Feeling Inadequate about feotal movement (or lack thereof)

[fatandiknowit]

I'm a little bit worried and am hoping someone else can reassure me.

I'm 20 weeks and still haven't felt any movement.

My pregnancy preview email says I should feel it and that kicks "may keep me awake at night", all my pregnant/previously pregnant friends keep asking me about movement and when I say no they look really surprised. Also bloody "Emma" in her diary felt movement at 18 weeks (how can anyone compete )

My 20 week scan is actaully going to be at 22 weeks iyswim due to availability of appointments etc, and my midwife works in my area for 2 hours a week, so it's quite hard to get a last minute type appointment.

Should I be worried??? Or have i just read too much and have annoying/competitive friends?

I was 21 weeks before I felt movement that was obviously the baby - now, at 28 weeks, he's on the go most of the time!

I also worried about the lack of movement, as everyone was warbling on about how they'd felt their baby from 14 weeks onwards or other such boasts. One tip which I found worked was to drink a cold sweet drink (fanta for me!) and shine a torch at your bare belly - that got him kicking after a while! My doctor did say though that unless you haven't felt anything by 24 weeks, you have no need to worry. Hope you feel something soon!

A lot depends on the location of your placenta. If it's at the front (anterior) then it muffles/cushions the baby's movements. I didn't feel anything much until around 22 weeks. I've seen mine kicking on the scan but haven't been able to feel it. It needs to be a fairly hefty boot or wriggle to make it through my placenta and porky bits!

Did you have a 12 week scan? If so, it may say on your notes where your placenta is. If it doesn't, you could ask when you have your next scan.

Yep think it was about 21/22 weeks for me too, but my friend who was pregnant at the same time felt it weeks earlier than me.

It'll happen soon enough, and then you wont be able to sleep for all the kicking

All the best for the rest of your pregnancy

DS was 22 weeks and this time 21 weeks (and its twins lol)
So try not to panic, also as has already been said if the placenta is anterior it will cushion the kicks quite a bit.

Dont forget that baby is still tiny at the moment.

Give a few weeks and you will posting that baby is keeping you awake and you are fed up of all the kicking

It's still early at 20 weeks, imo. I'm 22 weeks with my 5th dc and like you have been paranoid especially as ladies say they feel movement earlier on in subsequent pregnancies, however I'm only just feeling movements and only in the evening when I'm lying down. My midwife also mentioned that movement has alot to do with the position of the baby as well as the position of the placenta.

Try to relax.

I know what you mean about feeling a bit when everyone else is banging on about how much they feel!

I can feel kicks (25wks) but they are no where near what other people describe - my consultant told me not to worry and that hopefully this signified a "placid" baby! I'm not sure how to take that ...

I was about 19 weeks with dd1 and 16 weeks with dd2. I wouldnt worry just yet, and put down the book!!

yes ditto what someone said about the placenta. my friend had her placenta up at the front and didn't feel anything. now she's having her 2nd she can feel it and is amazed!

is it your first baby btw? sometimes it takes a while to realise it is your baby moving, you might think it's wind or muscle twinges.

Hey Fatandiknowit,
Just wanted to reassure you that it is completely normal ! I didn't feel any movement until around 21/22 weeks and even then it was a fluttering, like having butterflies (iykwim). I also only ever felt them just before I went to sleep at night.
By the end, I was in so much pain by the kicks I longed for half an hour of peace !!!
xx

Thank you all for sharing your experiences and your reassurance....

It is indeed my first (not that you'd tell), but I like to read around everything, so often end up "over-informing" myself!

Thank you all

Dont worry, this is my 3rd pg, and all the books tell you that 'you may feel it as early as 16 weeks in subsequent pregnancies'.

I didnt feel this lo move until 20 weeks, and now there's no stopping him, it feels like when they kick at about 35 wks and take your breath away!

I'm 22 weeks & still only really feel it lying on the sofa after dinner with my hands on my bare belly... especially after chocolate!

& haven't really felt the butterfly thihng, more like a kinda shifting.

Don't worry - sure it is all fine

I'm also pregnant with my first and was really paranoid about not feeling kicks, especially as i had a mc last year.

I started feeling kicks from 21 weeks onwards, but still get paranoid as the kicking doesnt actually keep me up at night, when i hear from lots of people that this is what happens.

Can anybody say from what week onwards they were unable to sleep?

I suppose i should be grateful im still able to sleep, but worried nonetheless

With DD I definitely didn't feel any kicks until after the 20 week scan. Think it was about 22 weeks. Remembered being amazed that she was moving around so much on the scan and I couldn't feel a thing. I had a big bump too. My placenta was in front.
With DS felt a bit earlier, as is normal with number 2 but still npt much before 20 weeks.
Don't wory

or worry even

SabsBigPants, I'm over 39 weeks now and haven't been kept up or woken up by kicking once! Sadly that doesn't stop me waking up horribly early anyway though ...