31+5 weeks baby very quiet/not moving

[Zara1984]

Hello all

Baby is normally very active, and I have noticed he has been very quiet today - only 1-2 very light movements since I woke up. I had antenatal appointment with my GP today and the heartbeat was all fine (but he wasn't trying to kick the doppler like he normally does). However he didn't move much in response to her checking his position (ie poking his head), and he unusually didn't move much after that. No response to me eating lots of food, sitting still and quiet at work, big glasses of cold water, hot drinks, lying on my side, lying on my back. Previously when I've been worried about baby not moving much I find lying on my back after eating really works - he starts thrashing away! But not today. :(

Just now I called the community midwife team at my hospital, they said they want to see 10 movements in 12 hours. They said if I haven't had up to 10 movements by 5pm I should come in to the hospital for a check/scan. She said she will call me later on to check how I'm going too.

What else can I do at my desk at work to get baby to wake up?!?! Anything else?? They haven't been telling me to count the kicks previously, and I am sure baby is probably fine but today he has just been too quiet for it to be normal. Midwife said he may be slowing down movements because he's running out of room, which also makes me confused .

I have read on Mumsnet about counting movements but I'm still confused. Is one little poke a movement, or should I count a series of movements as one movement (ie poke-poke-shake/poke-poke-roll is one movement?)

I don't want to worry because I'm sure everything is fine and he's just sleeping a lot today... but as I sit here and he still is not moving I just keep worrying :( I would've thought the call to the midwife would've been Murphy's Law enough to get him really moving.

As you can tell I'm fretting a bit here....

Also my baby normally moves WAY more than 10 movements in a 12 hour period. So is it ok if he only does a few more movements to get him to that magic 10 movement mark, or is it still not normal if he's moving less than he normally does?

:( :(

coffee with sugar. or full fat coke.

i think they count episodes of movement, so if you get a series of kicks that would be one. i would assume another series after a few minutes is another one.

good luck!

I'd go in now. Definitely. They will be happy you've been to get checked and you will not rest until you have. I'm sure once you're on the trace the baby will start moving, but go! Good luck.

1. 10 movements means movement on 10 seperate occasions.
2. As babies grow they eventually find that your womb is not as roomy as it used to be, and it can become difficult for them to move much. If you are worried, call them back - it is their job to look after you! And they are used to dealing with worried mums-to-be.

I think if you think its not feeling right you should tell the midwife when she rings and they will call you in for proper monitoring. Don't sit there all afternoon afraid and scared. Call her back now if you want to, its fine.

Lots of info on this website

Anything 'different' is worth checking out. Better safe than sorry. When my babies were a bit quiet sometimes and I started worrying, I'd have an ice lolly or start poking my bump where the feet were. That usually got a few movements.

Hope everything is ok.

I don't know the answer sadly..would be interested myself. I have an anterior placenta, so feel much more muted movements anyways. I have also been wondering what counts as one movement?

I do remember being told that you feel less as you get more pg due to less room also....yesterday I felt barely nothing, today baby has been quite active..I'm 30 weeks....guess keep an eye and if nothing by 5pm as they say then go on for sure...defo get checked out. But like my mum keeps saying to me, they do sleep you know! Try not to worry too much.

You know your own body and baby's movements. If it feels wrong, please go in. Even if it's just for reassurance.

Listen, this happened to me. My MW told me to come straight in and they did the CTG trace. Having barely moved all day he then kicked 48 times in one hour. I know because they gave me something to keep count. That little brat is currently sleeping next to me. BUT reduced foetal move can be a worrying sign so do go in if you are worried or give your MW another ring and say that your instinct is that something is wrong. The 10 movements is a benchmark (and I count one series as a single movt) but only you know how much our baby moves and what is normal and what is not. So call up your MW and say that. And yes, as you get to term, the movements do slow down a bit because they are squished in there and it gets more painful. Once again, call your MW now, no need to wait till 5 and ask if you can go in.

I would just go in - you are right that the number of movements are irrelevant, the fact that it is less than normal for your baby is important.

Don't waste time, get down to the hospital and insist someone checks the baby out.

