Reduced movement?

[LoudAndLarge]

I am 36 weeks pregnant and although I have felt movement it doesn't feel consistent.

I know there is less room in there now but can't help worrying.

Anyone else got to this stage and found that things slowed down alot.

[FoodieMum3]

Yes, I remember mine slowed down around 36w. I think it's because baby will spend longer periods sleeping and also as it's such a tight squeeze now.
When did you last feel movement?

Can you have something to drink or eat and sit down with your feet up, see if that gets baby moving?

I would be very very sure that it is perfectly normal but you are supposed to get it checked out, like everything else, just to be on the safe side.

[angelopal]

If its not as much movement as you normally get then you should get checked. Ring your labour ward/midwife unit and if they are concerned they will get you to go for monitoring.

[Andcake]

I used to keep a note of it. As I would forget. If it is reduced movement I would definitely get it checked out. Majority are ok but you do hear bad things ( we had one incident in our family and going and getting it checked stopped the worse happening). Mw say they would prefer you to go in than think you are waiting their time

[Bunnytheeggrobat]

Contact labour ward

[TwentyTinyToes]

Please go and get checked out, now please.

[Ineedanewone]

If in doubt, get checked out! No ante natal unit will question your reasoning, and it will only take a few hours to be sorted out.

[LoudAndLarge]

I can feel movement now and keep questioning if I am paranoid, although there is definitely less movement than there was.

I feel abit of a time waster, saying the baby is moving but not as much. Thank you for all your replies.

[livingzuid]

Check for the same pattern. My consultant said that was more important than the amount of movement and that it would reduce in intensity the later on in pregnancy we are. They do not count kicks any more. I'm 36 weeks too. I freaked out a couple of nights ago because I just couldn't feel her even though I never felt much at night anyway. Fast forward 24 hours and I am back to getting pummeled on both sides.

The advice to check movement here in the Netherlands is to eat something sweet and then lie semi propped up for an hour with hands on belly. Doing this with chocolate worked for me. Obviously my baby likes chocolate :) I think you can also try an icy cold drink and then lie on your side and have a feel on your tummy.

And if ever in doubt, just call. They would much rather check you over than have you worrying.

[livingzuid]

I should have added I have less movement too. It's more stretches now. So there is still activity it's just different.

[whereisthewitch]

I'm a bit paranoid about this today OP...am 34 weeks and since yesterday baby is definitely not as active, though it did have the hiccups about an hour ago!
Iftit continues like this I might ring fetal assessment, I haven't yet because my reasoning is that there's still movement and I know from my first pregnancy that they can sometimes have quieter days, though I had a fall in Tuesday which is playing on my mind a bit.

there's no harm in ringing for advice though.

[RoseHoney]

Please get checked.
It's not true at all that kicks will be less strong and baby has less room so will be quieter. If anything kicks should be stronger as baby is bigger!
Check the count the kicks website or Facebook page if you need any advice but any change in movements whether that be less or more should be checked!

[RoseHoney]

Whereisthewitch hiccups do not count as movements, I would definitely get checked out, I'm sure all is fine but it's worth getting seen. Good luck.

[whereisthewitch]

Thanks Rose I'll definitely give them a ring!

[monkeyroo]

I had reduced but also very different movements about 2 or 3 weeks before my due date. I worried that I was calling labour ward unneccessarily, but I went in, they checked me out, and it turned out the baby had moved into breach position. That explained the reduced and different movements - instead of big legs and arms kicking me in the ribs I was just feeling smaller movements, probably just dds head moving from side to side.
Anyway, long story short, baby was fine, I had an ecv and delivered fine a couple of weeks later.
Just call them now and ger checked out, I promise they won't even blink at you calling in fact it's what they want and ask us to do!

[livingzuid]

rosewitch are you seriously saying my consultant is lying? I'd be inclined to belive him with his decades of experience, over a stranger on the Internet. The point is that the moments change as the baby gets bigger and has less room to move. Of course the kicks can't be a strong, the baby has less room to get leverage. I notice more intensity now with a stretch and less with a kick or a punch.

It also depends on what position they are in, as shown my monkeys post. Mine was pointing inwards and I could barely feel a thing.

And they do go into very deep sleeps which means yes, less movement. It isn't something necessarily to be alarmed about. Track the pattern. This is now standard advice.

There is no need to scare pregnant women any more when they are already worried.

The best thing to always do is call if you are at all concerned. I've rung my unit so many times about all sorts of things and they are lovely about it. You'd never be wasting time.

[RoseHoney]

Living, there's no need to be rude, how do you know I'm not a consultant?.
The facts are that babies movement do not decrease towards the end. I'm not scaring anyone, I'm prompting people to go and get checked and not listen to outdated advice that is no longer recommended, if that saves a babys life then I'm happy to share that info.
As I said I'm sure baby is fine but this website is worth a look and a read, and it is also backed by the NHS. countthekicks.org.uk/mums/your-babys-movements/

[meditrina]

Babies movements should not change in either frequency or strength.

But as there is less room for a solid kick in the last few weeks, they can feel different but should not seem any less vigorous.

If you think movements have decreased you need to go and be checked

Chances are, it'll just be a mysterious quiet spell. But occasionally it's not, and those are the ones that MWs don't want to be missed.

[livingzuid]

I'm not being rude. I'm irritated because you said I was not correct despite what I have enough been told several times by my consultant as this is something I personally am very anxious about, and have phoned my hospital about. Your post was not correct either, as movements can and do change because of all sorts of reasons the majority of which are completely fine. I'm not into people being alarmist when the op is clearly worried.

And really the best thing for her to do is call rather than listen to any of us.

Sorry op for the argument.

[RoseHoney]

Okay then Living.
I'm sorry to say but your consultants may have been giving you outdated advice, movements should never be less forceful.
Every mum to be is worried about this kind of thing, believe me I know.
I hope OP calls the hospital and gets it checked out, as I said im sure baby is okay but the new advice is that any change in movements whether that's less or more needs to be checked by the hospital.

Good luck OP. I'm sure baby will be back to beating up your bladder by tomorrow

[RoseHoney]

How are you OP?
Hope all is okay.

[Notonthisplanet]

My consultant told me last year 10 movements in 24 hours was ok no matter when you feel them. However three years earlier I had emcs due to ignoring reduced movement on this kind of advice and then one day movement stopped altogether as dd was distressed with reduced oxygen levels. Was all a happy outcome but needless to say I ignored the consultants advice the next time and listened to the midwives who told me to just call whenever I wanted if I felt worried in any way.

[Iwillorderthefood]

My midwife said that it is untrue that it is common for movements to be reduced. They may feel different since the baby is larger now. She was complaining about the books that state the baby would not move as much as earlier in the pregnancy, and had treated a lady who had heeded such advice and lost her baby.

[Iwillorderthefood]

OP go get it checked out. It's better to feel as though you are wasting time than the alternative.

[22honey]

As someone else who is in earlier stages but still worried, i do agree with living that scaremongering on these types of threads really annoy me, its good to read info regarding movement etc so we can be aware, its not good when its put across in a very alarmist way that suggests people SHOULD be really worried.

[22honey]

I also wouldnt say every mum to be is worried about this sort of thing either, I've met loads in my time totally ignorant to the fact anything can go wrong even in early stages of pregnancy. Many women do not even consider the topic of stillbirth.