Movements at 23 weeks

[BuffaloCauliflower]

How regular/often are your baby’s movements at 23 weeks? I’ve had a couple of days where he seems really busy all day, then some really quiet days. He’s been pretty regularly moving first thing in the morning all week, then today he didn’t move for ages until I did the full works of ice cold drink, lying still, prodding... after hours of quiet. I’ve only had a few kicks since. The movements have felt smaller in general as well, could this be the angle he’s at? My placenta is posterior and I’ve been feeling him for around 3 weeks.
I know it’s early for regularity but hard not to worry when he seems much calmer today , especially when I’ve been feeling him so much all week.

If you're worried you can always ring your midwife or maternity centre for advise. I was the same with my boys (and probably will be in this pregnancy knowing my luck) I was told to try ice cold water and sugary drinks etc and they always moved so they weren't worried at all. It's good that you felt some movement after drinking the cold drink some babies just have lazy days or kick more in the back. But if you're worried defo ring someone for advise xx

Apparently they can do that at this stage. At 23 weeks I ended up calling the triage for exactly same reason, and got seen for a Doppler. The moment they put a probe on my belly he started kicking.. all was fine.
Give them a call, for reassurance if anything.

Thanks. I got a couple of kicks from that but not much since. I can’t seem to find a number for general maternity, though there’s a maternity advise line for the area that seems the closest option. I don’t want to be over anxious especially as it’s still early, but does seem very quiet

I'm 24 weeks and I haven't really picked up a pattern yet. Some days she's very busy in there, others she's quiet

Please do not do the cold drink, something to eat etc. That is outdated advice. If movements are reduced, changed or otherwise concerning always, always ring for advice and to be checked. In some areas this will be your maternity assessment unit or similar, other areas will have a dedicated advice line for all maternity contact. Do not call your community midwife as they might not be able to get back to you straight away and this is considered an urgent care need.

@OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea I know that’s the advice for later on but as 23 weeks still falls under ‘no regular pattern’ I don’t know if I’m just being paranoid

I’ve tried calling the main advice line but can’t get through to anyone, it just rings

@BuffaloCauliflower don't worry about appearing overanxious, it's always better to get change in movement checked out, and when I went in midwives were very lovely and kept telling me I've done the right thing and to do it again if I am worried.

That's frustrating you can't get through on the advice line. Is there an alternative number you can ring, such as labour ward?

Finally started to get a few more kicks so trying to just be calm and not worry, he must be having a quiet day

If you are worried. Always go.
Even if you go everyday and get the all clear then the next day his quiet, go again

Thanks @Mc3209 he has finally moved a bit more so trying to be chill, but no, there doesn’t seem to any number apart from the advice line. I have a direct number to text my midwife but that’s office hours

I didn’t feel any baby movements at all until 24+2, not even a flutter! I think they are still fairly small at 23 weeks but if you are concerned as someone said above ring your midwife department, hopefully you feel something encouraging soon! X

Going to try to say this gently because I KNOW how anxiety-provoking fetal movement can be. But the advice to "always call up if you are worried" isn't really great advice. You are not even supposed to be monitoring movements until 26-28 weeks. This is because there is no pattern prior to that. Your baby is still tiny and even a change in position in the uterus can change how you perceive the movement. What is happening right now is absolutely normal.

What is the point of the OP calling and going into the unit? They aren't going to do a CTG because she isn't far enough along. They aren't going to deliver the baby is there is a problem, because the baby is much better in than out at this stage. Yes she can hear the heartbeat which might be reassuring, but is that feeding into a cycle of needing reassurance every time the baby has a quiet moment?

I know this sounds really harsh but so often on here posters are egging each other on to get movements checked out in situations that are not appropriate. I would suggest that finding ways of coping with normal anxiety around pregnancy would be more beneficial than calling the hospital for reassurance about things that are normal.

@teezletangler I see your point that it's probably all fine at that gestation, however even midwives are not taking chances in calling it 'normal anxiety around pregnancy' and if even people seeing it day in and day out are erring on the side of caution, then so will I. I still stand by my conviction that if one is worried about something in pregnancy then it's better to take official advice of medical professional looking after one's care than rely on Dr Google and one's perception of what's normal. And if there is something wrong, then I am happy to leave it to the team to come up with the best course of action as I am sure they have a lot more experience in the area than me (even if there is nothing that can be done, I'd rather this be assessed and established sooner rather than later).

