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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Dramatic decrease in movement

17 replies

MrsTittleMouse · 29/08/2006 09:35

I'm 33 weeks, and for the past 3/4 days I've had a dramatic decrease in kicks and general movement. LO used to be really really active, with me bending over in shock sometimes, the kicks were so strong, but then suddenly I've had a lot less kicks and tumbling and also they're a lot less vigorous.
I phoned the midwife and she told me that as long as I get at least 10 kicks a day, then that was considered OK. So I'm now counting them. But I have to admit that I'm worried about the rapid change in behaviour. I bounce between feeling like a neurotic first timer and worrying that I'm ignoring something really important.
Has anyone else had this?

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Twiglett · 29/08/2006 09:38

they get less space to move so they don't .. DON'T PANIC

I never counted kicks I'm afraid .. and I'm sure I had less than 10 towards the end in both pregnancies..

everyone gets the decrease in movements

if you are worried still.. make an appointment and get a check-up .. that's their job .. just listen to the heartbeat and you'll be reassured

Original poster

MrsTittleMouse · 29/08/2006 09:46

Thanks Twiglett. I'm sure I'm driving DH nuts. He keeps asking me if I want to just go over to the hospital and get her checked out and get it over and done with (ie get me to shut up about it!).
He's applying for jobs at the moment, and I think that he sometimes thinks of his hormonal wife as just another thing that he has to deal with. This PG was very hard won and may well be our only, so I'm probably a bit more nervous than most (although I'm sure that 3rd trimester hormones get to everyone).

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chocolatekimmy · 29/08/2006 09:55

I had the same at 37 weeks, I was still feeling baby move but not as much and not as strongly. It was taken very seriously and I was sent in for monitoring which only took about an hour but gave me peace of mind.
I was also told to go back in if it happened again, just because the check was fine on the day I was monitored, doesn't mean I should ignore it. Its one of those things they do take seriously so never feel bad if you have to keep checking/phoning.
All was fine with me though and baby was healthy when born 2 weeks later.

Mum2FunkyDude · 29/08/2006 10:00

I do believe girls move less than boys (according to friends and family) my son kicked for England all the way through, but as a first time mum I would suggest if you feel worried, ask your mw for a refferal to the hospital and have it monitored ( only about 20 min of your time), it will only give you peace of mind, and believe me there is enough to worry about once they're born!

Twiglett · 29/08/2006 10:26

OK here's what I'd do if I was feeling any anxiety

I would pitch up at maternity unit and say you are really worried because you haven't felt any movement (possibly lay it on a bit thick .. do not do what I do and launch into 'I'm sure its nothing, no really its fine, I'm just overly worried' speech because they've seen it all before and honestly they don't care ).. they will monitor you and that will reassure you and then you can continue freaking out about other things

have you got the 'nesting instinct' yet .. its a bit early but when you do .. oh boy

Original poster

MrsTittleMouse · 29/08/2006 10:29

Hi ChocolateKimmy,
How much movement were you having when you were monitored? I have had my 10 kicks now, so in theory I'm "normal", but should they take into account the previous behaviour of the baby? Even though she's a girl, she's always been REALLY active. She normally goes crazy when I'm lying in bed in the morning, when I'm trying to summon up the energy to get up, but nothing this morning. I was worried, so I tried my usual trick of feeling for her little limbs and moving them, which normally really pisses her off and makes her fight back, and only one little kick resulted.
Still feeling a bit upset.

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hana · 29/08/2006 10:30

I'd also go to the day assessment unit at your local maternitiy unit and have it checked out. you'll feel so much better!
and don't think boys kick more than girls - I've had 2 girls and am preg with 3rd girl - lots and lots of kicking going on in there! I'm 34 weeks

Mum2FunkyDude · 29/08/2006 10:32

Tittlemouse, they do sleep sometimes, maybe that was the reason for the slow movements, a mw has told me to drink a glass of ice cold water, it sometimes gets them going!

izzybiz · 29/08/2006 10:34

I used to push and poke my bump to make the baby move too.

