34 weeks, baby heart rate normal?

[Cat1980uk]

I am 34 weeks and 3 days. I am under consultant care as I have gestational diabetes and am booked in for a csection 17th October. Little man was going crazy yesterday but today decided to scare me and hadn't moved much all morning so hospital had me up for monitoring. I was told normal heart rate anywhere from 110 to 160 and I'd be monitored for about 30 mins and I had to click everytime I felt him move. Of course as soon as I was hooked up he started his violent kicks where I see his leg come out or huge rolls. When he wasn't moving his heart was between 130 and 150 but the second he moved his heart would go up to between 165 and 177, once hit a 180 but then when he stopped moving back down to normal again. Midwife came in around 40 mins in and he'd not moved for around 10 mins then as had gone to sleep I think so she left me a while longer and he did a few more moves again heart went up. It also went up if I moved which I did a few times as bum going numb. On none moving it fast went back to normal. She came and unhooked me after about an hour and then took it to dr to look at but as she left the room said she wasn't worried. I was left for about 10 mins and she came back and said dr said everything ok and I was free to go. If I ever had another quiet even if tomorrow just ring up and they'll have me in again but otherwise she'll see me in diabetes clinic in 2 weeks (same midwife who does the clinic was one who saw me at the day unit today).

I keep trying to say none of them are concerned so why am I not reassured? It's been a tricky pregnancy so far and I am just so scared he's going to be taken away. I know it's only just over 3 weeks now till I see him at 38 weeks but it feels a lifetime away of me having to keep him safe :( He's had hiccups which are new to him, today 3x so far and usually after I have a big drink of water and stupidly I read it could be a cord problem. I had a scan Tuesday just gone and he was measuring ok at 34 weeks 5lb 7oz, his cord looked healthy as they lit it up and also I heard it. I guess today I just freaked out and now I can't calm that anxiety. 3 weeks seems so far away and I am going to worry rest of this pregnancy away. I am already terrified for the csection and how I will cope with it all and now I am worried about my little one :( I had a miscarriage Christmas Day and I was pregnant with this little miracle 6 weeks later and he means so much to me. Sorry for rambling

I'm no expert but that sounds completely normal to me - certainly what I had every time I was monitored and they were reassured by it.

On the heartbeat thing, mine has been monitored for reduced movements twice recently. His average was about 140 when resting. This went up to 160-170 or more when moving. When he was sleeping, it went down to about 130. So your baby's heartbeat range sounds similar to what I observed mine doing, if that's any reassurance.

I had similar to you and hospital weren't concerned, I mentioned it at one of my regular midwife appointments and she said baby's movements are equivalent to us running up the stairs so completely normal for heart rate to increase during it :)

Thank you so much everyone! Very reassuring :) Being my first after a miscarriage and tricky pregnancy due to the gestational diabetes I think everything over worrying me until I get him in my arms. Csection is only 3 weeks away and it can't come soon enough as terrified as I am for it. Thank you again, I really appreciate the replies x

Hi Cat, from my non medical but pregnancy experience that seems pretty normal.

With DS2 I ended up with an EMCS. I went in for monitoring at 40wks with reduced movement, had been about 8 times before for same reason as he never moved. His heart rate was 168bpm, it never moved one bit. When doctors eventually got him to have a wriggle his heart rate still stayed steady. I was happily lying chatting to DH thinking steady heart rate was a good thing until I was very quickly whisked to theatre. A steady, never moving heart rate on a baby is not a good sign.

DS2 is 4 now and is fine now thanks to quick acting midwife and doctors.

Mine was exactly the same, only he'd go lower than 110 sometimes and up to 180 (which for my family is a normal thing with the various heart problems etc). I asked the midwife about it and she said a good fluctuation is what they look for as it shows he's healthy.
The little bugger also liked to kick the Doppler to make a horrible noise. 45 mins of that will drive you insane...

Sounds totally normal. The baseline rate should be between 110 and 160 but there should be variability and accelerations, especially associated with movement, are reassuring.