Worried about baby movements or lack of.............

[GoodGollyMissMolly]

I am 23+2 today and have been feeling baby move since 14 weeks. It started as just bubbles every so often and evolved to kicks at about 18 weeks. By that point it seemed baby would kick and move constanly 24-7.
(I love feeling baby move)

Nearly two weeks ago I had a small 'show' and rang my MW who advised me to go to mat home to get checked, which I did and doc did tests and said everything looks fine, and is all progressing nicely. MW checked for and found babys heart beat (God it sounded so stong it brough tears to my eyes )

But since then baby has all but stopped moving, I feel baby very occasionaly. Maybe two or three times a day. I have started to keep a diary of movements (For my own sanity)
Last night I felt baby kick once at about 6 o clock ish and then nothing, until I felt baby at about 7.30 this morning when I got up. I havent felt him again since 7.30 this morning.

I am now really worried (Given Iam the worlds worst for worrying )
I guess what I am asking is, is this normal, is it something I should be worried about. have any of you ladies had the same or a similar experience of this????

Sorry for the long post, but I cant get this worry out of my head. Thank you all for getting this far.

[Egg]

Hi sorry you are worrying so much. I think you supposed to keep a kick chart if you are worried,and should feel baby move something like ten times per day (sorry if this is incorrect, am only 12ish weeks so not at this point again yet so a bit rusty).

I would definitely seek reassurance as you will just worry more and more... I am sure everything is fine, if you are still feeling movement then obviously baby is still alive and well, but it can't hurt to get checked out. Call the midwife, they are used to all this worry and will set your mind at rest and you can enjoy the rest of your pregnancy .

[callmeovercautious]

The movements do change as the baby gets bigger. At this stage my DD would move at pretty fixed times of the day unless I upset her. It was about 7-8 times a day but everyone is different. Try having a small glass of ice cold water, they can feel the cold and should move. If you are at all worried please ask to see your midwife and listen to the heartbeat. She should reassure you.

[suezee]

i may be that hes moving around while ur sleeping??????if ur concerned why dont you ring the ante natal clinic and they will check u over.......i was like you always worrying about my baby moving do i bought a monitor you strap around your belly so u can hear your babys heartbeat.......its about 25-30 pounds from argos but it was the best money i spent......saved me a fortune as i would have been at the hospital everday.

[designerbaby]

HI GGMM,

Just an edit to Egg's post really - so you don't worry - you're only supposed to keep a kick chart from 28 weeks onwards, when baby really has so little space to move that you feel everything . So please don't worry about the 10 times a day thing at this point as it's too early for that... (no offence intended Egg...)

At 23+2 (I'm 27weeks ish) the baby can move and turn quite a lot, and if he/she has turned to face the other way they may be kicking 'inwards' rather than 'outwards' (IYSWIM) which you wouldn't really feel.

He/she may have also moved to a place where their kicks are absorbed by the handy punchbag which is your placenta - depending on where it's situated.

Any time I get worried (and we ALL do - it's totally normal pregnancy neurosis ) I take a time out at work, sit down have a coffee and a chocolate biccie and in five minutes or so it usually sets her off nicely with a sugar/caffeine hit .

Try that, and if still nothing then do as Egg suggests - call your midwife or doc and ask them to give you the once over to put your mind at rest...

BIG HUG
DB

xx

[GoodGollyMissMolly]

Thank you all for your fast responses, it does help to put my mine at ease.
I really dont like having to call the MW,I have only ever done so twice, I worry that they think I'm just being neurotic (sp?) and I convince myself that hey have better things to do than to reassure me. (Told you I am worlds worst for worrying )

As you say EGG I am still felling some movement so I know baby is alive and kicking (Sorry for the pun )

Thanks callmovercautious, I will try the cold drink, hopefuly that will get baby moving again.

suezee, that is a really good idea, I have heard of them, but nevery really thought about getting one. As you say it will be money well spent. I'm gonna pop into town and pick one up today.

T
Thank you all.

[Egg]

Ah yes DB! Thanks you are right indeed. I am definitely a bit rusty and trying not to read ahead in my book... I have got twins in there, and can't wait to start feeling them move!

Have also heard, as DB said, if you eat something sweet (great excuse) and then lie down for a few mins you should feel something.

Hope your little one is doing cartwheels again soon!

[Egg]

GGMM, the midwives are there to put your mind at rest / help you with any queries etc (as well as deliver your baby in 17 or 18 weeks of course!). I think I called and / or visited my GP 7 times with various worries (all turned out to be nothing) during the course of my pregnancy . That's not counting the routine visits!

[GoodGollyMissMolly]

Hi Designerbaby,
thank you for you post,I have just put the kettle on for my one coffee of the day, and the choccy biccie sounds yummy at the mo.

