Why don't some people feel kicks?

[GlitterBallBee]

Genuinely interested to know. I felt my first proper kick at 18+3, which was a huge surprise as I didn't expect to feel it until at least 24+ weeks, with an anterior placenta too.

My friend is upset at the moment that she hasn't felt any. She's 27 weeks. I've explained to her that we are all just a bit different. I don't talk about feeling kicks in front of her and don't like her asking as I know she will just get upset after so I've found myself telling fibs - that I don't feel them much (when actually I can see my belly moving!)

She's now panicking that there is something wrong with her baby and that it is dead (she's had about 8 reassurance scans as she doesn't feel kicks, poor thing!)

Anyone any advice or logic as to why some people feel kicks and some just don't?

I'm stumped!

Is she really fat ? You should feel something at that gestation even if it’s not strong kicks. I never felt too much with anterior placenta but you get to know what’s normal. Has she discussed with midwife?

@Grandmaswagsbag no she's a size 12 ish I would say. Not skinny but absolutely not fat either. She's discussed with the midwife and ends up in EPAU every week because she's so scared that there's something wrong with her baby. Every time the sonographer has told her everything is fine. Baby looks healthy. Normal heart beat. Normal size...

I would be worried if I were her tbh. 27 weeks is a long time to go without feeling any movement. Either she isn’t realising she is feeling movements or there’s something amiss. I had anterior placentas with my first three but definitely felt them way before 27 weeks.

With DD, my placenta sat towards the front of my bump (not sure on the medical term) and it sort of masked the movements sometimes. Spent a few day hooked up to monitors to be sure she was moving. Graphs showed loads of movement and I felt nothing!

@Mousefunky I have no idea, but the healthcare professionals have told her there's nothing wrong with her baby. I could see my belly move at 21 weeks and just don't know what to say to her...

Back to back baby and lots of amniotic fluid did it for me.

She probably has an anterior placenta. I had and didn't feel the kicks until 24 weeks.

It's strange because I have an anterior placenta and would never know as I can feel everything everywhere (haven't told her this). She does have an anterior placenta.

I don't know why this is either. I have had an anterior placenta with both of my pregnancies and have felt loads from early on with both. A friend of mine had an anterior placenta with her baby and never felt anything apart from once when the baby turned.

@celeryeater I just don't have an answer for her. I hope she feels something soon!

I’m 28 and have an anterior placenta. I also have a miniature acrobat/gymnast in there. I couldn’t miss the kicks if I tried.

I always wonder how the stories about people who have a "surprise baby " don't know that they're pregnant. Maybe they & your friend have some of the things PP have suggested to muffle movement?

@NelleB I'm the same. I was so disappointed at my 12 week scan when they told me I had an anterior placenta. I was so shocked when I felt a kick at 18 weeks! I think it masked the 'bubbles and popping' that some people feel though as I went straight from nothing to thuds!

@Paie maybe! She has a fairly big bump so you can definitely tell she's pregnant. Maybe her pain or touch receptors are different (digging here!). Who knows...

I was like this with my first. She just didn't move. She still doesn't and she's 24 now.

@MimpiDreams haha! Brilliant!

I had hyperemesis and think I'd pulled muscles vomiting it was all so painful I really struggled to discern movements.

I have a anterior placenta.
I’m size 10-12. I couldn’t feel anything until 27/28 weeks. If she has had the scans that is the most important thing. She has to find a way of staying calm and positive.

Op I’m baffled by this as well.

I felt both my boys at 14 weeks onwards.
I’m nearly 16 weeks and feel basically nothing. I’m not sure if I should be freaking out or accepting that this is just a different pregnancy.

I’m a stone heavier than before but not over weight.
I wonder if it’s the placement of my placenta (I’ve no idea where it is).

I guess just because two placentas are anterior doesn't mean they're in the exact same place? Mine is anterior and high and when I started feeling kicks at about 21 or 22 weeks they were always very low to begin with, so I guess if the placenta had been anterior but lower I wouldn't have felt them there, and perhaps at all? I do also think a lot of it is down to how confident you are about labelling what you feel - in hindsight I'd felt slight movement for a couple of weeks before I felt sure enough to say that's what it was, whereas I do think some people label anything they feel vaguely in their stomach area as 'definite movement' from about 10 weeks on!

My Mum did not feel me kick or move at all. When I was born there was very little amniotic fluid.