Baby movements - 23 weeks

[Usedtobechilled]

Hi,
Hoping someone's experienced similar... I'm 22 +5 and for the last week or so I've felt movements on and off throughout the day however the last few days I've only felt the baby move once or twice in a day. Is this concerning or typical at this stage?

I'm also 22+5 and sometimes have quieter days

Do you have an anterior or posterior placenta? I had anterior with my first two and only started to feel movements around 22 weeks. If I was worried, I'd lie on the sofa on my side and eat something sugary or have a really cold drink.

If you are still worried, contact your midwife/maternity ward triage and say you are concerned about reduced movement.

Better to be safe .

Mine is anterior too and first baby but because I've already felt movements I feel like it's a bit odd to have not felt very much at all the last couple of days. Maybe they're having a quiet few days, just don't want to over react but also don't want to under react

I think you are right to be cautious.

NHS guidance states if you notice reduced movement then to act on it. It's always better to be over-cautious, I think.

I’m 22+4 and definitely have quieter days. Midwife said it’s normal, and as long as I’m feeling baby every day I shouldn’t worry too much. Just have a cold sugary drink and lie down (either on your left or your back) and see if that helps.

Forgot to add, midwife also advised that even if baby has a ‘random’ pattern of movement, it’s still a pattern. I said I was concerned as I often go hours without feeling baby and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to establish a pattern, but she advised this IS considered a pattern, and if the usual cold sugary drink / star jumps don’t get the baby moving then not to worry too much at this stage.

I became fixated on my baby's movement in my current pregnancy (now 39 weeks) as I lost my first baby last year (nothing to do with reduced movements!) At your stage of pregnancy I was constantly looking for this 'pattern' everyone speaks about. My little one only developed some kind of regular movement from I'd say 31/32 weeks. I've learnt now that at 23 weeks the baby is still so little that they can hide or be kicking your back or somewhere you can't feel. However, if you are ever in doubt please go get checked. They do not mind at all. I have been in worried about movements over ten times this pregnancy, and though each time she's been fine, I've always thought I'd rather know that I've checked any worries than left them. At your stage they will just use a Doppler, but sometimes just hearing that little heartbeat is all the reassurance you need!

I didn’t feel any movement until about 22/23 weeks and for a fair few weeks it was sporadic and I’d have days - even 2 days in a row - where I barely felt anything. That was with a posterior placenta.

Baby still has lots of room in there to hide at this stage, and this is quite normal. They don’t really take monitoring seriously until about week 27 onwards.

However, if you are anxious then definitely go in - they’ll use the doppler and give you a quick check over. It’s no good to sit at home worrying.

Your baby has probably just moved around, however just phone the midwife for reassurances. I've been on a monitor a few times and can see movements are often not felt (they graph your felt movement ts against actual movements picked up by the monitor ... much more! )

Thanks everyone for your help. I tried phoning my maternity unit last night but no answer with 3 different numbers all of which are supposed to be 24 hours 😑 I did lie on my side for a while and I did feel a couple of movements so I think I'm being paranoid. From everything I've read and from what everyone here is saying, there's no 'regular movement' this early on anyway so I'm going to try and relax a bit. How do people cope with this constant worrying 😂

This thread has been so useful to ready today. I'm 23 weeks and feeling the same so will try suggestions made.