18 weeks, no kicks or flutters

[Niki93]

Hi everyone. Im 18 weeks tomorrow. So far the pregnancy has been fairly straight forward. Typical tiredness, headaches and a little nausea in first trimester. Had my scan at 13 weeks and all looking healthy, and heard the heartbeat at my 16 week scan a couple weeks ago. My 20 week scan is Christmas eve.

Im getting the usual questions from people such as ‘feel any kicks yet?’ and so far i haven't. I got a letter from the hospital saying i could start feeling flutters or movements between 16-20 weeks, so i am aware it might be a couple weeks yet till i feel movement. Did other people feel they were waiting a while for ‘movement’? I also feel like i barely have a bump. But again, i know all women are different and not to worry too much as everyone develops at different stages. I just feel absolutely no flutters, not even faintly, and have no distinctive small baby bulge...im probably just being abit impatient arent i? This is my first pregnancy so i know that sometimes makes a difference too x

You might find you have an anterior placenta at your scan - it’s really normal with these to not feel anything until later on! I had one and didn’t feel anything specific until I was about 20ish weeks. And proper kicks don’t arrive until 22 weeks. Give it time and you will feel something. There’s usually a point where your bump pops as well, I know I just looked a bit bloated until 17-18 weeks and then all of a sudden there was the bump. If you’re tall or have a long torso the baby can grow upwards rather than outwards for a bit.

@Niki93 I'm 20 weeks pregnant and I started feeling movement around 17 weeks but it wasn't strong enough to make me 100% sure it was baby until around a week later when i started feeling more, the only way I can describe it is flutters and when you got over a hill in a car. Now at 20 weeks it feels like soft kicks or muscle twitches. That happen more on a evening when I'm just sat.

As for the bump I looked quite bloated up until around 16 weeks then the bump seemed to appear from nowhere.

Good luck with your pregnancy everyone is different you will start to feel your baby soon 🙂 x

Yeah, 18 weeks is still quite early to feel movement, especially if it's still your first. People ask all sorts of stupid questions, it doesn't get better (they will ask you if baby is sleeping through at 1 week old and you will feel the rage).

Thanks for responding girls.

I have been feeling/looking a little more bloated than usual so maybe thats a sign im starting to ‘show’. As for the flutters and kicks im just going to be patients and hope it happens sooner rather than later. Im just dying to know what it feels like and have that reassurance. But thanks again, everyone’s different and i just need to wait haha xxx

@Niki93 I find it odd that the letter from the hospital says you should feel movements between 16-20 weeks.

NHS website states differently and I know from experience it's normal to feel later, especially if first baby. This is my 4th and starter to notice some daily movements, really soft and unregular. I'm 19+4. Midwife said at about 28 should have a routine of movements. If after 24 not felt anything to let you midwife know.

I'm sure you'll feel soon something, but don't stress, 18 it's early still.

Probably felt things from 19-20 weeks (first baby, placenta at back I think). I'm sure you'll feel something soon, is hard to be sure what it is at first!

I never felt anything until I was 19+2 and have a posterior placenta.

22+ weeks for me with my first. I had an anterior placenta so it was harder to recognise for me

Be reassured you only had a scan afew weeks ago....

One day, you will just "pop" and you will wake up and have a bump :)

I didn't feel anything until about 24wks and don't have an anterior placenta either as I kept being told was probably the reason.
Same as you, I didn't really have a bump either, just some bloating. I also didn't have any pregnancy symptoms apart from a bit of heartburn.
Im 29wks today and the movements are still few and far between but the midwife is putting it down to the baby being breech.
My midwife wasn't at all worried I wasn't feeling much by 20wks as being a first baby she wouldn't expect me to.

I wouldn't worry as your 20wk scan is the best indicator that baby is fine and there's nothing you can do other than wait.
I was very surprised at my scan that the baby moves a ridiculous amount and the sonographers had a good laugh at her spinning around and kicking the hell out of me - but I couldn't feel anything!
I had a growth scan last week and she was very active again but I only felt one kick.

Hopefully you'll feel something soon but don't be too worried if it's several more weeks yet

Hi, I think it’s too early. I was 21 weeks with my first when I felt a first kick from him and about 19 weeks when I felt a definite first kick from my daughter so I wouldn’t worry yet xx

Hello I'm 18 weeks tomorrow too- snap! Haven't felt anything yet either, and I have to wait for my 20 week scan until 2nd Jan as hospital is too busy. Best of luck!

The movement early on to me felt little faint pops. Like a tiny bubble rising up to the surface of some water and popping. Best way I can think to explain it. It's not that obvious at first so I didn't realise the popping feeling was the baby for a while.

Yeah, it took me till over 19 weeks to feel anything. I had an anterior placenta.

Don't worry!

I was 26 weeks when I first felt movement I was confident was the baby and not gas. I had an anterior placenta :)

I'm now 35 weeks and feeling kicks/rolls every day!!

I felt nothing(I mean NOTHING) with my daughter until 24 weeks ❤️ she is now 21 months and rolling around in her cot next door :)

18 and 19 weeks for my first feels! Lie down with no background noise/movement etc. Keep your hands on your bump and you may be surprised! My first kick ever was so so tiny.

@Niki93

Congratulations...it sounds like you are due around the same time as myself also with my first baby. I'm also just past the 18 weeks mark & havent felt anything yet and also dont really have a bump...just look like I have wind (which some kind soul at work told me anyway).

When I went to listen to the babys heartbeat at 16 weeks the midwife said it would be around a month after with it being the first baby.

Im abit worried that I will miss the flutters...I wonder if they are obvious enough to know what they are?!

@ThinkPink71 im due May 11th. The past week i feel like ive felt very faint flicks and flutters, when i sit very still and quiet, but tbh its that faint im not sure if its just my stomach bubbling/having a grumble. Im 19 weeks today and just trying not to worry and be patient. Gender scan is a week tomorrow (Christmas eve) and hoping that gives some positive reassurance xx