"This simple, painless procedure is done during pregnancy to evaluate your baby's condition. During the test, your healthcare practitioner or a technician monitors your baby's heartbeat, first while the baby is resting and then while he's moving. Just as your heart beats faster when you're active, your baby's heart rate should go up while he's moving or kicking. The test is typically done if you've gone past your due date, or in the month or two leading up to your due date if you're having a high-risk pregnancy.
During the procedure, you lie on your left side, possibly with a wedge under your back that allows you to lean back. A technician straps two devices to your belly: One monitors your baby's heartbeat and movement; the other records contractions in your uterus. The technician listens to and watches your baby's heartbeat on an electronic screen while your contractions are recorded on paper.
More detailed information can be found here:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_nonstress-test_1272943.bc?page=2
http://www.babycenter.com/0_nonstress-test_1272943.bc?page=2
Basically, they want to make sure that BGB is doing ok in there, moving and reacting well, etc. They also want to make sure that her exit route is barricaded and she's not planning an early escape. As long as the results are good, I have to admit that I'm really looking forward to 20 to 30 minutes of listening to her. Let our mom and daughter one-on-one time begin!
Cheers!
No vibrator? Sometimes they put on a vibrating belt of sorts. The vibrations annoy the baby and get them to move a little. I think they've phased those out. Now they just use them to get babies into a preferable position for delivery, I think.
ReplyDeletehaha! She was quite active, Izzy, but a vibrator might have made things more interesting.
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