Not your usual ‘reduced movements’ question...

[NotSoWrigglyBaby]

I’m 30 weeks and my anxiety levels are through the roof. Barely a day goes by that I don’t have some concerns about baby’s movement.

Last night I couldn’t sleep at all and was just lying awake in bed, and became aware that I hadn’t felt the baby move at all since early evening, and even hose movements were not as strong as I’d expect. I tried to stay calm and just observe, but felt nothing... until, hours later, I admitted to myself that I would need to call the hospital, and then had a bit of a panic imagining the scene when I’m told they can’t find a heartbeat - baby then woke up!! I guess my stress hormone prodded the baby into action.

But this was about 4am, so I’d had several hours with no movement at all. Do I still need to call the hospital? Baby is wriggly this morning.

Sorry if that’s not clear... essentially, what I’m asking is whether you still need to call in if you thought there was reduced movements but now it seems ok?

I don't know whether you're "supposed to" call or not but I really feel you should. I had a similar experience where I talked myself into a panic and the midwives were very supportive and understanding. There was nothing wrong but the anxiety was very real.

I’m not sure what the official advice is but didn’t want to read and run. I’d think it would be still worth mentioning to your midwife that you’re getting periods of time without movement and it’s making you anxious. Also, have you got baby’s dad at home to speak to if this happens again, or someone else who it might be helpful to talk to rather than sitting there getting yourself worked up?

I had a similar situation at about 26 weeks where I’d noticed a real pattern of movement since 20 weeks and then all of a sudden I didn’t feel her moving for a day and a half. Like you, I spent a very sleepless night hoping to feel something and getting myself really worked up and upset about it. I ended up calling the hospital at about 5.30am and speaking to a midwife - the first one suggested the usual lie down (I told her I’d be doing that since 11pm the night before) and having a cold drink. I waited and spoke to a second midwife who told me to come in straight away.

Luckily, the heartbeat was fine and the midwife I saw was very reassuring, saying everything sounded fine and healthy, and that sometimes babies just get them into a bit of a different position and are still moving and kicking but you can’t feel it always. Later that day baby was back wriggling and kicking as normal!

That being said, if it happened again I’d always go and get it checked out.

Good luck

Thank you both. I’m wary of calling them unnecessarily as I know that it can lead to unnecessary interventions which I really want to avoid. If baby is “normal” now, I guess they will just confirm it on the trace and send me home and it would just be a massive waste of their time.

DP was here but sleeping and he knows I get very anxious but doesn’t really understand why fetal movements are so important. I needed him well rested so he could get up with DS this morning so I could try and catch up on sleep!

Good to know you’ve got someone at home, although yeah my DP understood I was worried but couldn’t quite figure out why - it’s different when you’re the one growing the baby!

I’m not sure about interventions (this is my first baby so maybe oblivious!) but nothing is a waste of their time. Like the PP said, if you’re worried or anxious something isn’t right that’s very real and you need reassurance but also a medical professional to make sure everything is ok.

I admit when they told my everything was fine I felt slightly silly after I went into hospital and my sister quite rightly told me that you should never feel silly for getting checked out!

I think they usually say if it isn't moving as usual. Does it usually move on a night? I observed with DS that he almost never moved on a night when I was in bed and then only small movements and then, like you say, woke up when I got up and ate breakfast. The midwife said if that was normal, it was fine.

Everyone said it meant he would be a very good sleeper and I think they were right, he's three now and pretty good.

That said if you are really worried you should contact them, but I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong by the sounds of it, especially if Baby is a little wriggly pig this morning

In my experience I’m not sure how valuable ringing is as they will only ever say try lying on your side after a cold drink or come in and see us.

Not sure what ‘intervention’ you mean but they usually just hook the baby up to a monitor for an hour or so and you can click the button every time you feel it. Good to be reassured!

In my hospital, if you report reduced movements twice they do intervene - this happened with DS and I think is the reason I had such a traumatic experience with his birth. Definitely want to avoid it this time around.

Sorry I didn’t make that clear at all, Paradise! Yes, baby usually wriggles like crazy when I first get into bed and then in the early hours of the morning. So definitely unusual.

... But then I’m always getting worried about the baby’s movements so maybe I don’t really know what’s “normal” for this baby. DS was always wriggling pretty much constantly!

@le42 intervention as in more frequent monitoring and early induction of labour.

But if you are worried wouldn’t more frequent monitoring be a good thing for you?

I would prefer regular monitoring rather than other outcomes, especially if I was feeling anxious

I hope everything is ok op

I experienced reduced movements with DD3 around the same time as you. There was a period of time when I couldn't feel her at all, and then after that only very slight movements. I went in to hospital to go on the monitor anyway because although she was moving again, those movements had changed and that seems to be just as much of a trigger for monitoring as no movement at all. Anyway, all was fine. I'm glad I went in though as she never really felt the same again movement wise (I actually barely felt her move again which was so odd!) but I was reassured she was OK, and somehow was just moving or feeling different to before. Totally understand your anxiety - I was worried about absolutely everything!!

You should go and get it checked. You never know until you go.
I wouldn't put off because of chance of intervention, they'll only do that with need.

I went in for reduced movements twice, the trace was okay but they sent me for a scan. Turns out she wasn't growing. I was sent for regular monitoring and regular scans to keep an eye on her growth and water levels. Until they decided she needed to be born prematurely.

I'm not saying that to scare you and it's highly unlikely that it's the same with you but if you don't get checked and there is something wrong you need to know.

Are you sure you haven’t misunderstood the policy? Repeated reduced movement spells at 40 weeks would be handled very differently to 30 weeks or 35 weeks. The risks to the baby of induction would be entirely different depending on gestation.

Even if you think it might trigger intervention, isn’t it better to know some more information and make a choice then, instead of avoiding getting checked. Getting checked itself will not harm or cure your baby. It will only give your medical staff better information so they can recommend next steps.

If you are worried, call or go in. If that’s in the middle of the night, then calm or go in then. Worrying yourself sleepless doesn’t achieve anything, and in very rare cases, waiting to take action on reduced movements could be risky.

Best wishes.

Well it’s a change in the pattern isn’t it, rather than movements just stopping? I would call but I would always rather waste time than the alternative.