21weeks pregnant and worried...

[Pinkali37]

I am 21 weeks this Friday andknow I have an anterior placenta. Have felt for past 3 weeks a low pulse like sensation (not regular) as if something is jabbing into my bladder or whatever it is about 2 inches the bottom of the bump. I haven't felt it yet today, does anyone think this is the baby and is it quite normal not to feel it regularly at this stage?

P.s. forgot to add, yesterday I had pain down my sides and in a U shape under my bump so I thought these were ligament or muscle pains - DO YOU? Also woke this morning with a twisted feeling inside, is this normal for this stage?

Pinkali, I'm not a healthcare professional, but will do my best to be reassuring

The pulse-like sensation - could this be the baby hiccupping? I found the feeling quite bemusing until I found out about hiccupping babies on mumsnet. It is very like an irregular pulse beat for me. Hiccupping in the womb is completely normal and some babies do it a lot.

It is normal to get some aches and pains around your bump and as you say, this is usually your ligaments stretching. However, if you are getting sharp or persistent abdominal pains it is important to get them checked out. If you are at all concerned, phone your midwife and she will be able to reassure you.

A twisted feeling - it's difficult to know what you mean by this. Could it be indigestion or trapped wind, both common during pregnancy? Gaviscon, Wind-eze etc are usually safe to take during pregnancy (but again, I'm not a healthcare professional).

Good luck with your pregnancy and I hope you are feeling better soon.

The pulsing is probably hiccups - I didn't recognise it until I was monitored a few weeks ago and the baby started hiccupping. I always wake up feeling very stiff and a bit sore in the bump and back. A tight feeling under the bump could be braxton hicks, and yes, it's normal not to feel movement all the time, I can't tell you how many times I've freaked out cos I didn't feel any movement that morning!

You shouldn't be expecting to feel regular movements until 24- 26 weeks as the baby is still v small and might be in a position where you can't feel it.

Thank you All for your help. The worse thing is I am in Majorca (fly home tomorrow) so feeling slightly more anxious than normal.

I started to feel the deep pulse feeling every 2 hours esp when sitting on a chair however since thurs it has stopped. I think I have felt it a couple of times when I laid on my side but that is it. It has really worried me. Does anyone know with an anterior placenta (not low according to scna) when I am likely to feel a proper kick??? Thank you for reassuring me. x

I have an anterior placenta. It's getting stronger (30 weeks now) but it's still not really hard. I didn't feel regular movement every day until about 22 weeks or so.

Oh thank you. Had you felt anything up until 22 weeks? I was 21 yesterday and honestly mnot sure If i have felt anything or not.

I have an anterior placenta too and can't tell you the amount of worrying I used to do in the 20+wks period (am now 38+4!) about hardly any movement etc - i believe it's entirely normal because the placenta is cushioning a LOT of the kicks. As for the hiccupping, baby was doing it for a solid half hour last evening - I even used to worry about that, lol. :D