Advice from Those That Have Had/Have an Anterior Placenta - Movement

[MintGreenLife]

I'm 25+3 with my first, so don't have anything to compare movement to. I've felt really lucky in that I started to feel very faint movement around 16/17 weeks and by 18 weeks was getting little kicks. From 20 weeks onwards I've felt baby consistently. I know they're not meant to have an established pattern until 28 weeks, but his general movements are: first thing in the morning, after I've eaten, last thing at night and some sporadic movement in between. I definitely don't feel him every hour or anything like that, but usually every 2-3 hours he will have a kicking session, sometimes lasting most of the evening etc.

On Sunday evening just gone, I didn't feel him as usual last thing at night. Monday I felt him a lot less than usual, probably around three times compared to the usual 10ish though out the day. When I did feel him, kicks were really low down and fainter, where as I'm used to feeling them up by my belly button or just under my ribs. By 9pm I was worried so called Triage. I had a consultant appointment on Tuesday, so they told me to ask to have the baby checked then. However I did feel him a lot when I lay down to sleep that evening.

Tuesday morning I felt him first thing, then nothing until my appointment at 3pm. They did a quick scan, said heartbeat looked good. He did a kick or two during the scan and I think I felt them but can't be sure. On the scan he had his feet really low down on my right side. At my last scan he was head down, with his head right into my pelvis on my right hand side.

I guess what I want to ask is do you think the sudden quiet/lack of movements is because he's now feet down, instead of head down, as I've always felt movement quite high up? I am wondering if my placenta is fairly low, hence why I can't really feel him down there.

I also wanted to know if others with an anterior placenta have experienced the same? Consistent movement and then very quiet days? He's had the occasional quiet day, but always reassures me with lots of kicks later on, or goes back to being active again the next day, but fear today may be the third quiet day in a row!

It's possible you're feeling less movement because of a change in position, but I wouldn't assume that's the reason. If you're worried trust your instincts and call triage again. You may need to be quite insistent. I'm surprised when you phoned on Monday they told you to wait until your next appointment tbh. I've been having extra scans/CTG monitoring and at every single appointment they've reiterated the importance of any change (not just reduction) in movement and to phone even if it's in the morning and I already have an appointment booked the same afternoon.

@Twistedlogic thanks for your reply :) they said as I had felt him that day that was a good sign and not to worry too much. There is a fairly big difference between the last few days and what I'm used to with movement. I saw the midwife yesterday before I saw the consultant who commented on the fact that I had called triage the night before. It was a bit strange - she seemed quite perplexed and said they wouldn't be able to monitor me anyway so didn't really see why I had called. Then I went off to do my urine sample and when I came back she had completely changed her tune and was reinforcing the importance of reporting reduced movement and said even if I've had a scan during the day, if something didn't feel right never to assume all is well and to always call!

It's not easy when you're getting conflicting advice, even from the same person! I've felt him this morning, but still feels fainter than usual. I'll see how this morning goes, but if no improvement I will call back x

Anyone else have any experience with this? I’ve been feeling him quite a bit today, but the kicks are really low down and fainter than usual, but am comparing to the usual kicks around my belly button/ribs which I can usually see/feel with my hand. I’ve had a few low down that I’ve seen make my bump shake today, but mostly they feel faint. Is it normal for baby to get into a new position and stay like that for days?

Yes I went to get checked for this very reason and it was all ok. Seems I can't feel much (or anything!) on the right but lots on the left and it can switch between the two for days. Always call if you are worried about movement though!

@IndigoNC thanks so much, it's good to get an idea as to whether my theory is right and if others have experienced the same with an anterior placenta! I'm quite happy with what I've felt so far today. I think if I call they will most likely say it's because baby is still small/change of position/anterior placenta etc, but if I'm concerned again later I won't hesitate to call x

This happened to me too. I have days when he is super active and some days when he moves lazily but I can count more than ten movements a day. I think it depends on where the baby is positioned.

@feistymumma I think you’re probably right, and then having an anterior placenta doesn’t help! I’ve felt him lots today, just his kicks feel more internal if that makes more sense and mostly low, so think this different position has made things feel different x

He’s having a quiet evening again 😕 really hope this doesn’t go on longer than a few days and that he changes position. I’ll call triage again if no improvement.

@MintGreenLife

He’s having a quiet evening again 😕 really hope this doesn’t go on longer than a few days and that he changes position. I’ll call triage again if no improvement.

