Well it has been a while, time seemed to fly by towards the end of my pregnancy. We were so busy with doctor appointments and getting everything ready for the baby, I didn’t have time to just sit down and write.
Starting at week 34, Dr. McGrath had me doing non-stress tests and biophysical profiles twice a week. So we would go down to Jacksonville for the biophysical on Monday mornings. A biophysical profile is basically an ultrasound, but the technician has to look for specific things… 1. Movement, both fine and gross, meaning moving limbs as well as like fingers and toes. 2. Breathing. Babies actually practice breathing in the womb. You can see this in the ultrasound, the diaphragm will move up and down. This usually takes the longest to see, because it is not something they do constantly. 3. Amniotic Fluid. This is just done by measuring pockets of amniotic fluid. You don’t want too much and you don’t want too little. If any of these things were not seen in the ultrasound, she basically doesn’t pass the test, and most likely the doctor would deliver her by C-section. But she passed the test each time.
The non-stress test was done at the hospital where I eventually delivered. I would just call Labor and Delivery to tell them I was coming by. They would hook me up to a fetal monitor and listen to the baby’s heartbeat. When the baby moves, their heart rate should accelerate. So the nurse is looking for fluctuations in the baby’s heart rate. If it stays at the same rate for an extended period of time, that’s an issue.
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