Reduced movements - how early can you go in to be checked?

[Prettylittlelady]

I’m 22+5 and have been feeling my baby move for a fair few weeks now, I can see her through my tummy and usually she’s very active. Today I have felt her move early in the afternoon but it’s not like normal I’ve tried tricks to get her to move but it’s not worked this evenings and I feel very worried. I’m not sure if I should call someone to get checked or if they will say I’m too early.
Not quite sure what to do?

Please go and get checked ASAP. Can you call your midwife? I have gone many times when I felt lack of movements and everything was fine and I hope it's the same for you.

Definitely call your assessment centre, I'm pretty sure they will see you now but they will tell you on the phone, nothing to lose by calling them. I first went for reduced movements at 23+5, they were more than happy to check me out and reassure me. Ring them straight away and I hope everything is okay

I think you should be able to see your midwife (or the on duty midwife) and she can listen in to your baby’s heartbeat with a Doppler. My midwife listened in at 24 weeks for reduced movement (everything was fine). The hospital won’t see you until your 28 weeks though.

At 22 weeks your baby is still small so they could be kicking your placenta or simply just changed positions. But if you’re worried it’s always best to get checked out

Call midwife/maternity unit and get checked asap! Can never be too safe! Hope everything is okay

I had the same thing around 21 weeks. Posted on here and got the same advice. I called my maternity assessment unit and they had me in straight away and got baby checked out.
As pp said, baby is still small so if she has moved position you may not feel her move as much.
Always best to get you and baby checked though. I did and i everything was fine. He'd just moved

If you're worried, it's always worth ringing the MAU and running it by them. They might tell you to go in to be monitored or they might advise contacting your community midwife. Trust your gut and call if you think something could be wrong though. It's better to be safe than sorry.

As an aside to that and just for your own piece of mind,...it's really common for movements to vary a lot at your stage in pregnancy. They say up to 24 weeks to start feeling movements then they should gradually increase from then and it's 28 weeks plus when they should start developing a proper pattern. Baby is tiny before that so the slightest change in position can make a big difference to how much you feel.

They'll most likely see you now but may just doppler you as they can't always get an accurate trace at this gestation because baby still has plenty of room to run away.

It was 27 weeks in my area and I ended up being monitored at 27+4 due to reduced movement. He refused to move the entire time I was there but of course as soon as I got home and went to bed he started doing the conga I would call your midwife if possible.

Ok thank you for the advice everyone, I called and they said, like people have mentioned that I can’t be properly monitored until 28 weeks but to give it some time and then if not I can come in this evening and they will listen in to heartbeat. Ironically she has moved about 5 times since me calling! So I’m going to put it down to being a bit of a quiet day and see how she is tomorrow.

I just get so worried and I know it’s early to have regular movements, the midwife on the phone said it too early to have a proper pattern even though I feel like I do? I also have an anterior placenta so maybe that’s why it’s been a bit sporadic but I’m glad I’ve felt some movement, of course it would be just after calling!

I went in for heartbeat check a lot. My placenta was situated at the back so I generally felt a lot less movement. I got terribly worried at times and I needed the reassurance. The midwives didn't make me feel bad at all and told me I'd done the right thing every time. Don't feel bad, they are happy to help and put you at ease. It isn't a lot of work for them, they really don't mind. You may have to wait around a bit sometimes but it's a small price to pay to get that relief and to hear the beautiful little sound of your babes heartbeat.

Please do go and get checked
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@Prettylittlelady pleased you rang up and got some advice and your very has been wriggling away since then.

I have an anterior placenta too and it really can make a big difference. Mine is high anterior so whenever baby moved into a position where movements were higher up, I could barely feel a thing whereas movements low down i could feel no problem.

I'm 31+4 now and several times I've thought baby had established a pattern only for it to change a few weeks later. It's true that it's been a lot more consistent over the last few weeks but I still don't think I've got a 100% set pattern yet.

They certainly like to keep us on our toes!

*baby not very

@sel2223 thank you so much for your support and insight into a anterior placenta. I know there’s nothing unusual about the location of it but sometimes I’ve wished that I had a ‘normal’ placenta as a FTM as it’s going to heighten my anxiety. I think mine may be the opposite to yours because higher up it’s felt really well and low down feels pretty muffled. Have had even more movements now so hopefully I’ll be able to sleep without stress this evening.

I’m 23 weeks and was worried at around 19 weeks. I called the community midwives team and popped over to see them, they checked with a doppler. Where I am, from 20 weeks they see you in hosptial and do a trace. Always worth getting checked. Hope all is well.

@Prettylittlelady Glad you got some reassurance! Just wanted to comment as we must be due date twins (I was also 22+5 yesterday!) and I also have an anterior placenta. I definitely have quieter movement days too xx

Go get checked. Honestly, I’ve been about 3 times now in my pregnancy. Most recently early hours this morning and I’m 31 +4. It’s worth it to put your mind at ease and it’s never trouble for the midwives. It’s their job to provide that care for you and baby. I’m sure everything is fine

I just wanted to update this - I was still worried this afternoon as to me, the movements didn’t feel like they had been before. I rang again and went in. The heartbeat was checked and all was fine. I’m really glad I went. Since coming home she seems to be moving a little more but knowing she is ok has reassured me. They were really lovely and told me whenever I’m worried to just contact them and come in.

I was in last week, at 19 weeks. I had started feeling movement at 16 weeks which then got less and less until I hadn’t felt anything for a few days. I was certain I’d be told it was too early so I didn’t say anything.

I had to speak to a midwife about something else and mentioned the lack of movements on the phone, thinking she’s just reassure me it was early and not to worry. Instead she told me to go straight in!

I went in, rejecting just Doppler check, but the whole place was empty (thank you coronavirus!) so they actually did a very quick scan. Baby was fine, turns out I have an anterior placenta 🙄 However everyone was really nice and said to always get checked.

*expecting (not rejecting) a Doppler check