HELP, I have constant reduced movements

[anonny55]

Has anyone else experienced this and was everything okay? I'm going out of my mind here with worry and stress

Last week I went up THREE times alone. 1 day he's so active and the next 2 I wouldn't even know I was pregnant id just get a few gas bubbles at night. I'm 29 weeks tomorrow. Surely this is not normal!

I was sent for a growth scan he's on 96th centile so not as if his movements are tiny and easily missable he's huge!

I'm feeling so alone in this , full of stress and anxiety, feeling like somethings wrong and not being picked up. Awkward to keep going in to be checked as they always give a ffs your back again you hypochondriac attitude. I've been working nights all week absolutely exhausted and been up every 30 minutes since going to bed trying to check if I feel him. Up and down the stairs for cold water cold apple juice poking and prodding away. I'm sick of it..now on the way to the hospital AGAIN because I can't get him to move.

Please tell me I'm not alone in this. Why is pregnancy so bloody hard

You're absolutely doing the right thing by going to get checked every single time movement is reduced, that'll help paint a picture too, to the midwives and doctors. I have no answers, only that sometimes they change positions which means you feel them less. Who cares if the staff are being eye rolly, your priority is you and your baby.

Good luck x

Thankyou! Passed the first monitoring but midwife said she wasn't happy with the baseline that was being created (whatever that means!) been sent for some breakfast and asked to come back in 20 minutes. Pulse rate also high probably because I'm so over tired stressed and anxious😐

How did your second trip go? X

I'd be having words about their attitude. Next time ask them if they are willing to write and sign that everyone is 100% okay with your baby. They will say no, they can't do that as they can't always give that guarantee. So tell them that is why you need checking.

This is your baby, not theirs. If you lose your baby as you were too worried about their attitude to check, they won't remember you forever, you'll remember your loss forever.

I had many times of not feeling movement as I had an anterior placenta, I could go days. Do you know where your placenta is? Also with a big baby your less likely to feel movement

@WickWood the second round was fine..plenty of movement etc. his feeling active again now..the midwife was nice this time and reassured me that I can go every day if I need to. I find it to be the labour ward where they have a cba attitude. I went to MAU today and it was fine. I did 3 lots of monitoring as she said it looked fine but I can do a 3rd if it would make me more reassured and I didn't leave until I could feel him properly again. It's hard having to be so firm with them as I'm quite a shy person but have to remember this is all for my baby! Thanks for asking x

Exactly that! Although I'm reluctant to go I always will..for his safety. I'd never forgive myself if I left it and something was wrong

Mines posteria. She did say today he's a big boy and will be getting tight in there so he won't be flipping around all the time as easily

This is the start of you having to advocate for your child as no one else will or care about them as much as you do. Lose the reluctance. It serves no purpose.

I had a "mostly no movements" pregnancy due to placenta position, and yes it does cause huge anxiety. Have they discussed the "drink a large glass of cold water, then lie still for 2h, and if still no movements, the go in to be monitored" thing? This can help you feel like you're doing something constructive, you're resting, and you can concentrate on if the baby us moving rather than just you're too busy to notice.

Using this, I never actually got to the point of going in to be monitored for reduced movements: the hospital was over an hour away though, so it was never something I'd head to "just in case"...

My baby always had one day with a lot of movements followed by a quiet day. I came to accept that this is my normal pattern. Everything was fine, but I also was worried. Well done for getting it checked!

@Trallia ours is 40 mins away so loads of petrol and parking cost atm!😆

It's been quite contradicting the info I've been given. 1 last week said to drink a ice cold water and lie on my side for an hour but todays midwife said you shouldn't have to do anything to make him move and should come as soon as I'm second guessing if he's moved (I may aswell move in if that was the case!) hoping she's just a lazy baby😂😐

@Cinai2 I also feel this may be a pattern for me too since the same things been happening for a few weeks but the professionals say it's a change in movement and to go in asap. Some days I feel like giving up with the constant stress of it all but it'll be worth it when he's here🥰

Distance and petrol and parking costs shouldn't be a consideration if your baby is at risk or needs checking.

I tried the cold water thing. Never worked. Nearly lost my baby because of a bitch of a midwife who wouldn't listen because I was crying. Pure fluke he hung on until the next day when the sonographer did her job right.

Hope everything goes okay, I don't know what job you do but have you had a rusk assessment especially as you work nights, can you change your shift pattern if nights are causing extra stress and tiredness.

I do think listening to your own anxiety and judgement on this is important - I never had regular movements, and after 2h concentrating I always felt enough to feel like we were "in normal range". However, in late oregnancy I also had ICP which causes stillbirth with no warning - monitoring doesn't help. So my approach was very much informed by my own circumstances.

Is it time to talk to your community midwife about being signed off from nightshifts, too? The exhaustion won't be helping with how you feel!

It's inconvenient but I still do it.. I think you're getting the wrong end of it here as if I haven't been going each time? I can assure you my baby being well is my top priority. I posted for a hand hold and to not feel so alone..if that's okay.

It doesn’t matter how many times you go! Just go x

@Trallia I'm sorry you went through that, must've been petrifying😥

I wasn't talking to you specifically, I didn't quote you. I don't do hand holing, I'll give advice and support but necessary words if a baby's life is at stake. Sorry if you felt got at. You're going every time so I don't know why you would.

One of my DC was a similar size, it’s not true that you feel less movements with a bigger baby.

You know what is normal for you, keep going if there’s reduced movements.

If you find nights a struggle in general can they take you off them whilst you are pregnant?

Thanks for your input it's appreciated..I'm self employed and just doing the busy Christmas nights as I go on maternity on 2nd jan so trying to push through..I'm part time so the hours aren't long really but still tough none the less. 5 more shifts until I'm finished though so it'll be okay not long now ☺️

It was a pretty rough time - but we all got through it and I have a lovely toddler now. That's something to remember, when feeling like the anxiety is overwhelming - while obviously things do go wrong, the vast vast majority of babies do get here safely and grow up.

Hey OP, I went in so often with my first and my experience was 90% great and the odd patronising "oh is it your first love?" But I never regretted going. I went to 42+4 in the end (failed initial induction) so ended up with so much monitoring.

I went with PPs approach of having a set plan - I'll lie down, have some ice water and if I don't feel her within X amount of time I'll call. I felt better having a set plan as then it felt a bit like it wasn't me having to make a call on whether to go?!

@Harriet1989 I'll give that a try then! Usually a freezing cold apple juice is my last resort and if that doesn't work within 20 minutes id call..once when i was on the way he was going wild. I called and said im on my way but he's been moving crazy since i left and they told me to still come..met by a different midwife on the ward and she said oh he's moving plenty!🤣

Im definitely going to try and make a little rule with myself sometimes I wonder if it's just because I've been at work and not been focusing as that's when I usually get home and panic I've not felt him much. I had such a lovely midwife today explaining he's on my belly and I know him best so if I'm thinking somethings different then that's that don't worry about what they think.

I'm so thankful for all of the comments..making me feel really reassured that I've been doing the correct thing , so thankyou all💫