A stressful non-stress test

I woke up to a strange feeling this morning.  Nothing.  Normally I awake to a feeling like the Aliens are writhing around inside of me ready to burst through my skin at any moment.  But alas, there was nothing.  I thought, hmmm, nice.  

So I took my shower, got dressed, ate my breakfast, did some work, and then went into work. After lunch, it hit me, you know, I've felt Zane move around here and there, but nothing from Lillian.  Hmm.  

I pushed around on my belly, trying to aggravate her enough to move...nothing.  Drank some Sprite, normally the bubbles get her squirming...nothing.  Hmm. 

The past couple of days I've been having terrible Braxton-Hicks contractions and aching that goes all the way from the middle of my back down to my knees.  I've tried not to think too much of it because, well, I'm in my last trimester with twins.  These things happen.  But combining this feeling, with the lack of feeling from our little girl, made me pick up the phone and call the doctor.

I've prided myself on not being "one of those" new moms who calls the doctor with every twinge or racing heart beat.  So it was hard to break the pattern but I'd its better to know.  I was expecting a "well just take it easy and if nothing changes by tomorrow we'll schedule you an appointment".  but I got a "come right in" we're going to perform a non-stress test.

(not me, some other preggo's pic I stole of the internet)

This test measures fetal movement, heart rates, and contractions.  I lay down on a table and had the technician strap two disks to my belly (one over each of their hearts) and then one in the middle (to measure my own uterus).  I was given a button, like the ones on jeopardy, and was told to press it each time I felt a movement.  I watched the little paper spit out of the machine plotting their heart rates that went from 130 up to 170.  All over the place.  But each time I felt a thump or a bump, I would push the button and it corresponded to a spike in a heart rate.  I learned that this was a good thing.

But I still never felt Lillian move.  The monitor was crackling indicating that she was moving around, but I couldn't feel it.  This went on for 15 minutes and then I was sent in to see the nurse practitioner.  She said everything looked good and I probably couldn't feel Lillian because it felt like she is underneath Zane and facing my back.  So she's moving and kicking away, but her brother is absorbing the movements.   When I feel him moving, it could be him or her pushing him.  

During my test I had two small contractions.  So the NP did a quick pelvic exam and my cervix is still closed up tight and long.  yay.  My Braxton Hicks are probably coming so frequently because I am not "resting" as much as I'm supposed to and I seem to be a bit dehydrated.  So more rest and more water.  

I'm glad I went in, and I don't feel silly...but all in all, I'm so relieved all is well with the babies.