@BuffaloCauliflower I am pleased to hear you are feeling more movement.

@teezletangler no worries! Not harsh at all. As I said in my OP I know it’s too early for patterns (though he has started to have one, which is why I’ve been aware of it and noticed it not happening), was more looking for reassurance from others who’ve had on and off days of movement around now than anything else. I know there’s nothing they can do for a baby at this stage.

I called when I was 23 weeks, there was other additional reasons but they included reduced / lighter movements. I had also felt him every morning before that and there was nothing for a couple of days. Every midwife I spoke to said that they weren't concerned about the movements as at that stage the 'immaturity' of the baby meant there was no pattern or he may have just moved. All was fine and he had a perfect heartbeat, he was just being lazy, 2 weeks later he's more than making up for it.
Just wanted to share what they said to me in the hope it settles any anxiety a little until you can speak to someone or your movements get back to how they were.

@OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea why do you say that is outdated advice if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks @CupcakeParadise it is always really helpful to hear from others. I’m usually pretty rational but just got a bit too much in my head and spiralled today

I’ve been feeling movements since about 20 weeks and my baby has quiet days a few times a week. Last midwife appt at 28 was heartbeat and measurements were all fine; I’ve never had anything come up on scans or in blood work - I’m 31 weeks now. She’s definitely in more of a pattern and I’ve noticed the quiet days often coincide with days when I am more active or busy with work. It is worrying not feeling the baby, but I decided that if I felt her at least once per day that was enough. I agree with PP that managing anxiety is important, I figure it’s good practice for being a parent! Anyway, I hope that’s reassuring that sometimes they might have quiet days and it not be a problem.

@teezletangler this is actually really really good and sensible advise. I couldn't agree more with what you have written. I recently saw one where someone had been in over ten times for anxiety about movement and she was less then thirty weeks. I would be far more worried a out picking up either covid or more likely a hospital born infection by visiting a hospital that many times!. Obviously at a certain point it's very important to go in if movements stop or slow down a lot but I couldn't believe how many posters were telling this woman to go in immediately, it seemed really irresponsible to be honest. Even rushing to hospital in car is probably a danger factor as well, these people were just stirring up her anxiety so much!.

@BuffaloCauliflower I'm 22 weeks with twins and I barely feel any movement at all, litrally nothing and babies are thriving and wiggling away and obviously moving a lot from all the extra scans I get as it's a multiple. It's my fourth pregnancy too, honestly you really start to monitor around 28-30 weeks and often their pattern is a kind of non pattern.

Thanks everyone. I think I’m just having a heightened anxiety week.

I still don’t feel like mine has a pattern, I’m 26 weeks, I didn’t feel much until 22/23 weeks anyway.
If I’m busy I don’t feel her at all, but if I have a relaxing day I noticed her moving all the time. Also if I’ve woken in the night I’ve felt lots of movement, but sleep through it usually! Anterior placenta here so I assume a lot is that too.

Are you a FTM? On DC1 I felt a lot like you, where she would go quiet for maybe 4 hours and I would freak. I ended up being monitored 3 times for lack of movement.

Then she was born, and I realised why I was feeling that. She slept for AAAAGGEESS and she barely moved when she slept. Some days in the newborn weeks she slept for 20 hours. Now I am 24 weeks pregnant on DC2 and my movements are similar to yours; busy days and quiet days where I wont feel her move for most of the afternoon. I am so much calmer on this one as I know they simply wont be active all the time, and days where they are doing lots of growing, they will sleep more.

If you really feel things go very quiet, its never a bad thing to ring the midwife or the maternity line. They were always so lovely when I went in. Its always good to check if you are genuinely worried, but try to remember they are babies, and babies sleep a lot.

If it's any consolation OP, I'm over 36 weeks now and my baby still has quieter periods mixed in with more lively periods. Sometimes it's a few hours, sometimes it can be a whole day where i barely feel her then the next day she'll be dking gymnastics for the entire day to make up for it.

She's had several 'patterns' but then just when I think I've got it, she changes it up without warning. The only thing I can be certain of, is that she will move first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

The reason they talk about monitoring movements after 28 weeks is because baby doesnt really have a set pattern before that point and they are still so teeny, it's very easy for them to move position and tuck up somewhere you can't feel them as much.

In my trust, the advice about having a cold sugary drink and lying on your side for at least an hour counting kicks is still very current and it really does work.