Barely a flutter at 21+3 weeks PG - please advise

[ItchyTits]

Hi there

I don't know if I should be worried, but I am, pretty much all the time!

I'm nearly 40 and this is my first pregnancy. At over 21 weeks I've only felt the occasional flutter. It's been the same for a couple of weeks now, and might even be trailing off in frequency.

I think I'm eating more than usual to mask my anxiety about it. And to keep myself awake!

At the 20 week scan they did say the placenta was at the front, but I was expecting kicks to get bigger, not smaller.

I would appreciate any advice.

Many thanks

Ask for a scan or for MW to listen on her doppler. They won't mind. Can you ring the hospital and speak to the 24 hr MW service? I am sure they will be happy to advise, just to put your mind at rest.

Have moved this post to an existing thread about kicks. oops!

I didnt feel anything for a while and then also had the sense of movement tailing off. But all is fine. Am 33 weeks now and still feel movemnet is variable.

All is probably fine with you too. I understand that with an anterior placenta you feel less anyway. Your baby may have moved into a position where you now feel less. I really think its nothing, so try to relax. Maybe see your GP or midwife in a few days if you are still worried

Thank you, fifitot. I just didn't want to make a fuss, or spend a night at the hospital. I haven't had a day off work for 3 weeks now, and am getting very tired and emotional, but feeling guilty about resting, in case I don't get to a hospital in time. I must sound ridiculous

I am 21 + 3 also today!!!!

Just make GP/midwife appointment and they will listen with doppler.

Some days feel lots of movement some days don't feel anything.

If you are really anxoius you can invest in a doppler.

Get checked out, but don't panic. I didn't feel anything much until about 22 weeks. I had an anterior placenta, which can cushion those early kicks.

Thanks for your responses. I was so tired when I last typed that I realised a kip was well overdue - hence the panic.

Feeling a little saner now, though only a little.

I read recently about the negative side effects of those dopplers. Apparently women weren't being checked out medically because the dopplers at home offered too much false hope.

For this reason I haven't looked into it. But sometimes it feels as though we shouldn't read anything while preggers!

There are no side effects with a doppler. You just have to be sensible. At the later stage of pregnancy, if the movements slow down or stop you seek medical advice, that's it. I used a doppler more in early pregnancy when there were no movements to be felt anyway. If I had concerns would have been straight to the MW.

I wouldn't worry about staying in overnight -honestly, they will probably have a quick listen and this will be enough.

I am 21 weeks and have an anterior placenta too, and have hardly felt anything - If I am busy I don't notice the kicks at all they are just like someone gently tapping, and very low down in my abdomen, which is I guess his/her feet managing to get below the placenta - nothing anywhere else at all - think its totally normal, its like a big cushion between the baby and us!

Really try not to worry - but like you, I will ask the midwife when I go next week, and hopefully hear the heartbeat at the same time to put my mind at rest.

The thing with those dopplers is that I heard that it is just as likely you may pick up your own pulse, which might then mask any problems with the babys heartbeat not being there. but very samll chance, and as long as you weren't using it as the only check you had on the baby, then suppose they are fine, as a fun whay of listening to baby when they have decided to hide and not be felt!

Thank you, all, for your responses. I'm genuinely touched by all the kindness on this site.

I'm a little less tired now and not quite so worried, but still over-emotional.

I assumed the dopplers worked in the same way as the scans - using sound waves - but am probably completely wrong. If so, however, there are questions about their overuse, that some day there may possibly be a resultant damage to hearing.

On hearing your own heartbeat though, I think a baby's is meant to be about twice the rate of the mum's. When the MW has heard my baby's, it's been about 150bpm. I'd be seriously worried about my stress levels if mine reached such a rate!

DD was a text book first pg and I felt her move definately at 22 weeks.

DS1 & DS3 were much earlier.

Funnily enough this one was later.

So you never do know with babies

Glad you are feeling better.

Can I just say that the midwives that I work beside don't advocate the use of a doppler at home at all, as it takes a lot of skill and experience to interpret the heart rate, detect the heart rate and know that it's the baby's and not yours. Sorry...

I hope things go well for you, Itchy. I'd second the others who suggest phoning your midwife asap to put your mind at ease. They don't half know how to worry you, these babies!

Thanks ladies, I think I've felt movement now but not today and trying not fall off the panic-wagon.

Chegirlwithbellson - ta for the whisper. Truly I am enjoying this, and hope it won't be the last time

i felt movement very early with my first two and then freaked out a little when i was pregnant with dc3 as there was much less movement and it was very faint... turns out i had an anterior placenta

With my first, I didn't feel movement until 24 weeks. I don't think this is uncommon.

Try not to worry. In a few weeks you will probably be wishing he / she would give you a bit of peace.

Some women feel kicks early, some later, but they will come and they will pound you from the inside out!
Dont worry about being over-cautious: MWs are used to first time mums needing a little extra reassurance!

I once went a day with seriously reduced kicks, but didnt want to bother the drs or mws so spent the day pretending to be fine, but secretly fretting. That night DD woke me several times with her reinstated kicks and she didnt have another quiet day.

I barely felt a thing before 22 weeks, so don't worry.

Thanks due again, y'all!

My name is certainly pregnancy related, and I'm glad it doesn't appear to cause offence (that is the English spelling, I'm sure - darn you, computer spell checks). The only person offended so far is fella who finds it less than attractive on the increasingly rare occasions he does see me naked, that I'm digging my nails in.....Then again, comments such as "They're enormous" doesn't, for some reason, encourage me to get them out!

Books, your MnS story made me laugh But am I the only one to think their loos are rubbish. Perhaps we should start a thread on decent public toilets - MacDonalds are usually pretty clean and topped up with paper. My bloke would be of the same view about having a doppler at home.

I am now starting to feel very occasional flutters, but mainly when I am resting, although a spicy soup woke her (or him) up the other day. The kicks aren't very often though, and I don't think I'll get to see a MW now for a month, unless I feel totally desperate and head to A&E

Sorry, that all sounded a bit flippant. Too much info alert - on my name. It's been a hassle, and I thought that the details may help another mumsnetter. You have been warned:

Since about 10 weeks PG the underneath of my breasts looked like they were tearing open. I assumed this was a stretch mark developing, but was prescribed Puriton for allergic itching. That helped, but am still incredibly dry. The pharmacist recommended aqueous cream, which is particularly soothing if kept in the fridge, apparently. (My kitchen is just too cold to approach in a state of semi-undress). The doctor also said it may be thush and there is no harm using the anti-thrush cream (like Canasten) on that area. Oh the delights......