to not know what it means to have reduced movements?

[DinaNanna]

I've had a bit of a set back and have been told to keep a VERY close eye on movements. I feel like my baby's movements change all the time and don't really follow a pattern. I'm feeling regular movements in the day, not as many as at say 28/29 weeks (I'm 35 weeks now) but also know that this could be because baby is running out of space. I honestly can't tell if movements are normal or not and end up in tears of frustration most days because I just don't know. I can't go in every day to be monitored (nor do I want to). I don't think it is necessary.

How do I know if movements are changed or reduced if I've never noticed a pattern before?

Do you feel ten or more kicks / rolls a day ?

@Shazafied I do, yes!

If I was unsure about my dd's movements on a given day I'd try:

Drinking very cold orange juice
Lying on my left side

Normally made her move.

I noticed my baby hadn't moved in a while. Cold glass of water didnt get her moving. Sugary drink didnt elicit much action either. When she did move, it was more gentle. I was induced and dd was born with the cord wrapped around her neck. She was given oxygen to start her breathing. In all honesty, I felt worried because I hadnt felt her move much over a few hours. I couldnt tell you how often she normally moved. There was no patten. All I knew was that she waant moving much at that point. I phoned the hospital and they monitored me and decided to induce.

I used to drink a glass of iced water and lie on my left side or eat chocolate, that used to get him going.

Your baby will still move regardless of space, it is no longer considered safe to give people the advice to count kicks or that there is less space.

The movements can change as the baby grows, from flutters and wriggles to maybe kicks and rolls.

Even though your baby doesn't have a set pattern of movement, it's important to notice whether the frequency and strength of the movements are reduced.

I know the thought of being monitored every day seems like overkill but remember that it's not a waste of midwives time to do a check up.

It's also really important to trust your instinct. If you feel as though there's something wrong by can't quite put your finger on it regarding exact movements, it's always best to go in.

Like freckle says, it's about what's normal for your baby.

Current advice is that you should call your midwife or MAU if you notice a change in your baby's normal pattern of movements, that includes a sudden increase as well as a decrease.

My DS2 was born at 37 weeks by EMCS due to reduced (no) movements. It became very very apparent that the movements were fewer, becoming less strong and with longer periods of no movement at all.

The week he was born, I felt that movements might be less on the Wednesday, so paid more attention on the Thursday and thought perhaps they were less often and less strong. But still not sure. On the Friday I was more worried and the movements were less often again. I had an appointment anyway on the Saturday morning, so decided to bring it up with the midwives then if I was still concerned. When I woke up (very early!) on Saturday I couldn't get any movements at all. Eating, cold drinks, lying on my left produced nothing. So I was put straight into monitoring at about 9.30am. I had no recorded movements for the whole time they monitored me, so the decision was made to do the c section. At this point he hadn't moved at all in about 4 hours. I'd had a very serious issue with the placenta and it was almost a disaster. But thankfully he made a full recovery and is now absolutely fine.

I think what I'm trying to get across is that it wasn't about a particular number of movements or about the pattern changing. It was noticeably different to what I'd become accustomed to, and it just didn't feel right.

If you're worried and it doesn't seem like everything is normal then go in and get seen. I'm sure the midwives would rather check you for a while and send you home than the alternative.

I was just the same as you OP so I downloaded a kick counting app purely to see if there was a pattern I wasn't seeing, and to check from day to day. I did it morning, midday and evening and it really helped recognise a pattern.

Obviously as PP have stated if in doubt always get checked out but it helped me. Also I second eating chocolate!

Think it was called kicks count and was free and kept data fora month or so, so you can look for patterns.

I agree with pp, the kicks count free app is a great way to get an idea what's usual for you and your baby. There are no set number of kicks you should feel in a day, and baby should move the same amount right up until you go into labour (and throughout labour). If you have any doubts please go and get checked, I went in 3 times with my DS and they said they'd much rather monitor me and tell me there wasn't a problem than me not go in and ending up with a bad outcome.

Do you feel ten or more kicks / rolls a day?

The ten kicks a day advice is very outdated, some babies will move a lot more than that and just counting for ten a day doesn't mean everything is okay. Like pp have said, it's about what's normal for your baby. The kicks count app is a good way of monitoring over time.

I was also told by a midwife that you shouldn't have to drink something cold/drink orange juice/lie on your side to feel movements. This may make the baby move but doesn't mean that there isn't a potential problem. Any sign of reduced movements should be checked, even if drinking something cold gets the baby moving again.

It's not even about reduced movements it's about a change in your usual pattern.

Look up the MAMA Academy for latest advice

Baby doesn't run out of space op. That's a myth. Remember women have successful multiple births. If there's ANY change to your movements you should have it investigated

If in doubt always get checked. My dd was always having reduced movement. Because I was on due date when the third lot was they booked me for induction the following day. And because I managed to crack a rub coughinwand was struggling to move etc. She didn't have a set pattern. But I just knew it was less. She was born healthy

Please do go and get checked. The midwives will never turn you away and will always say you did the right thing by going in. That said I did not have a pattern of movement at all - tried the app but still didn't notice any pattern. Some days she would kick loads and some days hardly any or even none at all. Sometimes she would kick at night, sometimes in the morning at etc. I went in for monitoring so many times and when they gave me scans they could see that she was moving loads but I could feel so few of them. I was carrying a lot of fluid and had place ta in front so it really affected it. If I ever get pregnant again I really hope there's noticeable patterm as i had to missso much work. Wish you well with your pregnancy

It's really hard if you don't have a regular pattern. I think it's also hard if you don't have a regular pattern to your own day - if you're out and about I think you notice it less than if you're still.

You could try keeping a diary. There may be a vague pattern for instance I never noticed any pattern in the daytime but my evenings were more consistent so it was a bit easier.

If you're ever worried try a cold drink, prodding your tummy, shining a light, playing loud music etc.

Sometimes my husband could feel movement even when I couldn't, I think my skin had lost sensitivity from being so tight

It is hard feeling like you've got to keep track of movements and bearing sole responsibility for monitoring it and the line where you draw of when to go to hospital is tricky. I think if you are aware of the fact reduced movement needs to be looked into, and it's in the back of your mind then that'd the main thing

I have to agree with @Ceecee18, the 10 kicks advice is extremely outdated, you don’t disgregard a lack of movement if you’ve checked off your 10 for the day. Please check out Kicks count online, they are an organisation that are trying to raise awareness around baby’s movements and trying to reduce stillbirths, as we have quite a high rate in the UK! I experienced reduced movements around 30 weeks into my pregnancy (hadn’t felt baby move around much the previous day and decided to get myself to the hospital to get checked as he was normally very active, especially at night) luckily everything was ok, but it’s important to get checked if you do feel your baby isn’t moving around much - that’s what PAU’s are there for!

There is also outdated advice from pregnancy apps and in particular older people, that your baby will run out of room when you near the end of pregnancy and will stop moving as much - this isn’t true, and various organisations like Kicks Count are campaigning to stamp out this ‘advice’ !