How many times does your baby move?

[firsttimemum090]

I'm 26-27 weeks and juts read I should feel my baby move 10-15 times each day. I feel my baby move at least 10 times each hour! Could something be wrong?

Mines a wriggler too. Apparently, your supposed to count each group of movements rather than each individual kick. I’m only 23 weeks so not properly counting, although I am beginning to notice a pattern (11pm is party time in my uterus 🙄)

I don’t really understand it all though, hopefully someone can explain it better.

Thank you, yes, I also read you're not meant to start properly counting until 28 weeks..but quite hard to ignore at this point!

Hello. I've had two babies.
Each baby's pattern of movement is different and you should pay attention to the pattern not the number of movements. You need to learn what is normal for your baby. Fwiw Both my babies moved approx 100 times a day.

The advice that you only need 10-15 movements a day is VERY out of date and is dangerous. Here comes the scary bit- In my first pregnancy i was told they only expected 12 kicks a day and not to worry if movement levels fell to that, even though I usually had far far more kicks than that. Towards 37 weeks movements reduced then stopped because my son had died. If i had ignored the 10/12 kicks a day advice and gone in 3 days earlier when his pattern of movements changed, he may have lived.

So, learn your baby's pattern of movement. If it changes, increases or decreases, ring your midwife or maternity unit and get checked out. Don't take no for an answer.

If you google 'rcog baby movements' you will get up to date movement advice. The kicks count campaign is also reputable and gives current advice. Movement is their speciality.

@Badumdumdum, for you and your son, that's absolutely devastating. When were you given that advice?

Thank you for sharing your experience, will have a look at rcog baby movements page.

This is my third baby and I'm still unsure about the "feel 10 movements".

If he starts moving he continues to move for a good 20-60 minutes.
So does that count as 1? Or does that count as 9893 that it feels like?!

I should have read Stephisaurs post before typing.

I clearly haven't RTFT.

In response to the other poster, that would explain why I can't find anything on counting the kicks.
Thanks for explaining, and so sorry for your loss.

Hi I am also 26 weeks pregnant and this baby is also a wriggler! They love well more than 10-15 time a day. When is your due date OP? Mine is December off 2nd :)

This is my second pregnancy and you learn their movements. You will know when something is off, like too much or too little. Give it time you will grow to know when they normally start to move :)

Wishing you well 😘

My midwifes have said a few times now that I should be noticing a pattern - I'm 29+5... But he moves on and off all day seemingly as and when he feels like it! I'm not worried as he moves so often, but I keep feeling like I should be noticing this pattern and I just can't make it out. He might move about every few mins for half an hour and then rest for 2 hours, but it doesn't seem to correlate to a time of day or anything

Op i was given the wrong advice in 2014. Was also given the wrong advice by an otherwise good registrar with my second son, who we conceived later in 2014. I ignored her and was meticulous about tracking the pattern.

Fireball - some babies don't have patterns as in set times of the day. In your shoes, I'd get concerned if you had a day of lots of little wriggles or a day if you had lots of big thrashing about. Or obvs if you had a few hours of no movement. Basically if things feel different or if you are not sure if things are different.

Thanks @Yellowcar107, I'm 30 Nov. What would too much movement feel like? I think I've got the too little understood, I'll think if I don't feel the baby for a bit then I put my hand on my tummy and he'll kick..if he doesn't than I should worry. But in the evenings watching telly he's all over the place, probably kicks a hundred times or more! How do I know if it's too much?

@firsttimemum090

I have never experienced too much movement, what you are going through right now sounds lovely and normal :) same movements like my little one right now!

Give it a few weeks and you will start to recognise what is normal and what isn't. As this is my second pregnancy I felt movements a lot earlier than last time. I have got used to them; they move a lot when I have lunch, in the car or just sitting down watching TV with the family.

If you are ever concerned the midwives are wonderful, they have had every question under the sun. No question to them is ever stupid, don't hesitate to ask them if you are concerned. They will look over you or put your concerns to rest.

Don't worry, you will be an awesome mum :) movements are going to get stronger over the next few weeks! Not looking forward to the kicking of my ribs again lol

Thanks for the lovely reply @Yellowcar107 Will ask MW at my next visit. Must admit I'm looking forward to feeling kicks in my ribs, can't believe the baby will be so big so soon! Xx

No problem @firsttimemum090 :)

The get so big, I have the bounty pregnancy app and it shows you how big their foot is currently. Definitely worth a look at, the babies foot is huge already at 26 weeks but looking at 40 says we still have a while to go lol

OP I have a wiggler. My scans have been difficult to do as the baby won't keep still.

There are a lot of movements at 28 weeks you may not feel due to the size of the baby and their position. For example at about 34 weeks baby moved to head down from transverse and after that everytime I walk somewhere I could feel the baby's arms hitting my bladder. There as before that I could only feel lower limb movements. I knew the arm movements where normal because on all the scans I had baby was moving their arms.

If you are ever worried by more or less movements get it checked out asap as once you know the baby's position you know the movement you feel is normal.

Also be aware movements get stronger the further along you get so you can feel and see limbs sticking out.

Hi ladies didn't want to read and run. I had 2 awful experiences when it comes to movements. I never paid much attention to the amount of kicks but more of the patterns of when they were active or not. And I'm glad I did as both my pregnancy's resulted in me having to be induced at 35 weeks and both my sons not breathing and having to be worked on and taken straight to neo natal. Without me knowing what the he'll was going on.

So Defford pay attention to the little patterns and if u feel anything is off get checked out straight away. You will know yourself if you think it's odd or not.

Mummykaz - how are your boys now?

@Yellowcar107, how big is the baby's foot at 26 weeks?? I've not signed up for Bounty as heard they'll send loads of leaflets?

@BlueBug45, limbs sticking out?? How far? I already feel massive, not sure how much more my skin can stretch before baby will push through

@Mummykaz90, thank you, that sounds frightening. Do you recommend any appps for tracking the movement or did you just notice something felt different? How are your boys now?

@firsttimemum090

The Bounty app doesn't give measurements but images to reference on your phone.

The app is free I would recommend to have a look :)

Attached images of foot size at 26 weeks and 40 weeks 🤩

I’ve never counted as I’ve never been given the 10-15 movements advice, I mean what would count as one movement as sometimes she’s wiggling for ages or has hiccups?
She is a right wriggle pants and i would notice very quickly if she changed. I’m 34 weeks so can see the movements as well.

If you Google something like "pregnancy baby limbs sticking out belly" you will find lots of YouTube clips showing this happening.

It isn't actually a problem unless your baby decides a certain position with a limb sticking into you is comfortable and decides to have a sleep. However running a cold shower on that part tends to make them move.

Whatever you do don't let your OH press it. Men tend to do it out of fascination.

They don't generally advise to count kicks but to be aware of your baby's pattern. That being said, my son never had a pattern of any description and I know a lot of people women who have said the same!

You might notice baby is very active at a certain period of the day and quiet during others for example. If you're ever in doubt, call your triage unit and get checked out. I went in twice with DS because some days he'd be active constantly and other days he'd be so lazy I wouldn't feel anything for 6 hours!

@firsttimemum090 no u didn't have a app. I just noticed the difference my boys would always be active through the night like they were having a party. So when that started changing I new something wasn't quite right. And I refused to leave the hospital and when they finally put me on monitors baby's heart rate kept dropping and setting alarms off. Luckily I have 2 happy and healthy boys now tho. But if I had of waited it out I might not have been so lucky xx