Less movement at 22 weeks

[Scottishmum95]

Hi

I am too scared to call my mat unit, I’m 22+2 and started to feel moment at around 20.5/21 weeks and at the same times every day. Since I became 22 weeks on Sunday, I didn’t feel him at his usual times. I’ve done the usual relaxing, having something sugary & even had some orange juice, moved around, jiggled my stomach & hips and had my husband speak to him but nothing.

I feel like a huge burden if I call worrying as he’s my first baby, I’m a bit larger e.g size 18 with a high BMI & anterior placenta. I don’t want to be dismissed or seen as worrying.

should I just bite the bullet and call or wait til midwife in the morning?

Please don't look at it as being dismissed, please look at it as being reassured.

I'd call them now if you are concerned at all.

I would call them if you are worried. I had many episodes of reduced movement and they were always happy to see me and provide reassurance

I’d also call them in your shoes, but equally I’d try not to worry too much as 22 weeks is still really early for an established pattern of movement.

I called at 20 weeks with my second (currently 25 weeks!) As I'd felt patterns for 2 weeks then nothing. Turns out he'd gone breach and was kicking my low lying placenta so that's why I couldn't feel much

Please go and get checked, you won't be a burden at all. It's always best to be safe

Thank you all.

I had a broken sleep, called mat unit triage who said “oh well you’re only 22 weeks so he’ll be so small there will be no pattern, he’s maybe just moved or having some quiet time. If your still concerned later please call your community midwife who may be able to check on the Doppler for you. Bye.”

I’m not worried but feel she could’ve been a bit more reassuring rather than “ach well he’s too wee!” There’s no pattern to his movement but there’s usually a few flutters a day but nada since Sunday. 😟

Call the community midwife.

Called but no answer. My midwife is on annual leave so I’ve left a message with the community midwife team main number. They said they check the messages at 4.30pm 🤞🏻

Still no word back from community midwife team and maternity assessment unit won’t see me despite my concerns I voiced on the call. I’m pulling my hair out.

You have done the right thing by calling but try not to worry too much. I have an anterior placenta and didn’t feel any movement at all until 25 weeks. Then it would be very sporadic and some days I felt nothing until around 28 weeks when then started feeling movements daily. I was worried some days but did read that our baby’s can sometimes have lazy days earlier on and also where they are so small they can get into positions where we just can’t feel them. Having an anterior placenta doesn’t help and can really block you feeling movements. I’m not really sure what to suggest as my midwife said to only call triage if I had reduced movements from 28 weeks. Maybe you could call again tomorrow to see what they say if you still haven’t felt anything.

I had a scan at 22w and could see baby wriggling around but couldn’t feel a thing.

Have you tried having a bath? I know for others a bath has got baby moving.

Probably just moved position as still very small at this stage. Some places won’t do monitoring until 24 weeks so I’d say that response from them is probably normal.
hopefully community will get back to you soon and they’ll reassure with Doppler.

Call asap- any change or reduced movement! Do not hesitate. They would absolutely not tell you any different but be glad you went in!

OP ring your gp- they have a heart rate machine they can use.

Called community midwife line but closed for the day and they are striking tomorrow so not open. Called GP and they’ve told me to call triage/assessment unit. Called them again for 3rd time and they won’t see me until 24 weeks. I’m actually a mess, why does no one want to help?

Can you afford a private scan to get reassurance? I know they can be a bit pricey but it doesn't look like you're getting any help! Hoping the best for you, I'm sure everything is ok, but I think I'd want to check for sure.

I spoke to triage again and got a much nicer woman. She said my community midwife team are apparently known for not answering messages or replying. My midwife is fab but she’s on annual leave this week - typical! Triage midwife advise I call community team at 8.30am on the dot and ask for a Doppler as takes 2 mins. 🤞🏻 She was really reassuring, read my notes about my placenta placement etc, said my scan notes were healthy & she’s not concerned but of course if my anxiety gets worse to call them again. I need to chill I think.

It's so normal to overworry- I did the same with my first. I am glad everything is ok xxx

Sympathies, OP. It’s such a stressful time. Hope you get the result you want, but I also echo the suggestion to have a private scan if you can. I was seen by my MAU at 26 weeks who were puzzled by my reduced strength movements but “couldn’t” (wouldn’t?) book me an ultrasound over the weekend. I booked a private scan near me and sobbed my way through the walk there, the scan, and then the walk home. Everything was fine, baby was just in a tricky position. It is one of the best £70 I have ever spent, just for a bit of reassurance.