Well, my prenatal appointment didn't go quite as planned yesterday. Everything was fine until the midwife checked the baby's heart rate. She listened for a really long time, long enough to actually make me concerned that something might be wrong (which takes a lot, I'm generally pretty laid back about stuff). Finally she told me that baby's doing fine, but her heart rate is significantly slower than it has been previously. She was concerned that my long-term diarrhea that I've been dealing with might be causing low amniotic fluid levels and a low heart rate for baby.
So she sent me up to the fetal diagnostic center for a fluid scan and non-stress test, just to make sure that everything is okay. I got a quick ultrasound to check fluid levels, and we were happy to find that there is plenty of fluid in there for baby. Normal is 8-20, and my levels are right around 16. So that's good.
Then we did the NST. It took sooooo long!!! Baby continued her propensity for not cooperating. Her baseline fluctuated between 125 and 135. When it was down at 125, her movement spikes (small spikes in the heart rate when the baby moves) went high enough to be fine, but when the baseline was 135 the spikes just wouldn't get quite high enough. Since that wasn't happening, the tech decided it would be fine if we could just get the baseline to stay at 125 or so for a decent amount of time. But baby kept moving and wiggling and raising the baseline over and over again. Okay, so I don't completely understand everything that I just wrote, but basically baby would not cooperate! It was after 12 and I was getting hungry, I hadn't brought a snack or anything, and that silly baby just wouldn't give them the heart rate they needed to let me leave.
Anyway, the tech had me turn on my side and somehow that calmed baby down enough to establish the baseline they needed and I was able to leave. Long story short, baby is uncooperative but doing well. I just have to keep an eye on the diarrhea thing, make sure to drink plenty of liquids, and that's about it. It's nice to know that she's doing well and nothing is wrong, but it was a bit annoying to have to have that really long unscheduled visit to the diagnostic center to make sure of it!
2 comments:
Oh how scary! And I'm a pro at not freaking out at NST's, but this one would have worried even me! Turning you on your side may have decreased the pressure on the veins that run down your back, and increased blood flow to the baby. Sometimes they prop me onto one side with a pillow, depends on the nurse.
Glad things still look okay with baby, sorry you had to go through a nice long extra test to make sure it was. See, this baby sounds more like one of mine than my own baby, who is far more cooperative than the rest of my children have been. Do you think our kids somehow got switched? (not possible I know, but still....)
I'd call, but even though my voice is mostly back, the more I talk the more I have to cough, which is hurting my stomach muscles now. I'm praying to get all better by Tuesday, or labor will be a real fun time. Love you lots though, and praying that tummy thing gets better for you soon!
happy anniversary! 5 years! woo!!!
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