Kick counting stressing me out!

[tamarisk44]

I am so confused by the advice about baby's movements after 28 weeks. I'm almost 30 weeks now, with anterior placenta, and for the life of me I can't pick out any kind of routine to baby's movements. It seems to have quiet days and busy days depending on what I'm doing and I can't get any kind of solid advice from any midwife about whether this is okay or not. I don't feel it at all when I'm moving around, or driving, and so going back to work this week after Christmas (where I spent a lot of time sitting around eating!) I have felt a definite change in the frequency of movements - now to me this seems logical seeing as my routine has changed, but it's also really worrying me. Baby is still moving a bit throughout the day but nothing like it was over Christmas. We live 45 minutes from the nearest hospital so "popping in" to be monitored isn't the easiest thing in the world. I've quizzed my midwife to try to get some firm guidance on all of this but she just says "if you're worried call the maternity triage" - I have really high anxiety in general and so if I was to ring the maternity triage line whenever I was worried I would be ringing them about 10 times a day. Relying on my instincts is also not a good idea as my instincts are generally hysterical. I would really love some advice from everyone about your experiences with baby movements and whether I'm the only person in the entire world who can't identify a pattern! Please help a pregnant lady who feels like she's losing it!!

Oh my gosh I am exactly the same!!

Some days, it feels like bubba is having their own personal disco in there and other days it’s like they can’t be bothered with anything!

I had the same conversation with my midwife and she was equally vague. When I really pushed her, she said if I haven’t felt anything for 3/4 hours to call the hospital. I worry after about 30 mins so was well off! But then I don’t know if she said that as medical or personal advice. Who knows!!

The one time I did call I was told to have a cold drink, lay down and if nothing after an hour call back.

Im interested to hear what other ladies have been told!

im the same, im 29 weeks and theres no obvious routine.

I haven't bothered to count kicks as that sounds stressful, though I do take note of kicks and movements. I make sure I have felt some movements in the morning, afternoon and evening. Some days the baby seems to be doing forward rolls in there, then other days he seems to be having a lazy day.

Yeah I'm the same too. I'm nearly 37 weeks now and I still don't think he has any routine. Like PPs there have been days when I've not felt him and, like you OP, they tend to be when I'm busy. Today I've felt lots because I've been mostly sofa bound but I was out and about most of the day yesterday and remember thinking mid afternoon "have I felt him today"? I'm fairly laid back so haven't really worried about it but just to reassure you that is does seem fairly normal!

I was the same my baby is now 7 months old. She had no 'pattern' as such had busy and quiet days but my midwife told me that could be my babies pattern at about 38 weeks the pattern started to go funny and I got checked numerous times (would rather be safe than sorry and hospital were lovely) I ended up been induced due to too many episodes of reduced movements and baby was born with suspected sepsis but is all healthy now. I just knew something wasnt right not a strong feeling but a niggle in my head if your ever concerned go get checked.

If you’ve not felt anything for a few hours lay down with a cold/hot drink n usually they spring into action lol. I’m 30weeks with my second and neither of them have had a pattern besides more active at night.. which isn’t a specific time or anything but i definitely felt both of them more at night once I’d lay down n stopped moving myself.

There’s also apps and wrist bands you can get to keep track, so if you can’t remember or it feels like ages you can go back and see it was maybe only 45minutes since the last wiggle.

Triage will never mind speaking or seeing you.. even if it’s 10 times a day. I swear with ds every time I went in he started dancing the second he heard them say monitor. They’d rather 100 false alarms than one who didn’t want to cause trouble.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who is confused by the whole 'pattern' of movements. I'm 32 weeks and little one doesn't appear to have developed a specific time of day where she is more active. Some days she is having a party others a doze! Although most of the time if I get hubby to talk directly to her she will give a wiggle... Worry's the hell out of me on the quiet days. Midwifes have been equally unsuccessful at putting me at ease as they just say to ring the number if and when concerned! I tell myself on the quiet days she is having a grow spurt, so sleeping more Bump defo grew after the last run of quiet days!

I'm the same at 31 weeks with anterior placenta. When I'm moving, the baby doesn't move or I can't feel it. At all. It's making me somewhat sedentary which is terrible, but I feel better being home in my pregnancy chair and knowing he's kicking away than not knowing and worrying. There is a pattern, but this pattern is completely disrupted when I change my routine. I also find the midwife advice to be less than helpful - same drill, ring them, lay on side for two hours and see if you get to ten kicks at least, if not or if you are still worried go in for monitoring. I went in once so far. Even then it wasn't that reassuring, they just say ctg looked good so did I feel happy with the movement now? And I said...I guess, if you are telling me I should be? I have no idea!

I don’t have an anterior placenta this time round but have found that when I’m active, the baby isn’t, and vice versa. So my baby has generally been quiet on Mondays, for example, which has been my most physically active day.

I think spotting that kind of pattern is totally normal and I suspect movement maybe rocks the baby to sleep.

I had no routine with DS when I had an anterior placenta. Ice cold drinks while laying down for 30 mins, or sugary foods.
I only went in at 30 weeks when I realised I couldn't remember movements for 3 days. I was just so spaced out. DS was fine, just seemed to be pretty chill. In was also dehydrated so that also affected his movements.

With DD, I hadn't felt movements all morning, and she was a very active baby. Obviously, as soon as I went in she moved, but it was the stark contrast.

I think counting them is ridiculous as there's never a "perfect" number of kicks. But if you're genuinely concerned, phone and go in. I had to travel 40 mins to my hospital for DS the second time I had to go in. They'd really prefer you to be over cautious than undercautious. But it is frustrating

Thank you so much everyone, it's so reassuring to know there are others feeling mystified by this and experiencing the same kind of thing as I am! Really appreciate your responses, you've made me feel a lot calmer 🙂

This is exactly why I found myself in hospital at midnight last night being hooked up to the monitor.

First day back at work, too busy to even pee, never mind pay attention to his movements. He WAS moving, but not so much and it didn’t seem as hard as it had.

Monitoring was fine, though I discovered my hospital send you for a scan after any episode of reduced movements so I have one tomorrow.

He’s been busy again today so I feel like a new woman (despite the 3.5 hours sleep I got thanks to being in hospital until 1am!).

Another one that is confused by this! Baby seems to have no pattern, apart from more active at night and will generally move if I have a bath Feels like he's been moving around less the last couple of days but I've gone back to work so my routine is now different, so makes sense his activity level would be too