No movement yet and bump seems smaller :-(

[loulamay]

I know I'm being a bit irrational but just having one of those days and some words of reassurance would help, so here I am!

I'm 20+2 with my first, 41 yrs old and she's an IVF baby. We went through a bit of a rough time with recurrent miscarriage (4) so I've been a bit up and down throughout the pregnancy but for the most part, happy and feeling ok and then sometimes days like today hit. I have an anterior placenta and I've not felt any movement yet, which I know can be normal, even without the placenta factor, but I just wish I could feel her moving in there to know she's ok. Add to that the fact that I don't really have a bump (I'm 5 ft 9 and the midwife said the baby is hiding in my long torso) but over the past few days I felt like I was getting a bit bigger (yay) and then woke up this morning and the bump seems smaller. I'm sure this could just be because she's moved or that most of it was bloat (having the delights of constipation) but I just felt sad and have done for the rest of today wishing that I just knew everything was growing in there.

I've got a scan at 22 weeks and I had a private one at 17 where everything looked good but... I don't know. It's just hard.

Anyone else had later movement with or without an anterior placenta or had a bump that seemed to change size?

I didn't have regular movements with my first until well after 20 weeks and I didn't have an anterior placenta. I didn't have a bump that changed size but I don't develop a bump noticeable in clothes/to others until 26-29 weeks and I'm an inch shorter than you.

Hi op!
Fellow IVF’r who had an anterior placenta too!
I 100% know how you feel.
I didn’t have any kicks until 23 weeks and even then they were few and far between until he was strong enough to feel past the placenta. He then didn’t stop until he was out 😊
My bump didn’t show until around id say maybe 24/25 weeks, my shape changed daily really until I had the hard round bump!
Congrats on your miracle baby and wishing you all the best

I had movement from 14 weeks with my son, had MMC last year and now 20 weeks (constant panic and reading into everything following the MMC) - I feel flutters but nothing significant, I thought it would be even sooner with second pregnancy but it has only been the last week or so and only because I know the feeling - I could quite easily think it is wind/digestive!

Also, I am always so much smaller in the mornings - apparently your ab muscles regain strength overnight and then loosen up again throughout the day, so you will probably find you are bigger again by this afternoon/evening

It is so hard following miscarriage, but if everything was ok at 17 weeks then you are so much more likely than not to be fine. She'll be kicking your ribs soon and you'll wish she was back to quiet :) x

I'm only 16 weeks and my small bump goes up and down a lot and I find it changes shape too.

I am 24+3 today and its only been over the past 2 and a half weeks that I have been able to feel obviously distinct movements and even now they are not massively consistent! This is my first baby. My bump changes shape throughout the day, some days I feel bigger than others! Around 21 weeks I felt a few flutters I think but I really wasn't sure it it was baby or not. At my 20 week scan the sonographer asked if I was feeling baby I could see him moving lots on the screen but couldn't feel it, she said I was probably feeling him but not realising! Just felt more like my stomach settling after food!

Congrats OP! I had my twins at 41 via IVF and one placenta was anterior - I didn't feel movement until almost 22 weeks. My bump didn't change size much but I was carrying twins and everyone told me how small I was considering - I'm 5'10.
I'm now 33 weeks with a singleton at the ripe old age of 43 and have another anterior placenta - even now I feel hardly any movements and have to go in for scans or monitoring every few days because of it.
After 20 weeks (and up to 26 wk) your community midwife should come out and listen into baby with a doppler for you if lack of movement is making you stressed out.

Good luck x

I had an anterior placenta with my first and the difference in movement with my posterior one this time is unreal. At the moment your baby is small enough to 'hide', imagine if they've put themselves back to back, none of the bulky bits are facing where your bump is, only the limbs, which you can't feel as much because of the placenta.

One thing that helped me was to think that even if there was something not right the baby wouldn't have actually shrunk so fluctuations in bump size are all the things you say. I'm not saying that to make you feel silly, I had to tell myself that at least once a week!
Soon enough they will start getting a bit squashed up and making their presence felt in all directions, nothing like having a foot jammed up into your ribcage!

I could kiss you all, I really could!! Thank you. I love MN at times like these.

So great to hear similar stories. I also went out for a walk in the sunshine earlier so that has helped.

I do wonder if I'm feeling her at night, but equally could be wind because I have no frame of reference. Just need to hang in there until the next scan.

Your replies are all so appreciated