I hope that it is beacuse baby has turned round and is kicking inwards as opposed to outwards.

Also soooooo glad to know that the pregnancy neurosis is completely normal, I kinew it was normal to worry more but not constantly!!!!

thank you

[designerbaby]

GGMM - just a note on the monitor - they're great (I don't have one but my mate does) but they can take some getting used to and you may not find the heartbeat immediately.

So please, if you don't - don't panic even more. Just fiddle around a bit and if still nothing take it with you to your midwife (who you will have undoubtedly called having doubly scared yourself that there's no heartbeat) and she'll show you how to get the best result from it...

Cold water, of course is the healthier way of getting a movement - brownie points to CMOC - but I find a Starbucks (despite being evil poison etc.) is a guaranteed result every time

Db
xx

[GoodGollyMissMolly]

Thanks Egg, OMG twins (You are so lucky) it's gonna be non stop movement and kicks for you Hope all goes well.

Well something sweet, it sounds like agood excuse, maybe I'll have a turkish Delight (My mega big craving ) Might get baby moving again, ha ha!!

[KezzaG]

Missmolly I just wanted to add that when I was between 20-25ish weeks pregnant my babies movements were very infrequent and twice I went to the MWs and they listened to the hb to reassure me. They really dont mind, and in fact in my experience get quite annoyed if you leave it too long if you have worries.

As others have said, the baby still has quite a lot of room at this point so its quite possible he/she is kicking inwards.

From 28/30 weeks onwards you will be in no doubt when baby is moving and that is when a kick chart can really help.

And I awlays found chocolate and diet a coke a great way to get baby moving. Quite enjoyable for me too

[suezee]

yeah did forget to mention that.....u might pick up ur own heartbeat......u'll definately know when uve picked up babys because its really fast.....good idea to take to the midwives though

[midnightexpress]

It's so hard not to worry, isn't it GGMM? I was just the same with ds1, who was the world's quietest baby in utero. I used to get completely paranoid when other pg women went on about how they couldn't sleep because their babies moved abut so much. All I can say is that judging by my experience, movement in pg bears absolutely no relation to what comes out at the end. DS1 is a human dynamo of 20mo, who never stops running about, hurling his toys at his little brother, talking and laughing.

Also, do get in touch with AN unit if worried. They can always give you a quick scan to show you that everything's OK. I had this with ds2 at about 19 weeks (we don't get a routine 20 wk scan here).

[GoodGollyMissMolly]

DB, wise words, never thought of that, but it would be nice to have one. MMmm gonna have to have a think about this one. I know I will worry even more if I dont find the heartbeat, but then again if I do it can be a good source of reassurance.

Might buy one and take it to my MW appointment with me (It's on the 30th) before I use it and ask her to show me how to get the best results.

Thank you
xx

[diddle]

I would definitly call the maternity home again. i had 3 days of less movement with my son, and went into the hospital on day 3 and they told me off for not going sooner. I woul definitly get it checked out. It doesn't matter how paranoid you feel, its always worth checking

[GoodGollyMissMolly]

KezzaG, thanks for your reassurance, I know I really shouldn't worry so much about calling the MW, but just dont like bothering her unless it is a mega emergency. I will ring her if I need to, I'm gonna try out all the other things first. I am just startingonmy coffee now,so hopefuly baby will get a bit of a caffine kick and move somemore so I can feel.

Midnightexpress, I know it is soooooooooo hard not to worry too much, My DH is quite supportive when I get in to worrying mode, but he is very laid back and methodical when it comes to problems and such. I know its a good thing sometimes though I wish he would just share the worry with me instead of being so calm!!!!!!!!!! It would make me feel like I am not worrying unnesisarily (sp?) (Quite mental I'm sure , but that is how I feel)
your DS1 sounds lovely, I hope my LO will be lively and talkative.

[GoodGollyMissMolly]

I've just had a coffee and a Turkish delight and now have just felt a massive kick, but nothing else.
So baby is ok,it seems, and I am worrying about nothing.


thank you all for your posts and kind words.

[Moorhen]

My midwife also swears by drinking a glass of really cold orange juice and then lying on your side for a bit, if you ever wanted a healthy option (dunno why you would with chocolate around, just thought I`d mention ).

Glad you got your LO moving! It is so scary when they go quiet.

[GoodGollyMissMolly]

thanks Moorhen,will keep your advice in mind. It is so scary when you are used to them moving about all the time and then for no reason they seem to go quiet.

Baby is moving much more now. Will have to go and get some more turkish delights,as Iate my last one!!!!!!

[Egg]

Just checking back in. Glad the little one is moving lots again .