Sep 23 2008
NST and AFI
The Queens Medical Center has the ambiance of a relaxing hotel lobby in Waikiki and the posh atmosphere carries over to the Women’s Center. They don’t have a receptionist to check you in for your woman’s health procedures (ultrasounds, mammograms, etc.), they have a concierge. They have the right idea, women like to feel special and pampered — even when we’re having our boobs squashed. Luckily, I wasn’t there to get a mammogram. I was there to have a non-stress test (NST) and amniotic fluid index (AFI) evaluation done to check on the health of Baby Champuru.
The AFI was done via ultrasound. A technician measures the four quadrants of your uterus to determine whether your amniotic fluid is level is within the range — or if it’s too low or too high. A blood flow reading is also taken. The technician mentioned that Baby Champuru’s head has dropped pretty low and is facing the right direction (yay!), but didn’t offer much more feedback aside from that. She said that the doctor would interpret the ultrasounds and call my OB with the results.
Then they sent me upstairs to the 10th floor, Labor & Delivery unit to do the NST. The nurse set me up in a delivery room and strapped two monitors to my tummy. One monitored the fetal heart rate, while the other tracked my contractions. A blood pressure cuff was secured to my right arm and she gave me a button to press with my left hand each time Baby Champuru moved.
Lying on my back in the hospital bed was somewhat uncomfortable. After sleeping on my left side almost exclusively for the past 6 months, lying on my back feels strangely WRONG. About a third of the way through the test, I asked the nurse if I could elevate my legs since my lower back was getting sore. Besides that, Baby Champuru had only moved twice in the span of ten minutes and I was wondering if it was because I was lying on my back. She said that I could change positions, so I laid on my left side and sure enough, Baby Champuru started kicking my innards like a soccer ball again.
They monitored me for about a half hour. After the doctor analyzed my results, the nurse said that baby had passed the tests with flying colors and we were free to go. We left with instructions to return on Friday for another NST.
So far, so good. I’m hoping that Baby Champuru will decide to arrive before we have to induce. I always prefer to do things the more natural way — and the prospect of forcing my body into labor before it’s ready is not appealing to me at all.
A 30-something Christian girl, blissfully wedded to her perfect match (the yang to her yin) of 14 years. A new mom to her miracle baby, born on October 4, 2008. Living life in Hawaii, less than 5 miles from her hometown, a slave to her mortgage payment, but seeking balance in her pursuit of family, faith, recreation, and rest.
I’m telling ya - Friday, Sept 26… 10:53 pm - that’s my guess as to when she’s gonna make her appearance!
glad all is going well!
Aaah, NSTs. I had to do those twice a week from 30 weeks onward due to my gestational diabetes. I guess it was because mine was insulin controlled. The advantage was I got to hear my baby’s’ heartbeat a LOT and got familiar with the L&D floor of the hospital i delivered at. I’m surprised they put you on your back! Mine was like Baby Champuru — she hated it when I was on my back but got lively when I was on my side. I guess it’s easier for babies to move that way.
so you’re delivering at Queens?
nice big rooms. =)
glad all is well with you and baby Champuru. Tell her to hurry up already, we all wanna see her!
wow, i just noticed you are 40 weeks today! tell baby champuru to come out soon so we can “meet” her!