18 weeks - still not feeling movements?

[AprilBaby2025]

I am 18 weeks today and I don’t think I’ve felt anything yet. Not a flutter. Nothing. I’m not showing yet, but the part around my pelvis feels bigger and firmer. And when I lie down and press down on my stomach I can feel what I think is a swollen uterus below my belly button (feels like a big ball! Kinda cool).

I am skinny and I’ve heard thin women tend to feel movements sooner. But I’m tall (5’7) so I’m not sure if that impacts it? Also, at my 12 week ultrasound, the tech mentioned that it looks like I have an anterior placenta. But when I spoke to my midwife at 14 weeks she said that could change.

I have an appointment with my midwife on Monday and I am freaking out about it (I have severe medical anxiety and I am also worried she won’t find a heartbeat). So is this concerning at all that I haven’t felt the tiniest movement at 18 weeks?

No not at all.
Many women don't start to feel anything until around 20 weeks, some later.. and if you have an anterior placenta that can also make it much harder to feel movements. I know it can be difficult but try not to stress. ❤️

I had an anterior placenta and felt movements at 20+2! I think after 20 weeks is pretty normal with an anterior placenta. Won't be long and the movement will be uncomfortable and in your ribs! Don't panic

It was well after my 20 week scan when I felt anything can't remember exactly what week maybe 22

Op I am 18 weeks today and pretty sure ive felt nothing yet earlier. Sometimes I think I might and then I pass wind 🤣🤣.

Honestly though they say anything between 16 and 24 weeks is normal.

I did get lucky though as my midwife used the doppler at my 16 week appointment so I heard the heartbeat and the dopler was picking up kicks too.

@AprilBaby2025 in my first pregnancy I had an anterior placenta and didn't feel anything until almost 21 weeks! I'm not quite sure why your midwife told you your placenta position can change from anterior as that's not true. Is it maybe also low and that's what she's meant? Try not to worry you'll be feeling movement soon enough, 18 weeks is still really early for movement especially with an anterior placenta.

I didn’t feel anything until around 22 weeks, anterior placenta. When I layed on my back I could see twitching around the same time. Try not to worry :)

It's absolutely nothing to be concerned about - anything from 16-25 weeks is considered normal and, if it's your first child plus your placenta is at the front, It's likely to be the latter part of that.

My first pregnancy I had an anterior placenta and felt nothing until 22/23 weeks even though she was moving a lot at every scan. Even after those first faint flutters, I never felt strong or regular movements and towards the end I was on regular monitoring at the hospital.

This pregnancy, my placenta is posterior plus women normally feel movements sooner in second and subsequent pregnancies. I'm 19 weeks and still nothing but I just had a scan 2 days ago and she's another super active baby! Doctor isn't concerned in the slightest.

As for the midwife appointment, most trusts no longer check for the heartbeat at the 16 week appointment for the simple reason that even trained professionals doing it day in day out would struggle to find the heartbeat sometimes and it would cause massive anxiety even when there was nothing actually wrong.

I have an anterior placenta and didn’t feel anything until 19 weeks and it was very faint. It took until about 22 weeks for it to be strong enough to not question whether it was baby or just my body doing weird things. You’re still early - I got told that by 24 weeks you should have started to feel something for definite. Until then I wouldn’t worry. 😊