Stupid question alert: am I squashing my baby?

[RainyWednesday]

I am slightly embarrassed to be asking this but wanted to be sure ... I'm just under 21 weeks and feeling fairly regular kicks, but I really feel them when I'm bending forward for whatever reason - putting my socks on, leaning over the dinner table towards DH or whatever. Common sense tells me I just feel them more then because baby is being squashed into a smaller space and is surrounded by so much padding that I can't hurt it, but it does worry me occasionally. I did ask the occupational therapist at work (who used to be a MW) and she kind of said that yes, I was squashing it, which wasn't very reassuring!

Thanks

RW x

Yeah but they like it! If the squashing gives you discomfort, don't do it.

Your body will tell you if you are squashing it too much. If you are, it will be uncomfortable for you and enough to make you change position.

Thanks! I already have to adopt some fairly amusing poses to get my socks on

So if my baby's in pain, do I feel pain? Is it still part of me or separate? I'm very confused

Squashing is the wrong phrase - moving the baby is probably more accurate. The waters will flex to allow the baby to move into a more comfy position. Unless you are actually a contortionist you are unlikely to be depressing any major bits - although it may seem like it. The kicks are the baby moving out of the way

Tis nothing to the squdging they get during labour!

apparently when you have good stomach muscles you feel the kicks more. I used to think i could feel the baby getting his arm caught between my muscles. Der!

No, if you are in pain, the baby may have a happy toe in your ribs. All you share with the baby is a living space and your food and oxygen - he/she is a completely separate person to you now.

Don't think abuot it too much though, or you could get really freaked out!

I think you just know when you need to move into a diferent position. I remember trying to paint a skirting board at around 34 weeks - I was booted so hard by dd that I had to stop - she obviously didn't like it!

My baby doesn't seem to like me having sex - he can't do much about it during but afterwards I get Braxton Hicks, really achey hips and just a general feeling of annoyance radiating from my pelvis!

Ask your OT to pilfer you a sock aid from work! - you wont need to bend down to put your socks on then!

As wmmc says, you're moving the baby more than squashing it. Your common sense is right, it is very well padded and babies are quite bendy too.

Though by the time you get past 30-odd weeks, the baby is big enough to cause a real obstruction (that's when you'll really curse anyone who parks too close to the drivers door of your car). Even so, I doubt if you could bend enough to cause any damage.

Some of the discomfort you'll get used to. The rest you can moan about on here.

Thanks!

Buckets not wanting to stop you enjoying sex or anything
but be careful about the achey hips and bad feeling in your pelvis - could be the start of SPD which can be exacerbated by positions where you have your legs apart

not trying to scare you but I have a mild form myself and am finding it very uncomfortable
the first advice I was given was to avoid squatting / legs apart positions

That's all right, I won't be able to manage any of those positions soon enough .