Mine was quiet most of today with movements to the side like being tickled but then really active when I had my dinner a few hours ago. Yes, if you are worried call the assessment unit but try not to stress too much. Having an anterior placenta sucks :)

Hi OP, I have experienced this throughout my pregnancy (38 weeks now). Anterior placenta and days and days of what I thought was a pattern only to be followed by a day of very reduced movement. If you have any concerns I’d just go straight to triage - I rationalise it that I’d waste more time worrying than getting checked out. Some midwives are more understanding than others but it’s your body and your baby so don’t let anyone make you feel like you are doing the wrong thing. I did find it got a lot better after 30 weeks when he started to get bigger, but I have still had one low movement day since then (and I went in). Really sympathise - anterior placentas make it really difficult!

It's really hard to say. I just ended up getting checked loads towards the end. Better to be safe than sorry and they were always happy to do it.

@feistymumma I’ve been on the go much of today so hard to judge what movement has been like. I felt him first thing this morn and then did notice a few kicks while I was out and about, and then another little kicking session when I lay on my side early evening. All of his kicks are low down, he seems to be staying in a breech position for now. Am putting the difference in movement down to that, but have wondered if I should call triage and check they agree with my theory! Although when I called on Monday they did say it could be down to him getting into a different position. Not sure if it’s normal for them to go from head down to feet down and stay that way for so long!

@AKM89 thanks so much for your reply. I may call triage tomorrow and just run it by them that his movements have been very different all week to previous weeks. It’s tricky as I guess for several weeks I was getting strong enough kicks that you can see them from the outside and feel them with my hand, but always higher up, and then this week all his movement is really low down. From my scan on Tuesday he is now feet down, so there is a logical explanation. I guess I just can’t feel movement low down in the same way I can higher up.

@Lelophants you’re totally right. Yesterday I felt a bit better with the amount of movement I felt, it just feels very different to what I was experiencing before. The low down kicks feel more like thuds/rumbles, although a few have been strong enough to see, whereas I was used to high up kicks being visible from the outside the majority of the time from around 21 weeks x

[quote MintGreenLife]@feistymumma I’ve been on the go much of today so hard to judge what movement has been like. I felt him first thing this morn and then did notice a few kicks while I was out and about, and then another little kicking session when I lay on my side early evening. All of his kicks are low down, he seems to be staying in a breech position for now. Am putting the difference in movement down to that, but have wondered if I should call triage and check they agree with my theory! Although when I called on Monday they did say it could be down to him getting into a different position. Not sure if it’s normal for them to go from head down to feet down and stay that way for so long!

@AKM89 thanks so much for your reply. I may call triage tomorrow and just run it by them that his movements have been very different all week to previous weeks. It’s tricky as I guess for several weeks I was getting strong enough kicks that you can see them from the outside and feel them with my hand, but always higher up, and then this week all his movement is really low down. From my scan on Tuesday he is now feet down, so there is a logical explanation. I guess I just can’t feel movement low down in the same way I can higher up.

@Lelophants you’re totally right. Yesterday I felt a bit better with the amount of movement I felt, it just feels very different to what I was experiencing before. The low down kicks feel more like thuds/rumbles, although a few have been strong enough to see, whereas I was used to high up kicks being visible from the outside the majority of the time from around 21 weeks x[/quote]
Hello, I have been really active too today so haven't really noticed movements but he has been on the quiet side today, was active when I was having some food earlier then back to sleep I guess. I think some days will be more active than others but no harm contacting the hospital if you are worried. That's what they are there for.

@feistymumma very true, and suppose not every day will be the same activity-wise! X

@MintGreenLife I am having this too and don't know whether to be worried or am I over thinking things..
I'm 25+1 have had really active few days of kicks - big strong ones too up high in my sides. Today I've felt movement but not like the last few days and more subtle and some very low down kicks.
Some movements I am feeling it's more like pressure of baby pushing out rather than the kicks I had been getting.
I had similar last week though where I had a quiet day too and midwife at assessment unit on phone said at this stage if I felt one movement a day they'd be happy but that's not what the kicks count says or the leaflet in my maternity notes.
Also have an anterior placenta

@Smurf123 oh it's such a worry isn't it, sorry to hear you're feeling much the same! I'm almost a week into a big change in movement now. This week all of his kicks have been really low down, whereas before they were always middle or higher, so for me I think it is down to the fact he has turned and just stayed that way round since.

