26 weeks - baby isn’t very active

[Yellowlamb]

I’m 26+4 and my baby doesn’t seem very active, they give me a few nudges throughout the day but only ever a 2-3 times in a row and mostly pretty softly.

This isn’t a concern around reduced movement, they’ve never seemed to move a lot to begin with! This is my first baby, so no previous experience, but I think I expected baby’s movement to be picking up a bit now.

I have a couple of pregnant friends/colleagues a few weeks behind me and they’re saying how wriggly their baby is and how much they’re feeling movement, so I’m comparing this to my few little bops a couple of times a day.

I have a posterior placenta. Diagnosed with low Papp-a and I’m on aspirin for this, with extra scans scheduled from 28 weeks to monitor growth and placenta function.

I suppose I’m just wondering whether I have a particularly chilled baby in there or if I should be concerned? Thanks!

Worries me a lot sometimes when baby is quiet - I'm also 26+4! Yesterday baby was so quiet. I only had few kicks but not as much as he had been given the past few days. Today, though, he's been moving non stop. He's only just went quiet now so I think he's finally having a sleep or something, but from the moment I woke up today he's been active. I'm guessing he just has some days where he's more active than others. As long as he's kicking I think it's alright. Got my midwife appointment next week so going to ask there about movements - also a first time mammy so got no frame of reference. Although when I called the midwife for a UTI issue the other week, she did ask me about baby's movements. I said they seemed alright, just somedays are quieter than others. All she told me was at about 24 weeks onwards they expect baby to be felt at least every day. You may just have a chilled baby, but the midwives can always advise better if you're concerned. Good luck!

I think it can vary a lot baby to baby. My first was extremely wriggly but my second a lot more chilled. As long as you don’t feel like it’s a reduction in movements it’s ok.

I don't think you should be concerned, but if you are, give the maternity ward a call they won't mind at all. They were great with me, I went a good few times because I hadn't felt baby for a little while. They told me to not overthink it and just pop down. It was quick for me when in there and just puts your mind at rest

I’m currently 27+3 with my second baby and still not feeling loads of movement, not enough to call it a pattern anyway. I do have an anterior placenta though. Like you I can have a little flurry of movement and then absolutely nothing all day - also hoping it picks up soon as it’s on my mind constantly.

If it's normal for you it's ok. But whatever isn't normal please get checked. Either too active or quiet. You can always give them a ring if race of mind. Better safe x

As others have said, call the OAU or your midwife if you're even a little bit worried but...I'm 34+6 and get quiet days and busy days. I've been in at least six times for reduced movements, and had growth scans and everything is okay. I think sometimes my baby is just having a chill day. 😐 For the record, my baby still doesn't have any sort of pattern...!

(Side note: I'm always confused why people say an anterior placenta would stop you feeling baby when, to me, it makes sense that a posterior placenta like yours would dull the movements. I have an anterior placenta and feel everything - mad!)

@Nope2024that’s interesting. I had a posterior placenta with my first and felt movements quite strongly at this point. This time round with an anterior one I’ve really had to concentrate to feel movements. It made sense to me because I’d tend to feel kicks at the front, but guess it just proves everyone’s pregnancies are different. What’s normal to one woman is different to the next. Which I suppose is why they tell you to just monitor what’s normal for you and look for your own patterns.