Baby's movements

[firstimemamma]

I'm 27 weeks today with my second baby and there is absolutely no pattern whatsoever to my baby's movements. How am I supposed to know if he or she is in trouble and go in for monitoring?

I've been on the kicks count website etc and the bottom line is always the same - it's very important to seek help if the baby deviates from their routine or slows down in any way but I'm just confused as to how i can do that when there is no routine or anything.

I feel the baby move but completely at random and he or she obviously has quiet spells for sleeping or resting.

I texted my midwife but she doesn't always text back. Has anyone experienced something similar? With my first baby there was a sort of pattern that generally revolved around him being very active in the evenings or when I was chilling on the sofa. This time around I just feel a bit lost.

I don’t think the routine is important- if you feel nothing then that’s the issue- usually there’s things that can trigger a kick: cold drink, fizzy drink, lying a particular way.

That's where I get confused though. Surely 'feeling nothing' is normal and the baby can't constantly be moving. Otherwise I'd be phoning up ten times a day! I'm not trying to be rude so sorry if that came out wrong, just genuinely trying to understand. Thanks for commenting.

Even if it's not a set routine I'm sure you'll get a feel of how often your baby moves- like if you normally feel something every 3-4 hours and you don't feel anything for 6 or seems like less frequent movements then that's a change that would need to be reported iyswim?

Thanks @Teaandcrumpets95 what stage do you think I'd be able to tell that by? Do you think by 30 weeks I'd be able to know if there is a general reduction in movements?

I with you. Also 27weeks and he’s usually quite active after lunch and late evening. But I spend ages feeling and will feel a slight kick and think, phew all ok. But then nothing else happens and I think ‘1 kick? Oh no maybe he’s not ok!’ and go back to prodding to see if he will move. It’s really hard to tell! He was lying across the front until last week and I could feel loads, he turned whilst I was at the midwife’s last week and now is back to back so I can’t feel so much (except excruciating back pain, thanks baby!). As I remember from
My first it gets easier to prob then into moving as they get bigger but I was worried right up until the end last time!

Here in the Netherlands they only expect you to notice a pattern at 32 weeks. Until then it's at least some movement every day. I think it shows it's not an exact science and the expectation to feel a pattern before this is not helpful for everyone. I understand what you mean about the uncertainty. I'm not at 32 weeks yet but go crazy if I haven't felt her for a while. I know she's probably sleeping but do everything to wake her up. Poor baby.

@firstimemamma

That's where I get confused though. Surely 'feeling nothing' is normal and the baby can't constantly be moving. Otherwise I'd be phoning up ten times a day! I'm not trying to be rude so sorry if that came out wrong, just genuinely trying to understand. Thanks for commenting.

No not rude, it’s confusing. There’s no set time, I’m sure your baby would move over the course of day 6hrs

I'm 39 weeks and my baby has never had a pattern. Some days barely anything all day then some days she's kicking frequently from the moment I'm awake. I've just had to keep on eye on movements and make sure it hasn't been hours since last movement and have a lie down to see if she moves if I can't remember, it's so difficult when they don't have a routine.

Oh meant to say, I have an anterior placenta too so I think she gets hidden behind the placenta sometimes, which doesn't help!

No, it's not normal to 'feel nothing', OP. Usually around 28 weeks you should be able to distinguish when your baby usually moves - and I don't necessarily mean every 2 hrs or 6am and then 8am etc. It would be, for example, first thing in the morning when you wake up, before you fall asleep, after meals etc. You'll learn to recognise what's normal for your baby fairly quickly and then the current advice is that any change in your baby's pattern from 28 weeks onwards warrants investigation, ie. a CTG at the Obstetric Assessment Unit. It's an outdated advice that you need to feel nothing - a reduction or lightening of movements can inducate the baby is in distress. If there are no movements at all, it may already be too late. I had similar concerns to you when I was around 24-26 weeks and made an effort to make some quiet time to listen to the baby and notice his movements myself over a period of 2-3 weeks and there definitely is a pattern and you learn to expect it. Don't worry, spend some quiet time, lay down on your side with a glass of water for half an hour few times a day and things will soon become easier to spot best of luck xx

I had an anterior placenta and felt little/no movement. No just no pattern just did not feel him kick unless I concentrated at 4am them sometime I felt something. My partner never felt the baby kick.

The count the kicks app can help you find a pattern.

I ended up going for twice weekly monitoring at the DAU. The midwife was not concerned but this put my mind at rest.

Anterior placenta makes it more difficult to feel movements btw

I am 35 weeks and feel movements most after I eat. There are days when I feel he moves less but I think it’s more because I am busy and not paying attention! I wouldn’t say he has a definite routine - not the same times every day - but more so based on my eating times. He’s more active in the hour after I eat, this is when I get the most kicks! And again late at night say 10pm-12am. I agree it’s difficult to ‘know’ if there’s a problem- I think also trust your instincts. If you get really worried try eating something with a bit of sugar and see if that makes baby wriggle! Xo

I’m 32 weeks and no “pattern” here either. My baby’s pattern is that there’s no pattern! I also have an anterior placenta and it’s caused me so much stress. Baby’s position can greatly impact upon how much I feel too. If I’m unsure as to when I last felt baby, I’ll have a bounce on my ball, a little snack and then have a lie down and I can usually pick up on movements. As per a PP saying it’s not normal to not feel anything, that’s not exactly true as baby will have awake and asleep time (and again depending where your placenta is, will depend on what you can feel). My midwife did say that sometimes it can be more like 32 weeks until you notice a pattern (if there is one) but I just go off feeling movements throughout the day. Of course, if you’re unsure/need reassurance etc, phone into triage and they’ll happily check (I’ve been several times) x

Thanks all for the responses. Really useful and interesting to hear other mums' view and experiences. I think I'll download the kicks app and also bring things up on my midwife appt on Monday.

I think sometimes baby's pattern can be a bit loose. My first's pattern was something like: a good sleep in the early morning, following by a kickboxing session around breakfast time, then quite a lot of activity the rest of the day – but not massively consistent in terms of when. Interestingly, that's still how she is at almost 2.5. Naps by the clock are not her thing.

Currently 29 weeks with my second, and he/she seems fairly similar (but prefers an evening kickboxing session, and an earlier wake up).

It's a lot easier not to worry too much about this when baby moves a lot, though, and I still managed to worry a bit!