Baby movement question

[ejclementine]

Hi, I'm 20 weeks tomorrow and I've been feeling the baby move since 17 weeks. Theres no pattern as such but I do feel movement every day. Yesterday was very quiet and it's still quiet today apart from one kick this morning when the dog leaned on my belly. Is this pretty normal when you're early on in feeling movement?

I'm 28 weeks and I've just been told to watch for a pattern of movement, once per hour. At 20 was told too early to track.

Totally too early - I went in for reduced movement at about 22 and 24 weeks and I can say that from 28 weeks the difference in strength and noticeability is enormous! In hindsight there was no need for me to go in so early.

I still panic now unless she boots me, but they do say 28 weeks for a reason. Before that the bean is just too small and can kick into space or hide.

That being said, you do need to be aware of it and trust your instincts. If it's been a few hours and you are getting worried, call them. A few mins with a Doppler is nothing after all!

Thanks both - hadn't realised they don't worry too much until 28 weeks. I suspect sitting at my desk makes it more obvious than when I'm moving about at the weekend too. I'm also wearing loose jogging bottoms at home rather than sitting with a waist band dogging in a bit at work. Blimey this pregnancy lark is a worry!

*digging

current advice is to look out for a pattern of movement from 28 weeks onwards. Before then baby has so much room to move around that you may not feel the majority of their movements. I also think it's worth bearing in mind that much like us, sometimes babies will be active and sometimes they will be calm.

Counting kicks/movement is no longer advised at all.

Thanks for asking this, I have been feeling exactly the same concerns at 26 weeks. I have had a generally regular pattern of kicks - a mid-morning session, a bit in the afternoon then another boxing bout at bedtime. But since weds it hasn't been so frequent. I have had kicks every day bit a couple of quiet stretches which has been worrying me a bit. I do have an anterior placenta which they said might muffle the kicks and it could be that he has just manoeuvred his way behind it or into a different position.

I will give my midwife a call in the morning but hopefully she will say the same thing and not be too worried before 28 weeks.

And now I'm sure I can feel some internal wriggling..

Just wanted to come on and say that I went to the hospital this evening as I was feeling uneasy about the change in movement patterns.

They didn't mind me going in (despite the fact that the baby started dancing about just as we were waiting!) and got me rigged up to a monitor to check movements. They were able to see that movements were going on even though I couldn't feel them, thanks to the anterior placenta. They took my blood pressure and dipped my wee then sent me home. She said that before 26 weeks they wouldn't really be able to get a reliable reading on the monitor, but were pleased with what they could see with me. It really put my mind at rest.

So I hope the movement picks up again, OP, but please be reassured that there is almost certainly more going on underneath the surface than you can feel, especially at 20 weeks. So lovely when you do feel those solid kicks though!