Anyone else occasionally freaked out by baby's movements?

[NewbieT]

I feel really bad about this, but last night went to bed and the baby felt like it was going crazy, like it was trying to kick its way out or something, and I got in a bit of a state about it.

I'm very happy and feel very blessed to be pregnant (22 weeks now) and was really pleased and relieved to feel the baby move, and filled with wonder at the gentle movements I've been feeling up til now, but it was just really intense and for some reason just felt so odd - (a living thing moving around inside me!!) - it was all a bit much and it felt scary and alien and made me start bawling.

Please tell me I'm not the only one!

I'm 34 and otherwise a sane and normal person...

Just wait till 34 weeks or so when you start getting elbows circling your belly button, the baby rolls and everything ripples, and he or she gets the hiccups on amniotic fluid.

For me, it gets worse the more caffeine and sugary crap I consume, so that might be one thing to cut down on...?

You will get used to it (you have plenty of time!) and might actually start really enjoying and being amused by it. When I have my baby (any time now!) I genuinely think I will miss my bump and its mad activity.

Wait til you get a foot/ bum/ head sticking out and when you put your hand there you can make out a limb!

I found it strange as well, but after getting used to it it's a lot of fun!

Yes I think I know how you feel! I am 30 weeks and because of an anterior placenta felt movements much later than everyone else.

I have been feeling proper kicks for quite a while now and in the evening she is particularly kicky.

This morning she did this weird roll and kick at the same time which made me feel really queasy, it was a really unpleasant sensation.

Last night there were 5 short sharp kicks in a row. I just tell her to stop it although I hardly think she understands!

Not looking forward to seeing the shape of a foot or a hand.

my youngest is four but I remember how freaky it is... I remember when the baby moved from transverse into the right position after my caesarian already booked in! I felt like I was being taken over from the inside. And yes, so weird when a recognisable foot shape sticks out of your side!!

After the baby was born, at first I felt a bit empty... odd what you get used to.

You're not alone!!!
I was going to ask the mums the same thing!

I'm 32+5 and my little one has always been very active. He moves my bump from side to side, you can see the kicks and all the shifting that goes on and lately he has started to suffer from what I think are hiccups.

But the other night he just went a bit crazy, jumping and kicking, Then I freaked out when I saw my belly pulsate fast, at the rythm of his heartbeat almost. I slept badly the whole night, really worrying about it, because he wouldn't calm down.

How do you know what's normal and what's a baby in distress?

I, too, was freaked out. I felt my baby's movements very early on and once it started it did not stop except for quiet days here and there. I often felt like he was going to break out or dislodge something and found it very hard to convince myself that both were impossible.

I was told during pregnancy that an active baby in the womb = an active baby on the outside. Once my son was over the post-birth drowsiness, this held true for him. Not in a bad way! I think he wears himself to sleep with the endless kicking on his mat...

I did get disheartened during late pregnancy because the kicking got tiring and stopped me from sleeping. Cheery "You'll be getting used to sleepless nights!" comments did not help. If this happens to you, ignore such comments safe in the knowledge that you can feel how you want about your own pregnancy.

You're normal!

Ah, thanks for the posts, ladies. As time goes on, all being well, I know I will be in more more of a kicking, and as long as the little one is healthy I will of course welcome that, I just hope I can start to get used to it!

Thanks for letting me know it's now just me, either... ro4chat, it's also occured to me that I would have no idea if the baby was in distress, which I find very hard to get my head round, to be honest. I would just love to understand what on earth is going on in there, why they move in that particular way, at that particular time, etc.

I have just been on holiday and had a Guinness, only my second drink in 4 months (since finding out) but after last night's activity I had a pang of guilt that it was some sort of protest and I'd hurt the baby or pissed it off in some way.

Can I blame the pregnancy hormones please?!

ro4chat - I started a thread on this a month or so ago - might help as I was similarly worried

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1015577-REALLY-active-baby-is-it-definitely-ok

Sorry for hijack.

I used to think I'd "upset" my baby too - with too much caffeine, too much alcohol, walking, sitting, eating, breathing... I'd be so keen to blame myself and it never occurred to me to just relax and presume each kick to be another little sign of happy baby growth.

I think I read that fewer movements was more of a sign of distress than lots... but I could be wrong and it's also true that all babes are different... but there might be more on this on ro4chat's thread... :)

Thank you so much for the link auburnlizzy78 !

I agree, I rather feel lots of movements than none at all, it is reassuring. But I think as the weeks go by I worry about it more and I think if something was wrong with him, there's nothing I can do!

Oh well, better enjoy this little miracle, I bet I will miss the kicks when he's out

Sorry, yes, I meant aubernlizzy78's thread....

Im 33 weeks and get alot of hard bits sticking out. I assume a bum or feet or legs...but can you actually make out little feet or other limbs later on? Thats sounds a bit spooky!!

I'm abour 26 weeks and have got really used to all the movements, some are definitely stronger than others, altho I think I'll still get freaked out when I can actually make out what part of the body is kicking against my stomach. Kicks to the fanny are quite uncomfortable , but fortunately there haven't been many of those! There is also a real pattern forming, and I was wondering if there was any correlation between stronger movements before birth and awake/sleeping patterns when the baby is born. Kind of wishful thinking I think, but you never know!

I'm 38+4 and have had a very active baby with lots of seriously weird movements. I started finding it strange when she started to move so dramatically that my whole belly would shift side to side with big kumps sticking out. DP found it really exciting though.
I asked my MW a couple of times whether it was ok that she was moving so much and kicking constantly and she told me it was a really good sign of a happy, strong, healthy baby.
For the last 3-4 weeks she's gone really quiet and not moving much at all. I find this much more scary now. I can't wait to meet her now but I think I'll actually miss feeling all the movement. I wouldn't have thought that 3 months ago!

Not so much this time, but I hated it first time round, it felt so weird. Don't worry, it is strange and you have nothing else to compare it to.

I'm a bit more used to it this time, though it bloody hurts sometimes!

Yeah, I forgot to add that it often really hurt. That seemed abnormal to me, because I'd never seen a heavily pregnant yelp in public before and wondered a) whether I was a wuss or a freak and b) whether he was "happy" (we're so used to associating pain with something being amiss). But he turned out to be a very happy and healthy boy who just liked to wriggle. He still does. Hates being swaddled...