Movement at 22 weeks?

[Mimba1]

I've been feeling my baby kick off and on since about 14 weeks (1st PG to get this far, normal placenta position). Over the last couple of weeks it's been every day but some days I feel him kick loads, other days hardly at all. The "tricks" everyone tells me don't seem to work when he's quiet - I don't feel him at all when I'm lying on my side, only my back. Anything cold and he goes completely still (even a cold hand on my tummy and he'll stop moving for at least an hour, same with drinking cold water). When he does kick it's usually in the morning, quiet over lunch and then picks up 3pm - 8ish. But some days I'll only feel him move twice in the whole day. I'd read a few threads that said this was normal so wasn't too worried (especially as I had a "kicky" day yesterday and am feeling him move every day).

So I went to the midwife this morning expecting her to say this is fine and don't worry about a pattern for a few weeks. But she didn't. She told me the baby should have a pattern already and if I notice they aren't kicking when they usually do I should call the hospital. Honestly, if I did that I would've called them last Sunday, Thursday and Friday...

Has anyone else been told this? Would you phone the hospital up to 3 times a week? I'm not even sure they can do anything if there is a problem this early. I don't want to be the "pregnant lady who cried wolf" and miss a real problem later on! Is that a silly thought?

NHS website says to call when:

-your baby is moving less than usual

-you cannot feel your baby moving any more

-there is a change to your baby's usual pattern of movements

They'd rather you ring up constantly and nothing end up being wrong than you not ringing and missing something. Having a day of not much movement might be normal for you most of the time but one of these times it might not be normal xx

I am in exactly the same boat pretty much. 22 weeks lateral placenta. I don’t think baby exactly has a pattern as of yet. As you said I feel the odd ‘popping’ sensation a few times a day and then more frequently at night usually.. but then this isn’t always necessarily true as last night I felt nothing. I had a private scan yesterday afternoon though which was fine baby was kicking away and I didn’t feel the kicking although they were kicking on the screen. I always thought it was by 24 weeks they should develop a pattern and if not then this is something I’d discuss with my midwife on this appointment so will be interested to hear what others say

The NHS website has a useful link to RCOG and both confirm it's after 24 weeks that you should start to notice a pattern. See here: www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/baby-movements-pregnant/

In all of my pregnancies I felt movement from 16 weeks, then it changed in weeks 20-24 until a pattern emerged.

Though give your midwife a ring if you're concerned.

@Olive1701 I'd seen people talking about movements and an anterior placenta - hadn't occurred to me that there were more options than anterior and "normal". Just looked at my notes and I have a posterior placenta. Apparently this means I'm more likely to feel kicks earlier - which I guess is true as my first "flutter" was at about 14 weeks even thought this is my 1st and my husband felt several really clear kicks at 18 weeks. Most days I can feel the baby with my hand on my tummy. I kind of worry if I can't! Maybe that's why the midwife was saying what she did as I'm already getting strong movements and have been for a little while now.

I need to get an "every pregnancy is different" poster to go on my office wall. And then just follow the NHS guidance. I'll see how it goes and hopefully he will just get into a pattern now. He's just woken up for the afternoon today which seems pretty normal for him... This whole experience is not what I expected!

Good luck with your pregnancy!