Go to mat unit, and tell them you are worried, a trace will put your mind at rest.

ghosty · 29/08/2006 10:37

My midwife told me to drink a glass of really really cold water quickly if I was worried as that normally wakes them up a bit ... I did have a panic and did what she said and DD really did liven up.
But ... If you ARE worried MrsTittleMouse, do what Twigglet says ... set your mind at ease at least

beetroot · 29/08/2006 10:44

I would go check.

better safe than sorry as they say!

LemonTart · 29/08/2006 10:46

Mrs Tittlemouse - I remember the decrease in activity at this time with both of mine. Worried me too so totally sympathise. Ttrying not to think about it and trying not to worry is about as easy as being told to try not to breathe..
It is a fact that babies have less room and move less around this time. It is also possible that the babie?s sleep routines have moved around and so less movement at times that you used to notice. Perhaps your baby has found a particularly comfy position and so doesn?t wriggle around so much now.
I bet every maternity unit across the country has women in there being monitored and then released with nothing wrong because the mum to be is concerned about pains/bleeding/lack of movement. It is really really common for mums to be worried and concerned and there is absolutely nothing wrong in getting it checked. In fact it seems to me quite sensible to rule out that 0.01% chance of there being something wrong and giving the mum lower stress levels if they do go in.
Not many women get away with a pregnancy without at least one unscheduled visit in panic to their mw, GP or maternity unit. Stop feeling neurotic, it is normal and good that you care so much about your baby! Go get it checked out today so that you can relax this evening, get a good night?s sleep and feel a lot better tomorrow xx

Original poster

MrsTittleMouse · 29/08/2006 13:12

Just a quick update:
I pulled out the big guns and had a bar of chocolate (sugar and caffeine usually get her going; she follows her Mum!), nothing much happened.
I just had lunch, and she's beating me up inside just like she usually does.

Hurray!

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chocybickie · 29/08/2006 13:26

thats good news
hope you can relax a little now.
during my second pregnancy my baby hardly moved at all. i didn't want to panic myself or my midwife by saying i only have one movement a day always at 10pm oddly enough so i always said everything was fine.
if i ever became concerned i would instigate a kick by poking the bump, never failed.

chocolatekimmy · 29/08/2006 19:03

Though I wasn't counting, I was aware of movements through the day/night, probably more than ten times but it was probably down to 6/7 when I was worried. The main thing for me though was the type of movement, it was very subtle and for short periods of time whereas before she had felt like she was dancing in there, very strong movements that could go on for 10 minutes or more in a session. The change was that it felt more like a stretch or gentle movement and it didn't last for long.
They do run out of room but the important thing as I think most agree is to get it checked, don't feel guilty and even if you are monitored and it is ok one day, go back again the next if you feel different again or still worried about it. I agree you could exaggerate a bit but I am sure all midwives would rather check someone and find it ok than not.
Be warned though, you can probably guarantee that the baby will move loads when they hook you up to the monitor!!! Good of course and I'm sure that happens all the time.

Waswondering · 29/08/2006 19:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

MrsTittleMouse · 30/08/2006 09:23

So, an update:
The movements decreased even further yesterday evening, normally her most "busy" time, and I was getting quite strong Braxton Hicks with nasty backache and nausea and feeling quite unwell. So I phoned the midwives again, and they had me go to the hospital and get checked out.
To cut a long story short, it was BH, not labour contractions, as they didn't have regular timing, and as soon as they put the foetal monitor on me, she started moving again! Her heart trace was lovely. I think this one is going to be trouble! The midwife and doctor were lovely though and told me to come in again if she stops moving again.
By the way, I think this LO hates being monitored, she's always moved away from the heart rate monitor when I see the community MW, can they sense it?
This all has certainly lit a fire under me, we realised that this could have been it, and that we're not ready at all! It was really strange getting checked in and thinking that even if I wasn't in labour now, I would be soon. Poor DH looked really freaked out as we could hear women in "real" labour next door!
THANK YOU for all the advice, I feel much less stressed about everything now,
MrsTM

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