Feeling a bit scared now...

[MonkeeMummy]

I'm 22+5 weeks with my third pregnancy, and the movements seem to have been fainter for the last few of days. I keep expecting them to be huge by now and to be able to feel the baby rolling around but am not really getting any big movements - and the baby's really quiet today. I can't work out whether reading 'count the kicks' campaign stuff and all the stuff about stillbirth in the media has freaked me out or I should be genuinely worried. How much movement is normal? Mostly I am so busy with my DDs and work, I just don't get too much time to focus on how many kicks. Tell me to stop worrying, please.

The best tip I heard was to go and lie down with a really cold drink. Take away all the distractions and really concentrate. If you're still worried then by all means call the hospital

Do you have an anterior placenta?

Thank you for replying. Placenta is posterior this time (anterior in both previous pregnancies, I think that's partly why I'm freaking out) and thanks will do now...I've had a really busy week and have been rushing around to meetings (pretending I wasn't pregnant - eek) for the last few days.

I'm 26+2 with DD3 and I know that it's only when I sit down with a drink or collapse on the sofa in the evenings that I notice anything major. I think that life is just so busy that it's easy to miss the movements that are there.

That said, do call if you're worried. The worst you'll do is have someone who you don't even know think that you're worrying over nothing, which is no big deal. It's far better to get things checked out so that you can relax.

FWIW, the Count the Kicks campaign, together with Amanda Holden and Lilly Allen both losing theirs at around this stage has, I think, made lots of women feel anxious about what was previously felt to be a fairly smooth period of pregnancy. I know in previous pregnancies I only really worried in the first trimester but in this one I've been much more aware that problems can happen later on. I think I preferred the blissful ignorance...

Hope all's well, take care.

Hi Prinpo, Thanks so much for your message. I totally agree about tracking movements - I don't think I ever thought about it before. I ended up taking the children out yesterday (they don't like to see Mummy on the sofa) but finally managed to wake up my sleepy baby yesterday evening with a warm bath and a bit of gentle prodding - poor baby, we've had a busy week and I think she's tired, too. Take care.