First movement worries :-(

[Whysoserious]

Morning ladies!

I'm 18 weeks today and have previous felt like I could possibly feel flutters, but for the past few days nothing.

Apart from - I have been getting a lot of muscle spasms/ twitches in my tummy. They're usually on the right hand side which is where my uterus is fuller but are usually fairly high up - like an inch or so below belly button.

When they happen there is just one twitch, occasionally ive had it where there are 2 or 3 in a row. It usually happens when I'm sitting watching tv in the evening. I'll think "ooh that could be the baby" but then I'll get a twitch somewhere else in my body like my leg or above my belly button.

I'm so anxious to start feeling movement now to give me the reassurance that everything is ok.

Did anyone find that when they first had flutterings they had days in between where there was very little?

Also, could these twitches be baby?

Hello! This all sounds very normal to me. I had little flutterings at 17/18w and then nothing for a few days, even a week in between movements once - I was convinced something had gone wrong and there'd be back news at the 20w scan. But here she was fine and dandy and wiggling away! They really picked up after 21w and now I feel movements every day - all day and night! Mine started just as yours did with twitches on the right hand side. So I'd try not to worry and enjoy the kick-free nights for a few more weeks... if you can x

Hello, I could feel my first 2 pregnancies by 18-20 weeks, but with my 3rd it was around 24 weeks. He was facing towards my back so all his movements were just going into the placenta and i couldn't feel him for ages.
At 18 weeks you are probably feeling baby twitching around but it hard to know for sure.
I was told to drink a really cold drink either iced water or orange and then lay flat on my back on the floor and the cold drink might make the baby wake up and wriggle.
Not sure if this is true but it worked for me.
Congratulations btw.

Thanks ladies. That has reassured me. I just thought I'd be feeling definite movements by now. I can't wait until I do!

Also does anyone ever feel like their bump has shrunk? I'm having a mega paranoid day

Yes I did worry about both those things. I found the movements got stronger quite quickly, so now at 19+5 there is no mistaking those kicks, but at 18 it was very faint. I also think my bump has shrunk sometimes, but I put it down to the position the baby is lying in. Your baby is fine!

I didn't feel any movements with my first until around 22 weeks almost the same day as we had the scan. It was really nerve wracking. With my second I felt first movements around 20 weeks.

I actually rang a midwife for this very reason at around the same gestation as i was worried but its totally normal and your twinges will soon be unmistakable my daughter is 5 now

Thanks for the reassurance ladies. Hopefully I'll feel something soon and I'll just know its the baby