I've had my first two non-stress tests this week. They're really not that bad at all. The OB has a small room with a recliner in it that I sit in and put my feet up. The nurse straps two monitors on my belly--one that checks the baby's heartrate, and the other I believe would measure contractions if I were having any. They're the same two hockey-puck shaped monitors that I wore during labor with Charlotte, and neither is uncomfortable in any way (no pin pricks or anything, just stretchy velcro that wraps around my middle to hold them in place). She also gives me a button (think Jeopardy) to click when I feel the baby move or a contraction. Then I relax and read a magazine for 20 minutes while baby boy does some belly dancing. They are checking my weight, blood pressure, and taking a urine sample at every test as well (I managed to drop a pound between last week and this week....maybe I was eating too much salt and retaining water over Christmas or something).
Tuesday I also had an ultrasound, which showed his growth is still right on target (estimated 43rd percentile for size....about the same as the 41st percentile a month ago). It was kind of funny that the baby was very active during the ultrasound, but tried to take a nap during the non-stress test. The doctor used a small buzzer to wake him up at the end and get him kicking. It put out a very small vibration, less than a computer with an bad power supply. Once he was awake, his heartrate responded correctly to the efforts of his kicking. Not that I was surprised after all the belly-shaking he's been doing lately.
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