When to go to hospital regarding movement?

[PerrieWonkle]

I had my 20 week scan two weeks ago and hadn't felt any movement at this point, they told me to try not to worry but to come in at 22 weeks if I still haven't felt anything. I'm 22 weeks today and haven't felt anything, not even anything I think could be baby. I've been a nervous wreck all week and I'm convinced they won't find a heartbeat. What time can I go into the hospital? Ive been awake since 6 desperate to go in and hopefully get some peace of mind. I don't want to look insane turning up this early but I really can't relax.

Not the same, but I rang triage at 17 weeks with pains which I was sure were a bad sign (they weren't) and the person on the other end of the phone said (in the nicest way) that at this stage even if something was wrong there's nothing they could do about it so they weren't willing to scan me.

There same is true at 22 weeks unfortunately, 'viability' is 24 weeks so the result of them scanning and finding a problem with the heart beat would be the same as if they don't scan you at all.

I do understand how you feel though, to me scanning was completely worthwhile as I would know if my baby was okay - sadly they don't have the resource to scan every woman who is worried

I'm not sure why your consultant has said to go in at 22 weeks, that would be a question for him/her - can you call them to clarify that it is just for reassurance purposes and maybe put your mind at rest that you're not feeling anything?

For what it's worth I had twins and didn't feel anything before 23 weeks even with two wriggly away in there!

I don’t think it is unusual to have not felt movement at that stage, I didn’t with ds1(anterior placenta). The community midwife will do the same thing as a midwife in a hospital.

I don’t know why the consultant would have that on your notes, I guess it depends on why you are under the consultant in the first place?

I hadn't felt proper movement until about 26 weeks but I guess this was due to my anterior placenta.

OP I feel your frustration especially if consultant has said specifically in your notes to go and get checked.

Hope everything is okay

This is my first ever post/comment on here but I felt so strongly I had to post! I’m 29 weeks with my first baby and I have an anterior placenta. I was told any reduced movement to ring assessment and they have been amazing. I am also consultant led and I just can’t stress enough to fight your corner and go in and have the baby’s heartbeat checked!! Happy mum happy baby! Surely they should take into consideration you are clearly in distress which could make your baby stressed. It takes 2 mins to check in the hospital I have been up a few times and the peace of mind is unreal. I understand they can be busy and stressed etc but your stress levels and your baby come first. Fight for your corner! They don’t use the saying lion and it’s cub for nothing! I feel really strongly about this you should follow your instinct. I do think the consultant has triggered this but I do also believe you have the right to have this checked! Might just be a lazy baby or your placenta most likely is nothing but it’s your stress levels which are important. Please call them and explain and be polite but fight your corner. Your baby is as important as anyone else’s. Good luck. Sorry for the rant😂

Hope you have been checked over op

@JPK1510 she is getting sew by the community midwife who will listen for the heartbeat in the same way they would at the hospital.

Hi OP, seen that you are calling your MW so hopefully they have checked you now, but try not to panic. I know so many people that haven't felt baby at 22 weeks! I'm actually a bit shocked the consultant put that in your notes.

Do update us anyway x

Definitely ring to see your community midwife x

Try not to worry, It’s not unusual to not feel your baby’s movements yet.

Most women feel their baby’s movement between 16-24 weeks, if after 24 weeks you’ve still not felt anything that’s the time to get checked out. The consultant probably made an error with his advice as the guidance is 24 weeks, but as he said this hopefully you’ll be able to get a midwife appointment before your 25 week appointment to help reassure you.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/baby-movements-pregnant/

As far as I'm aware, before 24 weeks any problems and you see your midwife, after 24 weeks and you can call triage. I assume it's because of viability being at 24 weeks and before that there's unfortunately nothing they can do

Community midwives deal with antenatal and postnatal appointments, so the community midwife will refer women with problems (such as reduced movements ect) to their local a&e/early pregnancy/unit/triage department regardless of how many weeks pregnant the woman is.

I went through a period of reduced movements at 20 weeks. I phone my community midwife hub and they squeezed me in for a quick 5 minute appointment to use the Doppler.

