High anxiety, no movement

[JJ456]

I’m 19 weeks pregnant and really struggling with anxiety. Part of it is triggered by not feeling movement yet. I have an anterior placenta but I haven’t really felt anything at all. Lots of people at same gestation are going on about bubbles and butterflies etc and it just feels like nothing to me. I can’t stop thinking something is wrong and fearing the worst.

I worry a lot about it and yesterday DP properly went off at me about how I keep ‘taking our baby away’ and won’t let us get excited about it. But it’s just so tough when I constantly can’t stop thinking like this.

Does anyone have any tips for relaxing when it comes to pregnancy especially before movement? Did anyone not have movement at 19w or should I be panicking?

Hi

I had an anterior placenta and didn't feel my first flutters till 22 weeks and proper kicks later.

It's normal to feel the way you are but rest assured that this is common with anterior placenta.

If you want you can go to your maternity hospital to get baby checked with a Doppler just to see everything is ok.

All the best x

I’m posterior high and didn’t feel any movement till post 20 weeks.
It’s easier said than done but you need to focus on getting your anxiety under control.
I had to do a lot of work on this too especially in early pregnancy but please remember stress is one of the worst things for your baby.
You can get a referral for therapy if you feel you need it.
I got mine under control by adding the odd private scan to my NHS ones and by looking at the stats for my gestation which I found strangely reassuring.

With my first (anterior placenta) I didn’t feel anything until after my 20 weeks scan. It was 8 years ago so can’t remember exactly how many weeks but remember telling the sonographer at the 20 weeks scan (I was 20 weeks exactly) that I hadn’t felt a thing yet and was funny watching her kick away on screen and not feeling any of it.

I’m now 20 weeks exactly with my second again with an anterior placenta and I only started feeling anything at 17.5-18 weeks and if it had been my first I wouldn’t have realised it was baby. It’s only in the last week it’s been obvious it’s baby but it’s still pretty gentle.

I didn’t feel any bubbles or flutters either time. Went straight to feeling gentle kicks which in last few days have gotten more obvious.

with an anterior placenta it can take up to 24 weeks to feel anything at all and up to 28 weeks for it to be strong or a pattern. Don’t worry because of not feeling anything yet. Easier said than done I know but honestly it’s normal. Even with a posterior with your first it would be normal.

I had anterior placentas twice and struggled with anxiety. I didn’t feel much at all until at least 24 weeks and then it wasn’t much compared to my first who was posterior.
I would say you should not panic about low movement at this stage. I think it very common for those with anterior placenta.

I found distractions helped with me, have you any hobbies that could keep your mind from wandering? Anxiety really is awful and takes over your life if it takes hold, please don’t be scared to mention it to your midwife if it’s feeling too much.

It’s very normal to not feel anything up to 24 weeks. I would speak to your midwife about your anxiety levels though. It sounds like you may need some extra support putting into place.

Late to read this but feeling exactly the same way and in a very similar situation. Wondering if the OP can share if anything helped?