When to worry about too little movement?

[angel1976]

Hi ladies,

First of all, happy new year! Hope this new year will bring us all our heart's desires...

I just need to ask: When do I worry about too little movement? I've got a high anterior placenta and because of that, I really haven't felt much OBVIOUS movements through this pregnancy. It's more a small thump here and a poke there than big kicks (though my m/w says her doppler tells her otherwise at the last appointment!). For the last two or three days, LO has been quiet as anything in the day. As I have been shopping big time in the sales, I haven't been too worried. But today, I almost panicked as I was consciously trying to feel him through the day but nothing except for the tiniest squirm once or twice though

I felt him having hiccups after lunch (and I did feel a few small movements when I lied down in the early evening). I was almost hysterical but from about 11pm onwards, he started moving about (squirming and a few small kicks) quite a bit. Last night as well, I remember feeling him when I woke up to pee quite a few times. So should I worry? Is he just a little night owl?

I just find it so difficult to tell as I have NEVER felt big movements in this pregnancy, this whole movement thing has been such a struggle since day one. When should I really start worrying? Please help! I'm trying to start this new year on a positive note and failing miserably! Thanks!

Ax

Forgot to say I am 31 + 3 weeks!

Hello Pet,
I'm sure you've gone to bed now but I hate to see you unanswered.
Movements will be on the wane from now as baby is getting too big to fly about - from what I can tell, your Mw thinks things are Ok, and baby is making regularish if not huge movements. I think the time to be worried is if they actually stop. I know that often you will be asked to count movements - say, ten in an hour - and try lying on your left side and drinking some juice, to see if that makes him/her wriggle - but I don't know at what stage of pregnancy the ten fidgets rule would apply (can you see I'm not an expert!)
The few times I have heard of a lack of movement meaning anything significant was when someone felt a sudden big increase in movement, followed by a sudden stop - it turned out that the baby had caught itself up in the cord, and was trying to get free but very, very sadly didn't manage to
It is extremely rare for a baby at 31 weeks gestation to develop such a serious problem.
If you are feeling worried though, do keep ringing your Mw because only someone who can actually see you and feel the baby can really reassure you xx

I agree, since 30 wekks ish movements changed from kicks to squirms, so less obviously noticeable.

I also agree to ring mw if worried because I have never heard one say 'oh you shouldn't have bothered coming in, there was nothing to worry about' - they would prefer you to check it out if you are worried at all.

Happy new year!

From what you describe, the movements sound quite regular. "a small thump here and a poke there" sounds normal to me. As Flllight says, at 31 weeks, there's less room in there for him to flail around. I think as long as you can feel him and nothing too extreme is happening, all is well. Hopefully he's just incredibly chilled out and this will continue when he comes out When do you next see your midwife?

Hi,

Thanks for all your replies! I see my mw next week at my 32-week appointment. I felt him hiccup again last night when I woke up to pee and did feel him moving about but of course, the moment I seem to be awake, he stops! Argh!

Thanks so much for all your reassuring messages. I will call the mw if he stops moving completely... Wish me luck!

Ax

I would say you should contact the midwife if you think that things do not seem normal to you. If he has never moved that much he is not going to start now he is big. Most babies are night owls anyway.

They also know when you try to feel them and keep quiet. Little monsters . I bet they hide and giggle to themselves whent hat happens.

Mine is the opposite, moves about 22 hours a day, and hard. Three hours without movement and I would be on the phone to mw . Sounds like you are doing fine. Hiccups means he is practising his breathing and swallowing amniotic fluid, sign of a healthy baby!

Hi madmouse,

Thanks for your post. My LO has never moved much (well, I blame it on the position of the placenta as he seems to move about on the ultrasounds we have had!) which makes it all the more worrying for a first-time mom-to-be like me!

I had to laugh when you say they keep quiet when they know you are trying to feel them! This little monster certainly does that when daddy tries to cop a feel!

Ax

My little one does that too. S/he kicks me like crazy except when dad/auntie want to feel the kicks - then nothing! At least the baby knows its own mind

My ds1's placenta was posterior and dd2's was anterior like yours and there was a huge difference in the movements. I got very paranoid with dd as there were so few and had quite afew CTGs but all was fine.

I think it was also due to the fact that I was constantly on the go looking after ds1 (there is only 17.5 months between them) and I rarely sat still. Midwife told me off and said that they dont move as much when you are rushing around so only try to count the moves when you are sat still. Also the sugary drinks/sweets helps to give them a push.

If you are worried though, the CTGs really put my mind at rest as she moved around like a maniac when I had them! Maybe ask your midwife about it.

BTW CTG (have no idea what it stands for) is when they strap two monitors to you one to check the heart beat of the baby one for contractions then they give you a button to press when you feel the baby move. It is all printed on a graph sheet and takes about 20mins. If you already knew that- ignore!

Hi,

I'm pregnant with my first and am 33 weeks. I get quite a lot of movements but usually only really feel them when I am not doing much - makes sense really.
Also, my midwife told me that sometimes when you are walking around the movement has a rocking effect on the baby and it sends it to sleep, so if you have been hitting the shops hard your LO has probably just been chilling out and enjoying the ride!!!!

When I was pg my baby never did the violent 'Ooh he'll be a footballer'-type kicks, and I scared myself with the time to feel ten movements thing but he was fine. As long as the mw says the heart is OK, and nothing changes hugely don't worry - which is the most frustrating thing anyone can say when you're pg I know. Sorry!

Hi ladies,

Just to let you know that I made hubby take me to the delivery suite after a conversation with the midwife who told me to come in if the decreased fetal movement is something I haven't felt before. They strapped me up to a CTG (thank dragonhart for your re-assurance about the difference in feeling kicks between anterior/posterior placenta, I know it makes sense but can't help but worry and it helps to hear form someone who has experienced both sides!) and the baby was very active (some of the kicks which I felt!). The nurses/doctors were lovely and did all the tests (BP, temperature etc) and said I did the right thing coming in. They told me to start doing kick counts (10 in 24 hours) and to come in if I can't feel 10 in 24 hours. They were really, really nice and made me feel so much better! I think I really have to resign myself to not feeling much with this baby. Thanks everyone for your input, you don't know how invaluable it has been!

Ax

Hi there, I am 38 weeks and also have an anterior placenta, had one last year with my first too. Neither of them has been great for kicks. This one I feel a little more but I will get one or two days of kicks and then he will turn to the back and worry me for days on end. I do all the usual stuff, ice cold drink ling on my left side, eating something sweet, Jon talks to him, but nothing, then just as I am about to go out my mind or have dragged my huge bum to the midwife he perks up!

The thing is if you are worried no amount of visits or reassurance will change that because as soon as babs settles again you will start worrying again.

The joy of motherhood!

angel, a trick to get daddy have a feel: When lo is active, put your hand over your bump where you can feel it and keep quiet for a bit. Then beckon daddy over, tell him to be quiet and slide his hand under yours. It worked for us and lo has now lost all inhibition as far as daddy is concerned

By the way, need to check with midwife i think, my placenta is supposed to be anterior, but I am being bashed about like nobody's business!

Hi,

Phatmouse, I know exactly what you mean about the worrying, it's like one endless cycle.

madmouse, I will certainly try your trick, this one has been so shy around daddy!

Ax