Hope you get through to your midwife op

It takes 2 mins to check in the hospital

It takes a lot of money, time, and personnel to do a scan in the hospital, much more than to do a check in the community. It cannot possibly be justified at 22 weeks on a clinical basis.

My hospital was really great with tracking reduced movement. I’d ring them & tell them your concerns rgd late miscarriages in the family etc too. I went in 5 times for reduced movement and never felt daft for it - consultant and docs were fantastic and was induced 37+6 had my boy 2 weeks ago tomorrow.

Follow your instinct as only you know your body and baby.

This isn't reduced movement though. It's not feeling movement yet, which is well within the range of normal for 22 weeks.

My team have said consistently that before 24wks they do not expect consistent movement. I'm 22+7 and only felt movement yesterday, my mw 4 days ago said it's normal not to until later in a first pregnancy. After 24wks they would put me on a monitor and I would press a button whenever I thought I felt movement, but at 22+4 she wasn't worried I hadn't felt anything. Looks like she was right as I've had lots of kicks since yesterday.

It’s not reduced movements at this stage. I had reduced movements in my last pregancy (induces early because of it) but there were very firm in the stand point that not feeling movement until 24 weeks was fine. After 24 weeks they’d see you in triage but just listen in with Doppler and then at 28 weeks you can go on the trace.

It depends where your placenta is and also where baby is! They’re still small enough at 22 weeks to move somewhere you just can’t feel.

To clarify I wasn't asking for peace of mind, reassurance or a scan. I was told to go in today to have the heartbeat checked and I wanted to do what I was told to, I didn't have a problem with the community midwife coming out I had a problem with them refusing to see me and making comments that it wasn't "their job" over the phone and saying they'd try and see if a community midwife was willing to check for my peace of mind. I actually managed to get hold of my consultant who stated they hadn't made an error, apologised for the manner of the phone calls and said that it's not unusual for high risk pregnancies to have the heartbeat checked more frequently and was not happy I had been turned away, especially as it was requested by a medical professional. I've been told to go back again at 23 weeks for the same unless I feel movement beforehand. Thankfully everything was fine, strong heartbeat, he's probably just taking his time but I don't think it's unreasonable for me to want to follow my consultants advice. Anyway thank you for the responses.

Glad all is well op!

Glad all is well OP, this would annoy me too! You did the right thing xx

I'm glad everything is okay :)

Out of interest (and this is a genuine question), what did your consultant say they would do if they found a problem with the heart beat as obviously you're too early for induction?

Lying in bed this morning, roll on to my back and just below my rib cage I felt three taps/pops each a few seconds apart. Does this sound like a kick? I've not had anything I've even thought could be movement until this. Poked and rolled about to see if it happens again but nothing.

Sounds like movement, I described mine as when a bubble bursts on your finger.

A lovely feeling.

I didnt feel much until 23ish weeks even though its my second baby. Probably because its an anterior placenta this time.

Now im 35w, and I swear a hyperactive rabid squirrel is doing excercise inside me. Soon that'll be you hopefully!

It can be really difficult for midwives to deal with this kind of thing. A consultant can advise you see a midwife for anything but they're not the ones who have to make the appointments and prioritise a very time poor workforce.

22 weeks isn't that late in my experience, the NHS website advises 24 weeks is when you should contact somebody so they are just prioritising yours and others' care based on risk.

Do you know if your placenta is anterior or posteria? As that can make a huge difference to how much you feel.

I understand what a stressful time it can be worrying about everything OP (I'm currently 35wks) so I hope you manage to get some form of reassurance.

@PerrieWonkle
My first movements I described as popping sensations! (I suppose that’s what most people say are flutters?) After a week or maybe 2 it moved into feeling like a rolling sensation (try rolling your knuckles back and forward over your thigh for example - only way I can describe it) now it’s like a party in my belly every time I go to bed, with some very definite kicks, pokes and prods going on! Ok so I’m on dc4 so I felt mine super early but that’s Cos I knew what I was looking for and Cos I’ve been told I have a super sensitive uterus lol!
I would say it sounds like you may have felt your first little movements - congratulations! Takes the pressure off a little for you now! Let us know of any movement updates xxx