FIRST KICKS - when is it going to happen???? and what does it feel like

[TJuice]

i am 18 weeks and 3 days and am curious about feeling movement for the first time. all seems to well according to my frequent doppler checks but i am waiting with bated breath to feel my baby for the first time.

i have all sorts of twinges and feelings down there but can't distinguish a baby movement.

is it too early for the first time?
what's the best position to feel it?
do you feel it with your hand or just internally?
what does it feel like?

When you get the first ones (as I recall) it feels like a fluttering and is not all that strong. You will only feel it internally to begin with, it is only when babe is alot bigget that you can feel it externally.

I think you usually feel it later with your first, maybe because you don't know what the feeling is that you are looking for.

It also really depends what position your baby is in - if they are kicking towards your belly button you will feel it more, if they are kicking towards your spine you will feel it less.

When I was pg with DD, I didn't feel her movements until I was about 22-24 weeks. At first it felt like bubbles in my tummy, thought it was wind and thought no more about it. Then it was really regular, the bubbly feeling until eventually, I could feel swishing movements in there. I was like you and worried about it, but they do say it takes longer to feel the first.

This time with DS (I'm so excited to write DS lol) I felt the same bubbly movements at about 13-15 weeks and then definate kicks by 16 weeks. He is a right fidget now and because he is head down (not engaged) I can feel arms and legs all over the place, plus I can feel his head bouncing up and down. He does have lazy days though (don't we all?!) and on these days, I find that if I lay on my back, I can feel him a bit more.

I felt them internally first, but now at 22 weeks, there are definate moments where I can see and feel him externally. DH felt him the other night and nearly jumped out of his skin lol.

Think it varies from person to person though, although I would say that maybe it is a bit early to be feeling your LO yet if this is your first time.

HTH When you do feel him/her, you will instinctively know and you will get so used to it that when he/she is finally born, you miss it for ages!

Feels a bit like a bubble in a lava lamp when it rises up and reaches the top (as opposed to the trad description of a bubble popping - it's much 'gloopier' than that LOL.)
You probably won't feel anything with your hand yet. With my first I kept getting my bump wedged under my desk at work and the baby would do the fluttering/flurry effect to alert me.
If you have an anterior placenta or lots of excess weight you might not feel anything for ages.

feels like a fish swimming in your tummy

i guess i just have to be patient . . . i'm really looking forward to it though.

I thought it was wind until I saw my tummy actully moving - like someone prodding me from the inside IYKWIM. first time baby and first time this happened was 16 weeks.... so it could be any time on form now really!

For me it felt like two little fishes tumbling over each other - at 17 weeks. Kicks came later, forgot how much later.

I wouldn't be surprised if you can feel it now, but you don't realise what it is. When the movements get stronger and feel more definate, you will probably realise you have been feeling them for a while, but to a lesser extent - IYSWIM!

I felt mine first when I was lying in bed or sitting very still - when you move about you rock them to sleep so it's not till you are resting that they kick off as it were.

I would describe the first few weeks of movement as like when you have slight hunger pangs and you just feel a little thing in your lower abdomen.

Don't worry, everyone worries about when quickening will happen. Rest assured it will happen soon for you.

I felt my baby move at 18 weeks (first pregnancy). I thought my waistband was falling down. It felt like tapping from the inside.

To begin with, I felt it more when i was sitting down. Now (36 weeks), feel it more when i sit/lie down but also feel her moving when i walk.

It's a nice feeling.

Oooooooooohhhh feeling all broody again.

I felt mine at 17 weeks but my BF (we were pg together) was 24 weeks!

I felt mine when laid in bed at night. It was like little taps from the inside. At 19 weeks DH could feel them from the outside (but I understand this is quite unusual so early).

Congrats!