18 weeks and not felt baby today - please tell me I'm being stupid

[LilRedWG]

Am worrying because I haven't felt the baby move today after a wriggly couple of days. Logically I know it's probably just changed position, but I need people to tell me he's fine, or give me a slap for being pathetic.

Thanks in advance.

When I was pregnant with DS I didn't feel movements consistantly until I was well past my 20 week scan - maybe 22/23 weeks?

Don't panic - there is still a lot of room in there at 18 weeks and some people don't feel anything until after that!

Dont want this to go unanswered.
IIt is natural to worry and you are not being pathetic BUT at 18 weeks the baby is still so small he(?) has room to move and hide and you might not be feeling him because of this.

Try to relax, lie down, have something really cold to drink and see if that helps.

what alibaba said, this is my second and I haven't felt it regularly until after 20 weeks, try not to worry, but don't worry about talking to your midwife if you want to.

Thanks both. I am being so illogical it's fact. I might give the mw a call tomorrow if nothing in the morning as i'll get myself in a state over the weekend otherwise.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

yes i am 24 + 4 and yesterday baby was quiet. I rang the midwife and she said that there is plenty of room for the baby to move about and it was probably kicking in a different place.

Thanks robynlou - it's my second.

apparently they cant monitor it (witht eh straps) until 28 weeks?

:) lucybrad - I think they just like to worry us.

I had the exact same thing with my 1st PG, at 18 weeks baby had been moving loads for the previous few days, and one morning I got terrible cramp in my abdomen, didnt think much of it, until later that night I realised I hadnt felt movement all day. I panicked, called midwife the following morning, just to try and get appointment so she could use Doppler to hear heartbeat just to reassure myself, but i didnt get an appointment, the receptionist virtually laughed at me and told me to stop being so silly and it was perfectly normal to not feel anything at that stage.

I did an hour or two later feel movement again btw.

So all I can say is relax, lay down flat on bed for a while and see if baby wakes up or wriggles about.

It wont hurt to give midwife a call tomorrow for reassurance just dont expect her to be as concerned as you are iykwim.

And I'm still cross about that bloody receptionist, I was a paranoid first time mum and after I put the phone down I burst into tears and sobbed and sobbed. Then had to dry my eyes and go back into work sniffing like a baby... grrrrr.

I often wonder would it have been sooooo hard to just give me a 5minute slot to put my mind at rest??? I guess it was the slap round the face that I needed like you LilRed.

at your receptionist.

The daft thing is I had the same thing at 26 weeks with DD. She hadn't moved all day and I was having braxton hicks at regular ten minute intervals along with a slight bleed. I called the hospital and they said to head into delivery and they'd check me over. Literally, as they were attaching the belly bands with the monitors on, DD gave an enormous kick and knocked it out of the midwife's hand.

I was so embarassed, but they were lovely and as I went to get off the bed to go home they pushed me back and insisted I stayed for an hour to be monitored.

I guess I need to stop worrying, but I find it so difficult.

Thank you all for your support.

I am further on but had this a couple of weeks ago. I phoned MW who are used to worries like this. She asked if I had been busy that day (which I had, decorating nursery) as that can lead to baby being quiet or you not noticing movement as much. She told me to have something to eat, drink an ice cold drink and lie down to relax as this can often make the baby move. I did and it worked, at which point I burst into tears! Also, like others have said, the baby's position can prevent you feeling their movements. If you are really worried, phone your MW; that's what they are there for!

i had midwife appt today and i told her that i had felt some flutters over past couple days and she said that about 25 weeks is when they start to move regularly so that you can do 10 kicks a day.

Please don't worry. I didn't feel my baby properly AT ALL until 23 weeks. Even now at 32 weeks I have days where he moves a lot and other days he moves hardly at all. I was on holiday last week and had two days where he was really quiet with only a few movements. He came back with a vengance though for the rest of the week. I just think they have rest days and then active days.

Remember your baby is still tiny so they could have turned themselves around and having a grand old time kicking your back or your placenta where you may not necessary feel it.

I went for days at a time without feeling niggles at this point. I kept having to tell myself the above to reassure myself.

Thanks all.

Nothing all night or this morning so I called the MW's office this morning.

My midwife wasn't working today but they gave me an appointment at a clinic this afternoon. I was a bit suprised as I just thought I'd get some reassurance over the phone.; in fact the mw I spoke to said if I was 20 weeks she'd send me up to delivery but as it was they'd make sure I was checked today.

Mid-morning the MW I'd been given an appointment with this afternoon called and said that waiting until this pm wasn't ideal and could she come and see me at home. As soon as she put the doppler on there was a nice strong heartbeat but the baby kept wriggling away and she had to chase him (or her). She's guessing my placenta is in the way and I am now reassured. :)

Thank you all for calming me last night. x