long ultrasounds, as they are simply watching for each arm, leg, the head (etc.) to move and then rest and then move again. Those were some of my favorite ultrasounds -- very fun to watch!!

Hi~

I had to have lots of non stress test during my pregnancy (I was a gestational diabetic). Depending on your doctor, they probably won't let you go over an hour anyway. A lot depends on how far along you are. My tests at 38 weeks went a lot faster than the tests at 30 weeks. But, I found talking to my daughter helped. The doctor may also have a little "buzzer" that they can put on your belly that will get the baby moving.

I had to have weekly, then twice weekly NSTs with my twins. Having something sugary, like juice, will help perk the baby up. For mine I didn't even have to do anything like push a button for movement. The monitors detected everything. It's so neat listening to your baby's heartbeat (or heartbeats in my case!), so just enjoy it!

Hello M.,

I had to do NSTs during my last pregnancy, starting at 27 weeks.

Basically, you go in and they have you sit on the table and place a monitor on your belly. The monitor will detect the baby's heart rate. The machine that the monitor is connected to will allow you to hear the sounds from your uterus. They give you a button to push whenever you feel the baby move.

Be sure to come in on a full stomach -- possibly bring something sugary to munch on to help perk the baby up. My son was a big time sleeper, so it took lots to wake him up.

It should be a relaxing time for you :)