Baby movements - so stressed out

[wondering7777]

Everything I’ve read has said it’s so special when you start feeling your baby move, but for me it’s by far the most stressful thing about pregnancy yet.

I’m 25 weeks pregnant with my first baby and felt my first movements quite early on (16 weeks). In the last few weeks the movements have been stronger, but they’re SO sporadic and there’s no pattern really. The only thing I’ve noticed is that I tend to feel something first thing in the morning and last thing at night but nothing during the day (despite having a fairly sedentary lifestyle).

Also, while I occasionally get a strong movement, other times it’s just a tiny “pitter patter”, even though I’m at 25 weeks now. I don’t have an anterior placenta so it’s nothing to do with that. Is this normal or could there be something wrong?

I feel completely the same!!
I'm also 25 weeks and felt movements from around 16 weeks too!
I've had some really strong movements also and now they seem to be very light, i think baby maybe facing inwards which is why i can't feel them that much as i think he still has room to move around.
On Wednesday i felt a few little movements in the morning then nothing all day! Called triage who brought me in for a listen, all was well but it still makes me panic as i thought they are supposed to be getting stronger and more frequent not the other way round!

I've had so much conflicting information regarding movements i don't know what's right or wrong to be honest either!
I'm sorry i can't help much, but just wanted to tell you your not alone!

I was the same, could only feel movement in the morning and at night. I think this was due to me being at work, distracted etc.
I used to go home from work and lie on the bed poking the baby to feel her move!

If in doubt about anything please contact your midwife

Lots of women find this really stressful. Try and remind yourself that you won't get any semblance of a pattern before 28 weeks.

And FWIW I'm 36 weeks and while the baby moves a fair bit, I wouldn't say there is a set pattern still. Like you, they move in the morning and at night. Then they'll move throughout the day, but it's pretty sporadic.

One thing that has helped settled my mind is working out what's a trigger for the baby's movement. I find that a can of something sweet and cold usually sends them nuts - so if they're having a really quiet day, I'll sometimes have a drink of that just to reassure myself!

This is some decent info here: www.mumsnet.com/pregnancy/monitoring-baby-movements

I think that you only need to worry if what you feel is different to what you normally feel.

Up until about week 30 the only time I'd feel my one moving when I was relaxed was when I was lying on my back in bed. Otherwise my one only tended to move when unhappy. So when it's feeling squashed when I'm sitting at my desk or when I poked my belly too much to provoke it when I haven't felt it move for a while. Since then I have noticed more movements for no real reason, but not that many tbh.

I'm with you OP! At my 26 week midwife appointment this week I was told to go in to see them if I didn't feel my baby move every hour. This massively freaked me out as there are definitely days when I don't feel movements every hour, and I can't be leaving work every other day to schlep to the hospital if it's not necessary!

Some days she is much quieter than others. There are usually a few days mid-week where I don't feel much during the day, but I'm also super uncomfortable, and I always seem to have a slightly bigger bump at the end of those days. I wonder if she's growing more on these days so not moving as much - probs completely medically untrue but it's a theory!

Then other days she's more active. I'm working from home today and can feel her loads, and wonder if part of it is just that I'm usually distracted at work so don't notice her movements as much.

Ultimately every baby is different. I'm sure a pattern will emerge as your little one gets bigger and stronger, but do go in and get checked out if you're worried!

You are not alone in finding this stressful. I'm nearly 34 weeks and don't feel I have much of a pattern. I can be pretty confident that if I eat something sugary and lie down, I'll feel a reasonable bit of movement but that is about it. Whilst I understand the advice given out about this, I do think it simplifies how easy it is to monitor your babys movements.

I agree it’s stressful; neither of my babies ever had a real routine. In my second pregnancy I did find the kicks count band useful though; I’d count each cycle of movements but not if they were within the same hour so if I got worried I’d not had many movements that day I’d look at my band and be reassured that I’d had my normal number. It took a bit of practice to remember to count it but definitely helped