27/28 weeks and kicking is still gentle

[RMarieClaire]

I'm nearly in the third trimester - hoorah! - but despite being 27+4, I still have days when I barely feel her move. Today is one of those days. I've been off work, and generally on days off/weekends, I'm more active, so she is more sluggish, but it just feels like I should be feeling some pretty punchy kicks now. Having a sit down to focus on her movements and have felt one or two light flutters, but not the full on kicks I sometimes have - very rarely. Anyone else have this and find it normal and all ok?

Hi op.

I found around 28 weeks the kicks tailed off and the movement turned into more rolling types as if baby was shifting about as I believe they begin running out of space about then.

I’m nearly 34 weeks now and I very rarely get kicks now as he’s just getting too big for that!

But if your worried contact your maternity unit !

I find it really varies - I’m 28w2d and could barely feel her yesterday and felt a couple of harder kicks today. As long as there’s movement I try not to worry too much. I read that as there’s less space for her to move as she’s growing the movement changes a little. I’m seeing the midwife this week so I’ll ask her anyway.

Thanks. Actually now I think of it I have had more sort of swishing type feelings, not many today but a fair few yesterday. Also the occasional feeing as if I'm empty/hungry, if that makes sense (definitely neither of those things!)

I have had so many people tell me about the constant feeling of the baby moving and just being inside and alive, but honestly I can go huge stretches of time without anything - it's quite stressful.

Any change or reduction in movements from the baby’s normal pattern should be investigated. If this isn’t normal for your baby please call your midwife and get seen as a precaution.

I do too, sometimes I worry so much that i haven’t felt her in too long that I go upstairs and lie down in silence with my hand on my belly until I feel any kind of movement. Drinking a glass of cold water and eating something sweet can trigger movement so I do that too. I think it’s very subjective so as long as I feel movement I really try not to worry.

Thanks @CatchingBabies - we had a midnight trip to the maternity ward a few weeks ago and they were amazing, and said the same thing.

The thing is, she's almost always like this on days I'm not in the office, so I guess it's normal for me. And she's definitely kicking, but I just really have to concentrate and take time out to feel her, which surprises me at this point. Quite wish she'd just give me a nice hard kick every hour to remind me she's all ok 👌

Hi @RMarieClaire I’m same as you 27+5 (yay nearly at the 3rd!) and the movements stress me out too. I have nothing to compare it to being the first. Some nights its like rolling, other nights sharper movements. They don’t ever feel ‘kick like’ though? Can you see your bump move? I can every now and again, but not regularly.

@HayleyHaystack I can see her very occasionally. I feel bad for my DH as he has barely felt her move as she's so unpredictable

Is your placenta at the front? This can make feeling movements harder than if it is behind the baby. I had this with my first and there was only one or two very specific places where I could ever actually feel DD moving at the front of my bump, which meant I would only see/ feel kicks or punches rarely, when she was hitting the exact right spot.

I did start to get the rolling sensation other people have mentioned but not until later, I think maybe 30 weeks plus..

Do you know from any of your scans if you have a posteria or anterior placenta? That can make a huge difference

I’m 37w and my baby is still like this! So different to previous pregnancy, so it’s hard not to worry. My MW just says some babies don’t have a pattern and that as long as I feel some kind of movement several times throughout the day, then not to worry. Easier said than done!

I don't think there's a hard and fast rule and I don't think you should feel baby move less as time goes on. They say any change to normal movement to go in. Surely there would be queues in the maternity unit if this was the case! I had days where I felt nothing and considered going in- tried to pod and poke but nothing and then suddenly as I was about to ring- at 5pm after no movement all day baby would go ballistic. There was no real 'normal' pattern for me as he'd develop some sort of pattern and then it would change. After about 34 weeks baby went ballistic and I ended up going in beause I was worried about a change in movement- baby would go mental for a few days and then rest for a few (very few kicks sometimes in the subsequent days after his active periods) It is a worrying time!

but then along comes the newborn, with no routine and totally unpredictable- and then it all makes sense.

Seriously though- if worried, always call.

along comes the newborn, with no routine and totally unpredictable

That is so true! Why do we expect unpredictable babies to have a routine in uterine?! Makes no sense.

In utero - autocorrect

Mine has a routine which includes a day or two of not much movement inbetween days of wriggling. I can see baby move and feel them on busier days. Sometimes it's kicks but usually it's the swooshing around like some sort of flying superhero. I'm imagining somersaults etc. I must say movements are getting stronger with time and quiet days are getting fewer and further apart. I'm 31 weeks.

I do have an anterior placenta, which I know explains it to a degree. In any case, I think she did a 180 yesterday as she went crazy last night and has been really active today. 🤷‍♀️

It's such a worrying time - just want everything to be ok, but I know you can worry too much