Reassurance about baby not moving much on scans?

[Cafeaulait27]

Hi everyone, I’m almost 17 weeks and just worrying slightly about baby not moving much on scans. Lots of people say their baby wiggles loads on the screen but mine hasn’t as yet!

At the 12 week scan I was so happy that he even had a heartbeat and everything looked normal after previous losses that I didn’t think much about movement on the screen. At one point I thought he was wiggling and commented on it but the sonographer said he’s ‘not moving that much actually’. She wasn’t concerned or anything so I wasn’t either.

Then I had a 16 week private one last week and I did see him move his arms and hands a bit at the beginning, but the sonographer had to use the probe to try to wake him up later in the scan so she could get all the measurements. He did wake up but only moving his arms/hands a bit. She said nothing to worry about just a sleep cycle.

Then I realised after that baby has been ‘lazy’ in both scans so far. Does it mean anything? Has anyone had scans like this but then baby is actually fine?

All our tests/screens came back fine, heartbeat and measurements all good.

Is he just as lazy as me?!

Thanks

I think I've got a lazy one. Has made small movements in scans but no flips or rolls and always seems to be in a difficult position! I feel plenty of movements now at nearly 26 weeks so trying not to worry. It's probably just timing of the scans. It was suggested to me to have a glass of orange juice 30 mins before a scan as that should wake baby up but it didn't work the one time I tried it!

A baby isn’t lazy, he was just in a sleep cycle, like the sonography said. If there was anything to worry about they would have told you.

Nothing to worry about.

My first had to be jiggled awake, they also had to send me away to eat something sugary and jump around at one scan to get him to wake and change position.

Just start watching out for movement yourself now. This might be quite late if this is your first. Didn't feel anything until I was 22 weeks. Your baby will get into a normal rhythm of movement just take note of this.

My baby did not stop moving at the 12 week scan, wiggling all over the place. At the 20 week scan he almost stubbornly would hardly move, even after being sent away to walk around to try and wake him up. At 32 weeks went for a private scan and equally sleepy. It's just when you catch them. It's scary before you can feel them move (and still scary even then!), you just have to trust that everything's going ok in there :)

Thanks guys 😌 I always find something to worry about!

Do you think it’s ok that it was like this at both scans though?

I’ve only had these two scans throughout my pregnancy... feel like I really want to see a wiggly baby at my 20 week scan now as it would make me feel more reassured!

Thanks

@4amWitchingHour yeah I guess it’s just 2 short occasions while they’re being scanned over 4 months! So makes sense I guess that they could be caught in a none moving phase.

I do feel like I’ve felt movement on and off like vibrations and waves/swimming sensations but I always doubt myself when it’s not happening! X

Yes, definitely ok that it was like this at both scans :) it's such a short time that you're looking at them for, and they sleep a lot in there!

Sometimes a wiggly baby can cause more issues at a scan than anything. My DD was a lazy little so and so, but I'm currently 17+3 and at my 12 week scan, the sonographer was getting increasingly pissy as baby was completely upside down and wouldn't stop wriggling! Took us a fair while to get any sort of measurements. I really wouldn't worry! If the sonographer was deeply concerned about anything you'd know by now. Try and enjoy your pregnancy now 😌 x

My baby became like a statue during every single scan we had, finding out his sex was a nightmare because he refused to move his legs despite much dancing about on my part 🙈 I honestly wouldn't worry, as long as you can feel baby moving (maybe when you're a bit further along than now) and you get used to his patterns I'm sure it will be fine. Some babies wiggle more than others 🤷‍♀️ I was also told a baby that didn't leap around much would be a great sleeper once born...I'm sorry to say this is a myth 🤣

My two children have been totally different - my firstborn (boy) really didn't move much at all throughout pregnancy, he was very "chilled" during scans, I didn't feel anything until about 21 weeks due to anterior placenta and then everyone said babies will a pattern of movements... He never did! In later pregnancy I'd feel him move at least a few times every 24 hours but not huge movements or predictable.
I'm now 39 weeks pregnant with a girl and she has just been the opposite end of the scale to the point that truth be told I wish she moved a little less as I'm constantly uncomfortable and scans (which I need frequently) are a nightmare as she never stays still enough for them to get measurements 😂🤦🏻‍♀️ I wouldn't worry too much OP (although it's understandle when it's your first!), especially at 17 weeks I wouldn't be worried about baby not moving much on scans. They'll be checking there's a good heart beat every time and that's the main thing that would continue to reassure me 😊

Don't worry, I'm 20+1 and had to have 3 dating scans because the baby wouldn't move, in the end they did an internal scan to get a due date. The baby turned over, was waving their arms and legs but wouldn't change position. I started feeling them move at 16 weeks though so they obviously can move. The sonographer said it was all very normal and weren't concerned at all x

Thank you guys, this has helped to reassure me.

I’ve been feeling the odd movement but not regularly, sometimes I go days without feeling anything. It is early though and I have an anterior placenta.

No one has been concerned so far, and I have a video of the scan from Saturday which shows babies arms moving a few times and fingers wiggling. Xxx

At my 20 week scan he was stubbonly in the wrong position they had to book me in for a second. At the second scan 3 weeks later he was in exactly the same position - depsite everything (I mean, I ended up doing star jumps to try and move him) they had no choice but to just take the measurements they could.

Whereas at my midwife appointments they've used a doppler and each time they've said ' he's quite active' - even if I haven't been able to feel it.

Also - I have a posterior placenta (so should feel movement etc earlier) was told to ignore so much advice etc online about when you feel movements and kicks and was told I'd start feeling them at 25-28 weeks. As a FTM you have no idea if it's trapped wind or baby moving. It wasn't until about 24 weeks that I felt definite movement/kicks. Even now (27+6) I sometimes don't feel the movement unless my hand is on my bump.

One thing I'm learning is that if they are concerned, there will be follow ups/monitoring etc. If they're not concerned, they expect you to get on with it. xx