Thank you all!! Honestly have just been googling like crazy and prodding belly/lying on floor in bathroom for the past wee while. I don't know how I'm going to get through until 5pm if he doesn't start properly moving soon. One tiny /gentle foot movement, for example, is NOT what I would consider normal or "a movement" for my baby. Fortunately the hospital is just a 10 minute walk from my work.

I am going now to buy a can of Coke and a chocolate bar from the shop. If that doesn't get him going (or at least a few more movements) in the next hour I think I'm going to call them back.

Recently I've been getting lots of spasmy series of movements from baby (ie feels like he is shaking his arms and legs/bouncing around violently). Is that weird? I might ask them about that too.

Babies do not move less as they grow bigger!

I don't agree with waiting for so many movements in the next 12 hours. Your baby could be moving less as he/she is in trouble, in that case waiting for 12 hours could be the difference between life & death.

I also wouldn't faff around trying to make baby move by drinking sugary drinks, or ice, if baby is in trouble, it is wasting precious time.

Look you know your baby's movements, and they are not right... go in now. Tell them you are in pain, have bleeding - anything - just get seen ASAP.

Hopefully everything will be fine, but it's not worth waiting around.

Yes I had the shaky movements too, a bit like a flea-ridden dog scratching itself with its back leg.

I never really noticed less movement with dd as she got to term. Just different movement.

Full fat coke or a poo (doing one not eating it!) should get it moving.

I would go in asap...if anything it means you get to leave work a few hours early!!
If there is something which means you have to stay in (I had reduced movements & was in overnight for monitoring), your OH/other should be able to bring you your hospital bag before rush hour kicks off, so you're not sitting/lying around bored.

Good luck. x

Now that you've added the 'shaking' movements I'd urge you even more to go NOW don't waste time buying chocolate etc.

I really hope that everything is fine, and this is just an overeaction, but lessened movements, along with 'quivering', should be seen to urgently - as sometimes it ends in tragedy.

Yep, just go in Zara. I was told the '10 in 12 hours' thing when I panicked about movements too, and personally I think it's balls. I usually get 10 movements by 9am. If you think something feels different, you are not wasting anyone's time. They'd rather reassure you that everything's fine than let you sit and worry anyway!
But try not to panic while you're waiting for medical reassurance. They all have quieter days. Don't forget that even tiny or gentle movements do count. I was worried one day when I stopped feeling big rib kicks and only felt tiny movements- it was just because baby had changed position. All movements do count.
I did have one midwife make me feel like I'd wasted her time when I went to get monitored at 28 weeks. DO NOT let anyone make you feel like this.
Good luck.

PLEASE don't arse around with drinks and sugar, don't even think about waiting until works finishes, go to hospital NOW.

Then come back and tell us how wrong we were and your baby is wriggling around and all is fine.

BUT GO.

NOW.

Bedhog - I get the dog flea, juddery, shudder thing all the time if that helps? God knows what LO is doing.

I know you a bit feel silly when you call MW, get worried (I feel like they sigh when I call!) but much better to be safe than sorry.

And shaking/quivering movements are normal too - something to do with moro reflex and nervous system developing. Mine often feels like a dog shaking water out of its fur. Tamisara have you actually been told this is something to worry about? I've been told it's perfectly normal.
But defo go and get checked as soon as.

Urk ok I am back from the shop now and have bought the sodding mars bar and coke, so I might as well scarf them down anyway.

Just seen the messages saying to go in anyway. I agree that's wise. If baby does not start moving as normal by 2.40 I am going to head into the hospital (rather than calling midwife again). Or if I am still feeling a bit anxious I will go in anyway.

Midwife did not seem too bothered, she placed a lot of importance on the fact that baby was moving normally last night

Anyway. Baby will start moving or I will go to hospital pronto. Or call someone. ARGH.

Please don't wait until 5pm.

Go now.

Your baby is not moving in the way he normally does.

That needs checking.

Ignore stupid midwife. Just because the baby moved last night does not make it okay that baby is not moving much today.

Please go now and get checked.

Pleeeeeeease go to the hospital now! Not later, now!

The likelihood is everything is ok, but you won't know that until you're checked. Every hour counts when there is actually an issue causing lack of movement so you need to do something about it now.