A: It's normal for babies to have quiet periods in utero, and a temporary dip in activity could just mean that your baby is sleeping or he's low on energy because you haven't eaten in a while. However, if you sense an overall slowdown in movement, call your doctor.
A: A baby's movement in utero prior to about 25 or 26 weeks is very inconsistent. That means that some days you will feel movement, and some days you won't. This is based on many different variables, including the baby's position, how often they are sleeping, what you are eating, how active you are, etc.
Your baby's sleeping
In fact, your baby is more likely to be up when you're trying to catch some winks and sleepy when you're active. This means that there'll be times during the day when you'll feel little — or no — movement at all. And that's okay.
Note the norm for this pregnancy and report to your health care provider immediately if you notice reduced or no movements. Some experts consider ten kicks in two hours to be the minimum number of movements you should feel. If you feel less than that, you should see your obstetrician.
If you count less than than 10 kicks in one hour or 20 kicks in 2 hours, call your healthcare provider with your concerns. They may ask you to come in for prenatal testing to check the health of you and your baby.
If you haven't felt any movement from your baby by 24 weeks, see your doctor or midwife. At any stage of your pregnancy, if you are concerned about your baby's movements, contact your midwife or doctor immediately. Do not wait until the next day. A slowing down of movement may be a sign that your baby is unwell.
You may feel several movements one day and then none the next. Although your baby is moving and kicking regularly, many of their movements just aren't strong enough for you to feel yet. But those reassuring kicks will become stronger and more regular later in the second trimester or early in the third trimester.
Knowing what's normal for your baby helps you sense when something feels off. If you notice any sudden changes in movement (slowing down or stopping for several days), talk to your midwife or obstetrician. It's usually not a cause for worry, but it may be reassuring to check with your provider.
If your baby is not well, they will not be as active as usual. This means less movement can be a sign of infection or another problem. The sooner this is found out the better, so you and your baby can be given the right treatment and care.
Instead, What to Expect suggested health snacks like cheese and crackers, greek yogurt, or fruit and nuts. These foods won't put you on the doctor's watch list for gestational diabetes, but they will boost your blood sugar enough to get your baby moving around in there.
Check out these simple tricks to get baby moving. Babies are most active after meals or if you've just had some caffeine or sugar. You can help nudge baby into wiggling with a glass of cold milk (or anything else chilly and sweet) and lying on your side to increase blood flow to baby.
Mothers can feel a fetus kick as early as 15 weeks. As the brain develops, the fetus kicks and responds to their own brain activity, as well as to changes in maternal movement, sound, temperature, and other stimuli.
A late stillbirth occurs between 28 and 36 completed pregnancy weeks. A term stillbirth occurs between 37 or more completed pregnancy weeks.
Consistent Growth Patterns
Good growth and development is the surest manner to keep track that your foetus is developing into a healthy baby. Having regular antenatal care helps your healthcare practitioner to plot your baby's development and ensure that growth milestones are being achieved.
Research has shown that in the third trimester (after 28 weeks of pregnancy) going to sleep on your back increases your risk of stillbirth. As the link has now been shown in four separate research trials, our advice is to go to sleep on your side in the third trimester because it is safer for your baby.
Pick your baby up, talk to them, move their arms and legs around, even tickle the bottom of their feet or rub their cheek—whatever works to rouse them.
From 18-24 weeks on you should feel the baby move more and more. After 32 weeks, the movements will stay roughly the same until you give birth. It is NOT TRUE that babies move less towards the end of pregnancy. You should CONTINUE to feel your baby move right up to the time you go into labour and during labour.
Get into a comfortable position either sitting down in a comfortable chair or lying on your side. If you lie down, lie on your left side, so your baby will have better circulation.
Many physicians advise pregnant women to sleep on their left side. Previous studies have linked back and right-side sleeping with a higher risk of stillbirth, reduced fetal growth, low birth weight, and preeclampsia, a life-threatening high blood pressure disorder that affects the mother.
Movement and Kicking in the Pubic Area
You may be surprised to find that you can feel your baby kicking your cervix and even your bowels. But don't worry, fetal movements in the pubic area are normal and very common, if not annoying.
Yup, your baby on board can feel — and respond — when you stroke your tummy.
If you think your baby's movements have slowed down or changed, contact your midwife or maternity unit straight away, even if it's the middle of the night (NHS 2021, RCOG 2019). Don't try to listen to your baby's heartbeat with a hand-held doppler or fetal monitoring app (NHS 2021, RCM 2020, RCOG 2019).