Recurrent reduced movements

[Waliamedia]

Hi there.
New here.
New here but looking for some advise.
I am 37 weeks pregnant today and have been to the assessment unit over 7 times now with reduced movements.
3 episodes around 28-31 weeks and another from 34 weeks onwards.
I am on Blood pressure medication and very stressed about this baby and feel like an absolute failar as a mother who is not aware of her babies pattern.
This baby never reply had any pattern and my only indicators were his evening movements when he mostly becomes active.
This is my second pregnancy and I didn't experience anything like this before.
He is obviously moving but the movements are little , some days he's quiet and is not moving at all despite me trying everything.

Every time I go up to the hospital all the ctgs are perfect. I also had 2 growth scans the last being yesterday which shows no concern.
I am so nervous to go up again and get him checked out because of feeling fobbed off.
I have been admitted few times already due to high blood pressure which now is under the control.
I wonder how many more times I will have to feel like this for them to take me seriously.
I am really struggling with the movements because I just don't know what is right or wrong .
I domt want to waste their time if scans and ctgs shows nothing to worry about but I am obviously still worried about his movement and really don't know what to do.
Anyone has been in the same shoes?

If you are worried, you must go in. Keep listening to your instincts.

You can always talk to the midwives when you are there about the way you feel - they may have some more advice for you.

Have they been fobbing you off, or is it a case of no intervention needed? Always go, no-one working in maternity care would see it as wasting their time. What would you like, an early as possible delivery?

I was in a similar situation with my first. Lost count of how many times I went in. Turns out I was right and long story short she ended up being born prematurely and she has some developmental delays which they think may have been caused by the issues in pregnancy.

Not meaning to scare you but you most trust your instincts. Maybe even say when you go up “I’m sorry I don’t want to waste your time and I hate feeling like a nuisance. But my baby just isn’t moving regularly” when you say this kind of thing it seems to make them say something like “oh please don’t apologise we’d always rather you came in” but it just shows that you are aware that you’ve been in a lot and you’re not just there because you’re overly anxious. Good luck I hope everything is ok x

Keep going in - they would rather see you every time than have you miss the one time intervention is needed because you’re worried about wasting their time.

It doesn’t mean you’re a bad mum - some babies are just trickier. You’re doing the right thing by going in every time.

Maybe more movements in the evening is the pattern.

All sounds good so far with your babe which is great news but sod it if you feel worried go in even if it’s the 10th time that week.

Do you have an anterior placenta? That can make movement pattern trickier xx

I was induced after going in 3 times between 37-38 weeks for reduced movement.

There was a cord issue, it turned out (all worked out fine in the end). You should absolutely go back if you are concerned

Just keep going in.

My DD had no pattern to movements. Whenever I was asked if she was moving normally I said I don't know what normal is because it's so random and they would send me off to be checked. It was very stressful, especially when everyone I know said their baby woke up when they ate dinner or danced at this time or if they drank a fizzy drink etc. My baby did things on her own watch!

I had this last year with my second. I asked to see the consultant and I just told her that I knew all the scans and monitoring indicated that nothing was wrong, but the movements were less than before and it was causing me great concern as the baby was full term (over 37 weeks) and I didn't want to take any risks. She listened to me and said that although she wasn't personally worried, the baby was a good weight and she arranged for me to be induced 12 days early which was a few days later. In those few days they continued to have me in for regular monitoring and also gave me a sweep. My lo was born healthy 11 days early and I have no regrets about the induction. If you're worried, push and push until someone hears you.

Yes this happened with my first baby. No pattern to speak of and would sometimes just go quiet for hours on end. Always fine on the CTG. I was consultant led because of it and was told some babies are just less predictable in their movements. It really isn’t a case of you failing to be aware of your baby’s pattern, your baby may simply not have one!

My baby was born totally healthy in the end so hopefully the same is true for you, but you can’t take that risk. Please keep going in

Keep going back, it’s absolutely the right thing to do. Use “I’m sorry I don’t want to waste your time and I hate feeling like a nuisance. But my baby just isn’t moving regularly” line PP suggested if it helps you feel better, but do go.

TLDR: Trust your instincts and ask for an induction if you think you need one.

I was in and out of the hospital with my 3rd for reduced fetal movements after 2 healthy babies and a homebirth. They kept telling me nothing was wrong. We had growth scans, they were in normal parameters but had started to slow slightly. Hospital midwives said everything was fine and it was just anxiety. Vicious cycle began because I knew something was wrong and felt ignored which made me more anxious which made them more convinced it was just anxiety. At 36+6 I saw my community midwife, in tears and begging for help. She told me at 37 weeks I could legally insist on an induction after 3 episodes of reduced movements whether they could find the cause or not. Her advice saved my daughter's life. I drove straight to the hospital and refused to leave, I said I wanted an induction or to spend the rest of my pregnancy on a monitor. The bravest thing I've done in my usually very polite life. The consultant agreed and I had the induction the next morning. Baby went into distress during labour and nearly died. She had to spend weeks in hospital. My placenta was a mess even though it looked fine on the scans. Baby girl is now a healthy 5 year old and we send the community midwife a card every year on her birthday.

Keep going to get checked. It’s absolutely the right thing to do.

When you say you aren’t being taken seriously are they reluctant to monitor you when you go in? If so that’s not on at all when the advice about reduced or a change in movements is to go get checked.

You are NOT a failure as a mother because you can’t detect a pattern to your baby’s movement. We aren’t robots, we are all different, all baby’s are different and its entirely possible your baby doesn’t have a pattern. Go with your instincts. If you are going on twice a day so be it. Better safe then sorry.

Yes, I had this with DC2. There were issues from around 26 weeks and I was booked in 3 times a week for ctgs from 33 weeks plus told to go in on any other times movements were reduced. On one level it felt ridiculous but on another it was the only way to be safe.

DC2 was born by ELCS at 38 weeks which is when we finally got an answer to the reduced movements.

Always, always go in - they never stopped taking me seriously and they shouldn't stop taking you seriously either. Good luck

If you’re worried you go in, and you keep going in. Better to be a nuisance than for something to happen to your baby.

I was in countless times with my twins. Nothing was ever wrong but I don’t doubt I made the right decision

Yes me, everytime you are worried you go in. Eventually I was offered monitoring every other day and they induced me at 38+4. When she came out she was purple with the cord round her neck, tummy and hooked round her foot.