When can you feel baby move for the first time? There is hardly any woman that has not been searching for a comprehensive answer to this question.
The results of the first ultrasound screening, the first heartbeats, and the first kicks are the most impressive milestones of pregnancy. Each one of them brings you closer to the child, but there is nothing more precious and exciting as feeling your baby move.
Additionally, women are concerned about what is normal and what may serve as a sign of a problem. Here, it is inevitable to remember that pregnancies differ a lot. Certain points may determine the healthy and flawless development of the fetus but there are also numerous features that may vary.
Let’s look at everything in greater detail.
Timeline of Baby Movement
One of the first questions women ask after they learn that they are pregnant is “When does the baby start kicking?”
There is no reason to deny that it is a unique moment every pregnant woman is looking for. However, as mentioned by reputable medical specialists, the baby is moving right from the very beginning; it just takes time to feel it.
Feeling the Baby Move During the First Trimester
Every woman is eager to feel an active baby in womb but that is not what happens during early pregnancy. There are few chances to notice any type of baby movement during the first trimester.
However, as mentioned by medical specialists, the doctor performing an ultrasound scanning is the one who witnesses the first activity of the fetus. Nonetheless, there is no need to be disappointed as you will notice significant changes during the second and third trimesters.
Monitoring Baby Movements During the Second Trimester
This is undeniably one of the most wonderful and advantageous stages of pregnancy. According to the results of medical studies, morning sickness is likely to subside, and your child will start bringing you new emotions and feelings every day.
Small quickening may not always be recognized by women, so most of them usually talk about 16 weeks pregnant baby movement. This is the time when you can expect your baby to start kicking multiple times a day.
Counting Fetal Kicks During the Third Trimester
As the child keeps growing in the womb, it gets less and less space, so the kicks and punches become unmistakable. Baby’s movement right before labor may become weaker, but never less frequent.
Reduced Fetal Movement: Causes and Outcomes
While some babies are ultimately active during certain stages of pregnancy, others have limited movements.
“My baby not kicking today. Is that bad?”
It is one of the most typical questions medical specialists get from pregnant women. Sometimes, reduced or changed fetal movement can signal a specific problem, but there are exceptions. If you feel your baby moving a lot, it can sometimes mean that its position in the womb is uncomfortable, so it stops kicking the moment it finds the spot. Additionally, women are not likely to feel anterior placenta kicks, and that is quite normal.
Keep in mind that your baby is growing, and it needs food to stay active. If you feel the baby not moving as much as a few hours ago, maybe, you just need to eat something, which will encourage the kicking.
At the same time, when the baby has already started to move regularly, you should count its motions. Fewer than 10 movements within two hours may be the sign of a serious problem. Contact your doctor immediately if you cannot notice kicking anymore.
Feeling Baby Movement in Lower Abdomen: How Often Will You Notice It?
At some stage of the pregnancy, you will feel your baby moving in womb. That is a significant point that should be taken into account. According to the medical data, most women are likely to feel mild kicks or punches during the second trimester, but they are usually irregular and inconsistent.
In fact, the third trimester is crucial here, as the child is getting bigger, and its movements become more noticeable, regular, and active. At that moment, it is indispensable to start counting the kicks as they help you ensure that your baby is healthy.
How is it possible to count the movements of the child? There is an interesting way to count kicks. When do you feel baby move?
- Consider the time when your child is the most active and sit with your feet up;
- Write down the time when you feel the first kick;
- Start counting every nudge, punch, and kick, and finish when you feel the 10th one;
- Note how much time it took to feel 10 movements;
- Repeat it every day to eliminate any possible risks;
- Contact your prenatal care practitioner if the regular pattern has changed.
Importance of Fetal Movement
Feeling your baby moving in belly is undeniably one of the most precious moments and joys of pregnancy. Therefore, a considerable number of women get worried if they do not notice baby kicking during the second trimester.
At the same time, there is no need to get disappointed or anxious, as every pregnancy is unique, and children start moving at different stages. So it is crucial to be patient and attentive.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to get baby to move?
If you ask pregnant women: “When can you feel baby move?”, most of them will answer: “Right after the mealtime”. There are several other ways to make your child start kicking. Taking a different position may encourage the child to start moving more actively. Additionally, it is crucial to remember that its activity may vary a lot, depending on the time of the day.
When to worry about fetal movement?
A very active baby before labor or an ultimately calm baby may become a sign of a serious problem. However, there is no reason to start panicking, as the first thing you need to do is to contact your prenatal care practitioner and discuss the issue.
A very active baby before labor or an ultimately calm baby may become a sign of a serious problem. However, there is no reason to start panicking, as the first thing you need to do is to contact your prenatal care practitioner and discuss the issue.
What does baby movement feel like?
Undeniably, the feelings will differ a lot, but an overwhelming majority of women agree that early pregnancy kicks feel like a wave or a flutter of a butterfly in the belly. They are mild and barely noticeable. However, they become much stronger with time.
How early can you feel baby move?
On average, if you approach several pregnant women, asking “When do you start feeling baby move?”, you are likely to hear completely different things. At the same time, all of them agree that the active stage of kicking and punching starts during the third trimester.
Where do you feel baby kicks?
Apart from the traditional when can you feel baby move question, women are also interested in the place where the first signs of a child’s movements appear. Again, this is usually an individual issue that may depend on several factors. Nonetheless, most pregnant women have the first kicks and punches either in the lower abdominal or somewhere in the center.
Does baby move during contractions?
Although you will not feel the child move during the labor, you are likely to feel it kick actively during Braxton Hicks contractions.
When to start counting kicks?
Counting is crucial during pregnancy. When can you feel baby kick regularly? That is the time when you should start your counting.
When to call doctor for decreased fetal movement?
The third trimester is an exceptionally important period of pregnancy. It is indispensable to be attentive to every movement your baby make during this time. Contact your prenatal care practitioner if the baby becomes inactive and makes less than 10 movements in two hours.
Does baby move during labor?
According to the statistics, women do not usually feel the baby moving during labor.
