Most pregnant women start to feel their baby move at around 18 to 20 weeks. If it is your first pregnancy you may not become aware of movements until you are past the 20 week mark. If you have been pregnant before then you may even feel movement as early as 16 weeks! Usually these movements feel like a soft kick, a flutter, a swish or a roll and are an exciting stage causing your impending motherhood to suddenly get extra exciting. But as exciting as it is, it is also important that you start to recognise your baby’s movement patterns. So here at SmartMom we have put together a rough guide to the meaning of the movements of baby during pregnancy.
At first, movements of baby during pregnancy will be gentle and feel like more of a flutter – like bubbles popping or a rippling sensation and often it can feel like gas or air. After a while though, your little one will build up some strength and you will have to get used to them pushing, twisting, thumping and kicking. You will also have periods of time when they are calmer and need to rest or sleep. As your baby develops, both the number and types of movements of your baby will change. It is common for movements of baby during pregnancy to occur at a certain time of day, typically afternoon and evening to be peak activity time for your little one. Throughout the day and the night your baby has sleep periods that last between 20 and 40 minutes; they will rarely sleep longer than 90 minutes. Your baby will not usually move during those sleep periods.
In the weeks leading up to your due date, your baby’s movements are the best way to tell if they are feeling well. If the baby is moving around less often than usual then it may be a sign that you need to go to the doctor for a check-up. If you don’t feel the baby move for a while and are starting to worry, try taking a bath or drinking a really cold glass of water. If you still don’t feel anything then call your midwife or doctor as they may want to see you. Remember that it is normal to feel a change in your baby’s movements as you approach your due date because the baby is getting bigger and has less room to move around. However, you should still continue to feel frequent movements. Unfortunately, there is no guide book or set number of movements you should feel during your pregnancy. But you will start to familiarise yourself with and get used to the movements of baby during pregnancy. If you notice a sudden change or decrease then it is always best to get it checked out.
You are less likely to be aware of your baby’s movements when you are active or busy. If your placenta is at the front of your uterus then this can also affect how much of your baby’s movements your will feel. Likewise if your baby’s back is lying at the front of your uterus then you may feel fewer movements of baby during pregnancy. There are also external factors that can affect your baby’s movements like strong pain relief, sedatives or alcohol.
Remember that even if your baby’s movements have changed, it doesn’t necessarily mean that something is wrong. If you are worried then the main thing you can do to set your mind at ease is to contact a health professional to get you both checked out. And if you are anxious then there are a wealth of different ways of monitoring your baby’s movements available these days such as wristbands, apps and charts.
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