I've found I've had conflicting advice regarding movement too. Today I felt him first thing, maybe 2-3 kicks between waking up and lunch (but I was active so wouldn't feel as much then anyway) and then about 10 kicks after lunch, but all on my lower left side.

I've started noting down his movements now, as otherwise I find it hard to think back over the day and what his activity has been like. I think were I to have a day where I hardly felt anything I would be calling triage again, but for now for me it seems this is his new pattern, but it is in all honestly quite different to what I had gotten used to.

I get the pressure feeling too. Makes me wonder if they have turned inwards with back of head/spine pressing outwards? So if that's the case then you probably wouldn't feel the inward kicks?

I think for me as his movement is very different anyway, were I to have a completely quiet evening I'd be calling triage again, even if it's just to discus what's been happening and my theory of him changing position/find out if it says on my notes that my placenta is front and low, because that would make a lot of sense and would reassure me x

I have an anterior placenta too. I started getting seen for what I felt was reduced movements at 24 weeks, think I must have been about once a week for a while! I just couldn’t feel her much at all, but they always listened in and she was always fine. I think where my placenta sat must have cushioned some of the movements, so when I’d think she was having a quiet day, it was actually just that she’d moved position and I couldn’t feel her. I’m 33 weeks now and it’s gotten much more intense thankfully, and much easier to feel! I think when they’re still so little, they can definitely find hiding spots. If you’re ever worried, just get checked out. They’d rather see you 100 times and everything be okay and put your mind at ease, than not see you.

I had an AP with my eldest and it was a head fuck because I had no idea what I was meant to be feeling. I was in and out of triage being checked from around 27 weeks right up until a few days before she was born. What you’re describing sounds very like what I had with her and I can remember seeing her kicking on the screen during later scans and not being able to feel what I could clearly see.

Second had placenta at the back and that was much better and made me realise how little I felt with my eldest.

Never be embarrassed to get checked out though. Better you go 100 times and everything be fine than miss once and it not be. Any decent midwife/doctor will tell you that, there’s absolutely no need to feel embarrassed. If in doubt, get seen.

I've felt a few more movements this evening but again low down and not as many / as strong as have been. My bump also really hurts.. I'm not sure that's normal. Achy when walking this afternoon and actually sore when I touch it, in and around belly Button.
I should probably go over or phone admissions (I don't have a midwife number) but I don't know whether I'm over reacting. I know my thoughts are probably also clouded by pregnancy with ds now 3 as his movements definitely changed (though not to 34/35 weeks) and no one took it seriously until they induced me at 37 weeks and he was born and they realised he had iugr and was anaemic too

@swiftt that’s good to know that your movement have gotten stronger and have caused less worry ☺️ I’m very happy this evening as baby seems to have finally gone back to head down and am getting lots of strong kicks up by my ribs! I had a few big kicks just as I was getting into the car at 6pm and he’s been on and off ever since. I think I laughed out loud to myself when I got that first high up kick - after a week of faint low down kicks it felt brilliant to know he’s turned back around again 💕

@SteveArnottsCodeine (love the username!!) thanks so much for sharing your experience, so good to know others with anterior placentas have found similar. As I said above he seems to have moved back into a head down position and am feeling brilliant to have my strong high up kicks again ☺️

@Smurf123 ah I can totally understand why you’d be on even higher alert with movements after your experience. Funny you say that as I had terrible pain just above my belly button at about 20 weeks. I honestly thought I might have a hernia. It started after I had been painting the nursery all day. I called triage and they weren’t worried. I just rested for the evening and it went away after a few hours. Definitely call if you’re worried x

Just wanted to say I had the exact same experience with my second son, who was an anterior placenta. My kicks around the same stage as you were felt very low down due to his position. Felt very different to my first who was not an anterior placenta. I was always thinking how many times I had felt him move in the day. Think this is totally normal.

If you have any concerns at any stage just phone the maternity unit and they should ask you in. I've had two sons and the aches in the bump are totally normal, it's like you can feel the skin stretching, like nothing you've experienced before!

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and congratulations.

@Chocolatetrifle thanks so much for the reassurance ☺️ Xx

Thanks @MintGreenLife and @Chocolatetrifle I did phone last night but they didn't seem concerned just told me to take some paracetamol and see if the ache eases. Also wasn't worried about the movements and just said but you have felt some which I had.
I ended up falling asleep on the sofa at 830 and it does seem less achy this morning. Still there but less so. Movements are still low down and less forceful that when they are higher but they are there so I'm assuming it's just baby's position. I have a consultant appt on Tuesday so I'll be asking then also