Is this reduced movement or just a change in baby’s position?

[BusyLizzie21]

Hi all,

I’m really confused about the advice regarding reduced movements or changes in movement.

I have a posterior placenta so no problems feeling baby moving generally - I’ve been able to feel him since about 18 weeks and I’m now 29 weeks. I’ve already been to triage about 4 times or so for what I feel are changes in movement, but I’m not really sure baby is moving less. Every time this has happened, I’ve still felt baby moving regularly through the day but the movements are softer - so I think he’s probably just moved into a different position and I can’t feel him as strongly as when he kicks at the front. So I’m not really sure whether this counts as “change” or “reduced movements” and none of the midwives I’ve seen have given me a straightforward answer.

It’s really starting to cause me a lot of anxiety. Baby seems to have days where he moves really obviously and regularly, and then these quiet days and I always end up getting myself worked up and really anxious about what might be happening to him. I also have a single umbilical artery so I’m having extra scans anyway, but I think that’s also contributing to my anxiety generally.

Just wondering if anyone has had similar experiences or has any advice about what reduced movements really are. I also can’t work out a particular pattern for baby’s movements - he just seems to move when he wants!

Thank you!

I think what you're doing is absolutely spot on, being seen every time there's been a change, I would 100% continue that, as per the advice.

I had a few private scans when I experienced what you describe and he had just changed positions every time, but if I'd have not got the private scans I'd have gone to triage every time x

I had the same with my first. Went in twice because the maternity folder and leaflets said to call urgently about any change. She was moving regularly, but the movements were softer than normal.
I found the rcog guideline 57 very reassuring. It talks about what to do if the mother is unsure if she has reduced movements, and also to be aware of his this information is presented because it risks unnecessarily increasing maternal anxiety.
I read through it and realised my baby was moving a perfectly normal amount.
I think the midwives are reluctant to say anything reassuring because it is such a subjective thing. They don't want to send you away and then have something go wrong. That's totally understandable, but you also don't want an unnecessary induction later on because nobody was clear about what "change" means.

www.rcog.org.uk/guidance/browse-all-guidance/green-top-guidelines/reduced-fetal-movements-green-top-guideline-no-57/

Thanks so much @Nimnuan and @WickWood for responding! It’s good to hear other people’s experiences and I’m glad I’m not the only one who has felt like this. I think I’m being too sensitive to slight changes but I don’t want to miss anything crucial!

If anyone else has any more advice/experiences I would really appreciate hearing it!

I've never gone in for reduced or changed movements.
This is 3rd pregnancy. With my two others, I could tell when they had moved, and were kicking my back and not my belly or any internals (as the first was a footling breach and so would often kick my cervix). But they were kicking at their normal times of day so had no worries. If I was, I'd make sure I focused on them to make sure I wasn't missing any kicks from being busy.
But that's just my experience and I never had any anxiety about their movements. The only time I didn't actually feel them move at all was during labour, but the hospital had the monitors on so I could see babys hb.