Movement changes at 20 weeks

[LittleMissPear]

I am 20 weeks pregnant, last week I had a sickness bug and was in bed/lying down for much of the time. I was feeling regular and definate kicks. Since Sunday I haven't really felt any kicks, but as I'm better and back a work I am not still as much as I was.

I have left a message with the midwife and waiting for a call back. I can't tell whether the movement has stopped or its just that I can't feel it as I am moving more. I have my 20 week scan on Friday but feeling quite worried right now. Or is 20 weeks still a bit early for regular movement?

[PenguinsLoveFishFingers]

They may well want you to come in and get checked out. Calling the MW is the right thing to do.

But to reassure you in the meantime, at this stage the baby is very small. A combination of a change in position and being more active could very easily account for the difference.

To put it in perspective, at 20 weeks with this baby I was feeling nothing at all.

[FoodieMum3]

It's probably because you were lying down while ill and noticed baby moving but because you're back to work and active now you don't notice it and baby is probably not as active due to being rocked to sleep

I'm 20 weeks and strangely enough had felt definite movement at 15-16 weeks (3rd baby). Then nothing. At 18 w I couldn't take it anymore so went to get checked out. Turns out my placenta is anterior and blocking movements (acting like padding)
20 weeks now and felt movement last night and again today but had not felt anything since 16 weeks prior to this.

[RAFWife12]

I find the more I am doing the less I feel baby move. I don't know if its just that when I am resting I notice it coz I am less distracted, or whether baby really does move more. Any change you should call midwife though.

[squizita]

If you're standing and doing stuff then you are less likely to feel movement. Fact! :)

The size of a 20 week fetus is such that regardless of where the placenta is, there is space for it to move and you not feel it (especially when standing up).

Annoyingly, they never say online when you should start thinking about movement patterns. My Ob/gyn consultant and MW team (all v experienced) put it at 22-24 weeks not before.

I suffer from clinical anxiety and rang the MW about 'reduced movement' at 18+5. She was a special MW for women at high risk of recurrent loss: if anyone was going to be called in, it was gonna be me. She told me seeking patterns before 22 weeks was a no-no for the above reason: you 'think' a pattern has been established and tiny baby swims to the back - still moving but you no longer feel it.

A week or so later I had my 20 week scan, full of dread and lack of movement. I drank a can of ginger beer - still no movement.
20 minutes later the sonographer apologised for the angles of our scan photo: the baby was "going mad in there... have you just had sweets or fizzy drinks?" Yup, I had. Couldn't feel a thing!

I would advise phoning the midwife because otherwise your mind will not rest, but I am sure she will be reassuring. At 20 weeks feeling movement is normal, but it can be very random. :) :)

[FoodieMum3]

That's so reassuring squizita,thank you!

[eurochick]

The baby was going properly crazy during my 20 week scan. I felt one slight movement the whole time. So a lot can be going on without you feeling much. There's no harm in calling the mw though.

[LittleMissPear]

Thanks everyone for your comments, they were very reassuring and it's good to know that other people have experienced the same thing! Luckily I started feeling kicks again yesterday afternoon and so I am more relaxed now. Got my scan on Friday so looking forward to seeing it jump about on the screen then.

x

[Boogles91]

I felt movement from 13wks, lil flutters to proper kicks, and since 15wks ive noticed our lil mans routine. Somedays i will hardly feel him and i guess this is cus hes just moved into different place, and others hes just bumming nonstop lol his routine is wake up in the evening and keep going all night long till the morning then i have my brekky and cuppa nd hes off again for a bit :) im currently 29wks, and have got the most wikedist chest infection:@ also his movements are more swishy typethan kicks now as hes massive lol and the kicks in me flange av got more stirnger >.< hes not been so active until today when ive been feeling a bit better x

[saralou21]

Hi, I was just going to post something very similar. Im just gone 19 weeks got my 20 week scan next week. Ivebeen feeling baby move rregularly for about two weeks now really strong kicks sometimes and im getting worried because I haven't felt it move for three days now. But I have had the occasional butterfly sensation. Im petrified of my next scan as im really high risk 1 in 75 for downs and I cant help but think the worst! I hope your scan goes well looking forward to reading how it went little miss pear.