Counting kicks is making me very anxious - anyone else? any advice?

[NeuroticFox1]

I thought that once I could feel kicks I'd be much less anxious about my baby, but if anything I'm worse. I wish I'd never read the Count the kicks website as it's made me go a bit loopy about it all and the advice is much more severe than my midwife, who is a bit too laid back if anything. Last night my usually chilled-and-not-kicking-as-much-as-I'd-like baby had a mad 10 mins, of frantic kicking, and completely freaked me out. I called labour ward and they said this is totally normal. Since then I've been really teary. Really want to get a grip and enjoy, I'm 27 weeks now so going well so far but still a fair way to go before my due date. Anyone else struggling with this, or any advice?

I don't know about your midwife, but mine advises not to count kicks precisely because it makes pregnant women too anxious. Also, you are too early in your pregnancy to be doing it - they say babies only really begin patterns of movements to count from 28 weeks onwards. You're better off relaxing and getting to know the movements you do feel for now, then you might start to discern a pattern in movements over a few weeks. Obviously you should go in if you feel a reduction, decrease or change in movements, though.

Also, congratulations and do try to enjoy it. If you're already anxious, I'd definitely step away from count the kicks and do some lovely funny things like seeing which music baby kicks to (mine really has the most appalling taste ).

Yes, my midwife said that they no longer advise counting the kicks. It's more about noticing what's normal for your baby, and whether that changes. At 27 weeks you may not know what's normal yet. My baby was a thrasher so the thing I got worried about was the 'jerky or frantic kicking', which is supposed to be a bad sign, but the MW just said that if the baby did that regularly, that was just its style and nothing to worry about.

I think everyone has a few moments where they think 'Oh God, have I felt it move in the last hour? Maybe something's wrong!' - it's normal to fret a bit. But your midwife is being relaxed about it so I'd say listen to her And as your baby grows its movements will become more definite and noticeable, and you won't wonder whether you felt it or not - you'll know.

NHS advice is don't count kicks in general.

If you notice say a whole morning without any kicking, lay down in quiet room be really still, lay on left side and if you can count 10 tiny movements in 2 hours everything is ok. That is what the hospital told me is a balanced approach to kick counting.

I'm sure everything is ok! Good luck and don't stress .

Thank you for your advice. There is so much conflicting information out there and I think I've read too much of it. My baby does go for hours sometimes without a kick which doesn't help. I find myself lying on my left drinking sweet drinks a bit too often which isn't helping. That's when I count the kicks, but I will try not to. I just don't know how, if there is no pattern at this stage, how you are supposed to know if there is a change - impossible really. My baby also doesn't react to sounds yet which again makes me feel worse, I know someone who is 2 weeks behind me and she gets both constant kicking and lots of reaction to stuff. I guess I just have to keep an eye, and hope!

All babies are different and their position dictates a lot of what you feel, so stop comparing

This is useful: www.countthekicks.org.uk/mums/your-babys-movements/babys-movements-week-by-week/

if you find information online conflicting, stick to the Count The Kicks website and the NHS choices website.

You will soon get a feel for what is normal for you, and do try spend time every day making a mental note of types and frequency of activity, and don't hesitate to go in to be monitored if you are at all concerned that movements have slowed - they should continue right up into labour.

My midwife told me exactly the same as Luckystar. Step away from the count the kicks stuff, wait until after 28 weeks, and if you think baby has been quiet, try lying down and drinking something sweet or cold, and try to count 10 movements in 2 hours.

I've noticed a HUGE increase in noticeable kicks between 27 weeks and now (30+5), I think you probably will, too.

Sorry I don't know wha tthe counting kicks refers to but if it helps, my dd hardly ever kicked and she ended up being a dancer, whereas my dgd kicked all the time.

10 movements i. 2 hours is old info and not recommended anymore.

Its abou recognising a normal pattern for your baby and questioning when it is out of the norm.

CTK website is up to date and their work has saved many lives.