Baby feels very very low 21 weeks reduced movements

[Mrs173]

I’m 21 weeks now and everything was looking perfect at my 20 week scan which was such a relief after a MMC in Feb. We didn’t find out the gender as we would like a surprise- I started feeling movements at 19 weeks and then last Thursday (6 days ago) I literally felt the movements go from somewhere around my belly button to under my knickerline!! and It has become a lot less noticeable (less frequent and not as strong). Has anyone had this before? Is it just baby moving position Maybe? If so I’d really appreciate them moving back up haha!! I still feel them a few times a day but mostly in the evening and not very strong like I was before it’s more of a roll. Also since the move my tummy around my belly button feels softer and looks smaller to me! As I’m only 21 weeks I know the MW won’t really offer any advice or help With concerns until I am 24 Weeks and am not due another appointment until 30th September. Just wondering if anyone has any previous experience of this.

For any reduced movements, call triage at your hospital. The midwifes will see you. Have a look at kicks count website too, great source of information but your midwife is always the best place to start with

@Sussexbysea thanks - I just didn’t think they would see me or do anything before 24 weeks and didn’t know if it might be due to baby’s positioning that I just can’t feel them as much as I was before. I will give my MW a call and see what she suggests. I can feel baby as we speak right now it’s just weird that it’s right down low to where I had been feeling them before

It's unlikely they'll be concerned before 24 weeks but no harm in phoning if you're concerned. I'm 22 weeks and all my movement is down that low. Sometimes I get quite big thumps all through the day, other days just little pokes here and there. It's not really until 24+ weeks that you can expect movements to be regular and in a pattern.

Ring them please

You don't do kick counts or reduced movements until 3rd trimester. Have a ice cold drink and lay and chill.

Also low here 21 weeks too but baby is currently breach?

22 weeks and most of my movements feel very low! I think it’s quite normal 😊. Bubbas are still so small at this stage, so lots of room to move around!

Counting kicks doesn't work at this stage, baby is around the size of a banana and still has loads of space to move about, depending on positions you wont always feel the same movements each day/week at this stage. Try not to worry, and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy, congratulations 🥳

Try not to worry too much, phone if your really anxious but they probably won't be concerned as it's too early to be counting kicks or looking for a pattern. Baby is still relatively little just now and can hide in all sorts of positions, Im 27+3 and still get some days where the kicks aren't as strong and some I can barely feel anything except a few thumps in what feels like my cervix

Thanks guys. You are all so right and baby is probably tucked away tightly somewhere low! I’ve definitely felt them a lot more today too so they’ve put my mind at ease that they are still down there wriggling away! I know it’s far too early to be concentrating on movement patterns and sadly nothing could be done before 24 weeks anyway so it does no good to worry! Trying not to feed any anxiety as after my MMC I told myself if I get to 20 weeks I will finally believe it’s happening and get excited! Almost 2 weeks later I think it’s time to do that! I might have to get baby outfit shopping instead to occupy myself haha!

@ mumsofboys

This is poor advice. You do keep track of your pattern of movements before the third trimester. If I hadn't, my 27 seeker wouldn't be here now.

I know you're sorted OP, but to anybody else reading: if you have concerns, talk to your midwife. Sadly, little can be done for babies before 24 weeks but to suggest not thinking about it until third trimester is really bad advice

@Signoritawhocansway interesting as this is not what my midwife said. Good to know.

Note.... the kind adult response. Fair well.

I am almost 23 weeks and had the same concern. Called the triage and they did not see me. Said it's still early and this happens at this stage of pregnancy.

For those being scare mongered I like to follow nhs advice. Stay safe peeps!

@Signoritawhocansway It is strange how different midwives give different advice. I was really told the same thing as @mumsofboys did that I am not supposed to kick count before 28 weeks. My midwife has booked me for my GTT exactly when I am 28 weeks and she told me on the phone that she would go through me the kick counting process then and not before.

I'm sorry you think I'm scare mongering, I'm really not trying to. One of the pics you posted is "get used to the usual for you", which is possible to do before 28 weeks. And if you have doubts, to speak to your midwife

I'm sorry if I came across blunt, as that wasn't my intention. However, my baby stopped moving at 27 weeks and had I not asked my midwife, gone in for monitoring and had a crash section, he wouldn't be here. He was very poorly. That's not scaremongering... It's an actual account.

Here's a link to Tommy's, the premature baby charity: www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/symptom-checker/baby-moving-less/movements-matter-raising-awareness-fetal-movements#:~:text=Our%20%23movementsmatter%20campaign%2C%20launched%20on,change%20in%20their%20baby's%20movements.

I'm sorry for offence caused @mumsofboys

Baby is probably fine and just shifted position. At that age, and tbh even now at 31 weeks, I feel the movements much more strongly when back is head down and kicking above my belly button. When he turns and is kicking down low and/or turns to kick into my back, it’s much harder to feel.

That said, you should always call. Sadly before 24 weeks, there is little that can be done to help a poorly baby however midwives should always be happy to check and reassure you, rather than you driving yourself loopy. After 24 weeks, it’s even more important to report any movement changes.

I actually stopped feeling movements entirely at 19 weeks, for about 2 days. I didn’t bother to call as I was sure I wouldn’t be taken seriously. However I mentioned it to the midwife during a call about something else and was instructed to go straight in. It was super quiet (middle of lockdown) so they nipped me into a side room for a quick ultrasound just to check that baby was ok (he was). It felt good to be taken seriously, even at that gestation. I was firmly told that any change of movement should be reported and they would rather see me 100x and find everything is ok than miss the one time something needed to happen. Always call, never feel bad.

The 10 kicks advise is out of date as some babies just don’t move that much, while for a highly active baby, 10 kicks could be a significant reduction. As the NHS advice says, there’s no set number of kicks. It’s just about recognising changes in your baby’s normal pattern.

Sounds very like my baby OP. I'm 22 weeks. Sometimes I get the odd kick higher up, but the vast majority of the time they are extremely low down. I have a few days where I don't notice much and then it all starts up again. They move and flip around so much at this stage....sometimes they face inwards and then you can't feel much at all. Of course, it's always wise to check things out if you are concerned, but what you described is pretty normal at this stage.

@Mrs173 how did it go in the end? Did your kicks get higher? I have exactly the same and there’s a lot of posts about movements being low down but yours is the only on I can find where the kicks were high up and then move lower down! Exactly like you I want them to move up again as they were stronger and more frequent!

Hi @Ljhunt all went well and little miss is almost 2.5 now. I think it’s far too early to be counting movements etc. weirdly I’m 14 weeks pg again and thought yesterday I felt the first flutters and they were high up too!

hope all goes well xx

@Mrs173 thanks so much for the reassurance! And congratulations!