Anterior placenta - reduced movements

[Scotabroad24]

Hello everyone!

FTM here and just looking for some reassurance or experiences. I'm 30+3, was told at my 20 week scan I have an anterior placenta which was good to know as I didn't feel definite movements until after 25 weeks. At my 28 week scan doctor told me baby was laying transverse, made sense as all the movement which was quite painful at times was in my ribs. Fast forward to last night, I hadn't felt baby move in hours and all the usual tricks didn't get him going, went to my local hospital and was scanned, doctor said baby has moved head down (yaaaay ) and most of him is tucked behind the placenta which is why I wasn't feeling anything.

Sorry for the long winded explanation but my question is, how do I keep track of a pattern now? I've still barely felt him which seems crazy since I could see him wriggling around all over the monitor and usually I feel every kick and roll. It's making me really anxious now as I could actively feel him constantly before, and not sure now how to know if movement is reduced

Sorry, no useful advice but I feel your pain! I'm 23 weeks with DC4 but this is my first anterior placenta and it is confusing and stressful going from full on kicks to nothing when he changes position. Hopefully someone more useful will have some advice! Good luck.x

Another person to add that I've no idea but I feel for you and will be watching this thread closely! I'm 36 weeks and in the same position with an anterior placenta. I've been in for fetal monitoring and he's absolutely fine, but movement has been much more limited since he's gone head down and behind the placenta. It's much trickier to detect patterns now and every few days I convince myself that I've somehow murdered him because I haven't felt anything for a while!

I'm using a kick counter app called 'time for baby' and find it helps to lie on my side and place my hand directly over my stomach to feel him. Before he turned, I could feel him without doing that.

Aw @Grumpy19 it's so hard when you have days where there's nothing but a couple more weeks and you should definitely start seeing a pattern! Unless of course he decides to hide like mine 

@RobynNora kick counter sounds like a good idea, yeah it's not nice when they 'disappear' and you have to actively look for the movements! I said to OH yesterday it's like he's moved out (I was hugely over tired ) think I was feeling small movements but just didn't recognise them because it's so different to full on kicks! Anterior placentas have a lot to answer for!

Hey.

My first was like this, I could have written your post myself!

Do you find your bump sort of moulds to a different shape? I never felt kicks but at the end I got some rolling movement feelings, and my bump would change shape. That was always a good indication for me.

Or I'd shine a light onto my bump and/or play music loud on my bump - that usually initiated the above bump shape change as baby moved away.

I did spend a lot of time really trying to get baby to roll or move so I could keep a eye on them esp in the last few weeks.

I also found when baby was engaged I could literally feel her moving in my pelvis.

I think I had 4 scans after 30 weeks due to reduced movements, the last of which resulted in me being induced and baby being born with the cord wrapped round her neck twice and belly once, so never be unsure of consulting midwives etc. They will understand esp given where your placenta is lying.

@OnNaturesCourse oh my goodness yes to the changing bump shape, my bump goes from hard really high up and squishy at the bottom, to suddenly flat at the top which it was when he turned head down. From yesterday though he seems to have flipped back up into my ribs but can't quite tell if his head is back up or not.
Will try Music and shining a light to get more movement.

Wow that must have been scary to know baby had the cord wrapped round but glad they delivered safely! How did you know? Was it just due to reduced movements? I'm not in the UK and it's not midwife led care here, I was made to feel a bit of a time waster going in the other night which really put me off but after reading your story I will definitely not think twice next time I feel something has changed!

I've got anterior placenta but do feel movements. They changed when he went down a bit less kicks and more pressure and tickling where his hands are. I didn't feel him move or didn't notice one day and went to the hospital at 6pm, they were so thorough said that I shouldn't have been waiting for so long, I stayed there for 30 min, baby moved on monitor, but they said I would only be released when I start feeling movement myself. They released me after an hour, I drank lots of water with ice that woke him up, they also said don't hesitate to come back even if it's the same night I do t feel him move. I pay more attention now and do feel him move every 3-5 hours. Sometimes my belly changes shapes and I feel him more on the outside with my hand on the belly. My point is if you are worried it's always worth going and checking.

I didn't know, nor did it show on the scans so it was solely down to reduced movement I got induced, I really didn't want to be induced and very nearly discharged myself and went home (fear of hospital stays) but I'm so glad I went ahead with it now.

First indication of cord trouble was baby heart rate dropping in active labour, and then it disappeared altogether. I also felt her move down with each push, but then slide back after the contraction. The cord was restricting her. Ended up with forceps delivery and her being "hauled" out... Thats when the cord trouble was seen

Having baby number 2 now and have been told the cord seems extra long again, and this time it's been seen on the scans so definitely a worry but we now know to keep a eye on things and not hesitate.

Good luck with everything with no.2 glad they are keeping a close eye!