Baby only moves when I poke my stomach?

[bugswhatsup]

Hi,

I'm almost 33 weeks pregnant. Have been in around 4 times for reduced movements, have had 2 growth scans and a Doppler scan just as precautionary measures. All fine. However, at my last scan my experience put me off a little. The sonographer showed me that baby is practicing breathing, mentioned how I'd been in 4 times and said to me "if baby was unwell she wouldn't be practicing how to breathe, poorly babies don't normally have the energy to do that". I said something along the lines of how great that was and asked if I have reduced movement again should I still go in? She said "it depends but your baby doesn't look poorly to me"

She was obviously trying to reassure me and I don't think any malice was intended when she said it but it's put me off going in again... like I've already been told she's fine and I'm wasting their time.

Yesterday she started moving a little less, but I'd had a really busy day. I got some movement out of her when I poked her a few times so decided I was happy with that. However, today she's the same. Not really moving voluntarily and I'm needing to really annoy her as such to get her moving! Do these movements count if I provoked them?

Im so so stressed and just don't know what to do. Im really struggling with being the only one who can make these decisions. Would you go in or is this normal at 33 weeks? 😞 thanks!

If you’re in any doubt please call your midwife/maternity triage. Do not be out of by the sonographer. You know your baby and their movements and if they’ve changed it needs looking into.

Do not be put off* not out of! Sorry I was typing quickly.

If you are at all unsure give them a ring. Don't rely on anyone else to make that call. It is probably fine but it's not worth the chance of not calling.

If you're busy then maybe you're not registering movements even when she's making them. They say is you have some ice water or something sweet and baby lives then thats fine id assume poking is the same since baby is moving.

I went in twice around that stage. It was clear he was hardly moving on the monitor and I remember the midwife accusing me of not eating enough, she made me feel awful !
Follow your instincts, don't let one person out you off.

Go everyday if u need to, its their job to examine you

Don't be put off calling by one person. I'd rather be a pain in the arse to triage than for something to be wrong with my baby and I didn't call because I didn't want to be a nuisance.

Call the midwife or the ward at the hospital. They will tell you if you don't need to worry.

She was wrong babies can go from fine to poorly quite quickly
If in doubt get checked, it doesn't matter what they think, as previous poster said go everyday if you have too, please never leave it for fear you're wasting their time, it's your right to reassurance and to check on the baby if you feel something isn't quite right
Most midwife's would rather check and see hundreds of health babies than one that isn't

Thanks for everyone's advice! I went in, was totally reassured, baby was still a little quiet but got quite active towards the end of the monitoring and overall I'm happy with her movements now. Midwife was lovely, said never to assume all is just okay and to get checked out immediately if it was to happen again. ☺️

Nice one. Well done mama.

Glad it’s all ok, I think the sonographer was trying to reassure you, don’t let it put you off being checked. Better to visit a thousand times and be fine than miss something out of shame!

Midwife sonographer here. Glad to see your update. Never, ever be put off going in if you have concerns, it’s just not worth the risk. I’d rather scan you every day than have anything happen to your baby because you’d been scared of being a nuisance.

I’m so glad you went and also that the midwife was lovely, I agree always best to check and in my experience they’ve been lovely at encouraging checks if worried (though in my case I was right to be worried I had gestational diabetes and they still didn’t check with a glucose when I raised worry about my thirst several times. I hate feeling pushy but it’s given me more determination to be my own advocate if even slightest chance something wrong! )

Thanks for everyone's lovely messages. Really nice to hear I've done the right thing. Baby is moving a lot better today ☺️

The ultrasound department have just called me and said they've been requested to book me a scan for tomorrow, obviously I've booked it but normally the midwife at the triage informs me if I need a scan at my hospital. Is this just precautionary and do you have to be scanned after each episode of reduced movements? Not complaining either way, as long as baby girl is happy and healthy I'm good ☺️

@bugswhatsup I went in for reduced movements on Saturday and was given a follow up scan on Monday - I think because it's not the first time I’ve been in. The sonographer was lovely though and said what your midwife said about preferring to see me weekly than have me stay away out of not wanting to be a nuisance.

@bugswhatsup

Hi,

I'm almost 33 weeks pregnant. Have been in around 4 times for reduced movements, have had 2 growth scans and a Doppler scan just as precautionary measures. All fine. However, at my last scan my experience put me off a little. The sonographer showed me that baby is practicing breathing, mentioned how I'd been in 4 times and said to me "if baby was unwell she wouldn't be practicing how to breathe, poorly babies don't normally have the energy to do that". I said something along the lines of how great that was and asked if I have reduced movement again should I still go in? She said "it depends but your baby doesn't look poorly to me"

She was obviously trying to reassure me and I don't think any malice was intended when she said it but it's put me off going in again... like I've already been told she's fine and I'm wasting their time.

Yesterday she started moving a little less, but I'd had a really busy day. I got some movement out of her when I poked her a few times so decided I was happy with that. However, today she's the same. Not really moving voluntarily and I'm needing to really annoy her as such to get her moving! Do these movements count if I provoked them?

Im so so stressed and just don't know what to do. Im really struggling with being the only one who can make these decisions. Would you go in or is this normal at 33 weeks? 😞 thanks!

Never dismiss these things. I was told DS was ‘practising breathing’ at 33 weeks too and then at 40 weeks, during the induction I had to push hard for because I felt something was wrong, we realised it was due to maeconium in the waters and that hadn’t become apparent until my waters broke. He needed weeks of check ups afterwards but thankfully it hadn’t affected his lungs too much.

Thanks @itssquidstella I think it is just a follow up like yours, good to check up on baby tho I suppose 😊 definitely will go in again if I'm concerned, so much better to be safe than sorry!

@Ozanj thanks for sharing that with me, must've been stressful for you! I've heard it's very hard to get them to induce before 41 weeks but glad they finally listened to you! Did you ask your midwife about the induction? I'm not too worried about baby at the minute but if the reduced movements episodes carry on I'm definitely going to be enquiring about it if i feel it's necessary!

So Glad your DS was okay and I will 100% keep listening to my instinct and not just assume she's okay! X