Monday, May 24, 2010

The Doctor's Appointment

I had a doctor's appointment this morning at 10:20. I arrived and noticed that there were a lot more ladies there than usual, so I resigned myself to waiting for a while in the waiting room before being called back. But to my surprise, within 5 minutes of sitting down, the nurse called my name. I followed her back to her office for my Non-stress test. Basically, they monitor the baby's heartbeat for 20 minutes. They like the heartbeat to be "reactive" which means to move up and down. They like to see the heartbeat fluctuate like this at least 3 times in the 20 minutes. It is a good indicator that the baby is healthy and doing well.

Well, I figured I'd be in and out of there quick. Emma moves all the time. So I sat down in a nice recliner, put my feet up and listened to her heartbeat. While I was doing this, the doctor came in, they tested my blood sugar (perfect!!!) and blood pressure (LOW- 102/62!). I was psyched that all the numbers were great this morning. I had only gained 1 lb, which puts my weight gain for this pregnancy, at 1 lb! It was turning out to be a great doctor's visit.

But Emma changed all that. She never moved. This baby, who kicked me all the way to the doctor, went to sleep. Literally. Her heartbeat, while strong and steady, never moved like they like it to. I moved positions. Nothing. We tried to wake her up. Nothing.

Finally they gave up and told me I needed to go to OB assessment for a biophysical profile. (Basically an ultrasound which checks a few things to make sure baby is doing ok). Alright, not what I had planned, but I have had these before and knew they don't take much time.

By the time I got to OB assessment, it was noon. I lay down, got hooked up to the monitor, answered a thousand questions and the nurse's phone rang. When she got done, she looked at me and said you're going to be here for a while. The dr. that is doing your ultrasound just went to do a c-section. Groan. By this time, I was getting hungry. I had eaten a very little breakfast around 8, and was needing to eat lunch. I mentioned to the nurse that I was hungry and she told me to just go get something to eat and come back. Soooo, she unhooked me from all the monitors, and I left for about an hour and then returned.

I got back around 1, got all hooked up and waited. And waited. And waited, for about another hour. This whole time I was laying flat on my back, in pain. My back can't take that and neither can my sciatica nerve. She finally came in about 2 and did a quick ultrasound. She noticed that the monitor now showed a somewhat reactive heartbeat, so she abbreviated the ultrasound. But even then, Emma was stubborn. She wouldn't move. Finally she moved and the doctor saw it on the ultrasound and turned off the machine. I asked her if I was done, wanting very badly to sit up.

No, you need to be on the monitor for 20 more minutes. WHAT!????!!! I told her there was no way I could lay there 20 more minutes. She had sympathy for me and said, ok. This will be enough.

I limped all the way back to the truck and drove home. Ironically, the doctor told me to monitor Emma's movements and to make sure she moved at least 10 times every 2 hours. On the 2o minutes ride home, she must have moved twice that. Sometimes it really seems like she knows what she's doing!!

I've had these non stress tests with every baby and it seems they all do this at least once. But Anna was the champ. She was like Emma- moving all the time until they put the monitor on.

And I learned today that I have to go back twice a week for these tests until I deliver.

Here's hoping baby Emma learns to be cooperative!

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