Did your baby move more or less before Labour?

[diefledermaus]

Just wondering from a conversation with a friend - did you experience increased or decreased movement pre giving birth?

There shouldn’t be a change in movement before or during labour, if there is it needs looking at asap. Some people will tell you babies will move more or less just before labour but that’s not true

The whole "baby's move less because they don't have as much room" is an old wives tale and should be monitored if movements reduce!

If there's any change in movemt please get things checked out!! Movements should continue throughout labour untill birth

Yes, she moved a lot less. Luckily I knew this was wrong, so I got checked out and was induced - just in time as the placenta was failing and she had undiagnosed IUGR.

ANY change in movement should be checked - increase/decrease, doesn't matter.

The TYPES of movements change at the end (rolling/pushing etc as they run out of room) but the NUMBER of them should not.

Mine moved a little red so went to see my midwife, got checked over and it was all ok

Less not red

Decreased just prior to going into labour which, at the time (1979), was considered normal as the baby moves intently towards the birth canal.

Thanks all! I noticed mine went a bit mad right before Labour, literally didn't stop really big movements for a couple of hours, whereas my friend felt her son slowed down in the days before (not stopped, just fewer movements and she said "lazy")

Both of mine moved less. Both times I went in for reduced movement, was monitored and had a sweep, ds2 I had a pessary too. They were both born within a day or so of the reduced movement, the labours were pretty quick with both.

@diefledermaus if either of you get pregnant again and experience the same you need to go get checked out.

Any change in the baby's normal pattern of movements, increased like you have or decreased like your friends, requires a trip to triage for a full antenatal assessment and CTG monitoring.