A woman's pregnancy bump may look like it is sitting lower when the baby drops. As the baby drops into the pelvis, the pressure in this area may increase. This may cause a woman to feel like she is waddling when she walks. When the baby drops, some women may experience flashes of pelvic pain.
Once your baby drops, you might notice a lot of increased pressure in your pelvis. This may be a time when you develop a significant pregnancy “waddle” as you adjust. This is probably the same feeling as walking around with what feels like a bowling ball between your legs.
For most of your pregnancy, baby sort of swims around from one side of your uterus to the other. But at the 33- or 34-week mark, he or she will likely start to move permanently into the “head down” position to prep for labor, and descend further into your pelvis.
Dropping is not a good predictor of when labor will begin. In first-time mothers, dropping usually occurs 2 to 4 weeks before delivery, but it can happen earlier. In women who have already had children, the baby may not drop until labor begins.
Baby dropping signs and symptoms
You need to urinate even more often than before because of increased pressure on your bladder. You have increasing discomfort when you walk. (You may waddle.) You may have back pain as your baby puts increased pressure on the muscles and joints in your lower back.
Your baby's head is engaged in your pelvis
In the last few weeks of pregnancy, you may notice a bit of a decrease in fetal movement. Once your baby "drops", he will be even less mobile. You may feel larger rolls — along with every move of baby's head on the cervix, which may feel like sharp electric twinges down there.
It's unlikely you'll feel your baby drop, but you will notice any or all of various signs that it has happened. 2 These include: Easier breathing: When a baby moves downward, it creates more room for the lungs to expand, so you may notice that you can breathe more freely.
It's also sometimes referred to as your baby dropping. You may also hear it called "lightening", since it may feel like you're carrying less weight as your baby moves down into your pelvis.
Very active baby before labor
Some women experience their baby moving a lot in the run-up to labor. One theory for this is the increase in Braxton Hicks contractions. As your body prepares for labor and birth, you might start to experience a greater frequency of Braxton Hicks contractions.
What'll Probably Happen: The baby will probably bruise on whatever body part hit the ground, especially if it was a hard surface like tile or hardwood. If the baby got a blow to the head, it could get a skull fracture—but linear fractures, the most common, heal on their own and have no long-term effects.
Fetal movements in utero are an expression of fetal well-being. However, a sudden increase of fetal movements is a sign of acute fetal distress, such as in cases of cord complications or abruptio placentae.
The baby will keep moving until the labor begins, and this movement will continue during the early labor. However, the movement pattern may change. Instead of kicking the womb, the baby may squirm or shuffle. The feeling of the baby's movement provides assurance that the baby is doing well.
Researchers now believe that when a baby is ready for life outside his mother's uterus, his body releases a tiny amount of a substance that signals the mother's hormones to begin labor (Condon, Jeyasuria, Faust, & Mendelson, 2004). In most cases, your labor will begin only when both your body and your baby are ready.
Generally, an active baby is a healthy baby. The movement is your baby exercising to promote healthy bone and joint development. All pregnancies and all babies are different, but it's unlikely that lots of activity means anything other than your baby is growing in size and strength.
A number of ultrasound and animal studies have shown that the fetus has a circadian pattern that involves increased movement in the evening, and this is likely to reflect normal development.”
Babies also sleep up to forty minutes intervals, so may disappear for some time before returning. At times, more unusual movements maybe felt. These include repetitive rhythmic hiccups by the baby, and a sudden “shaking” caused by the baby's own startle response. Neither of these are of any specific concern.
Get immediate medical attention. If your baby has significant external injuries, is unconscious, or seems confused or disoriented, call 911 or your local emergency services. The worry here is that your baby may have a skull fracture or internal injury, like bleeding on the brain (intracranial hemorrhage).
Protect your baby Always place any type of infant seat on a floor that's smooth and level, and make sure to fasten the safety straps. Even tiny infants who are unsecured can fall out if they wiggle enough or get upset and stiffen their bodies.
Vomiting. Discharge or blood coming out of the nose or ears. Swelling of the soft spot. Bruising or swelling along the head, or obvious skull fracture.
Watch Your Baby Closely for 24 Hours
Sometimes your baby might seem fine after the fall, but it's important to watch them closely for 24 hours. Injuries can take time to show up, so watch for any new or worsening signs and symptoms.
If a child is less than two years of age and sustains a fall more than three feet, or if a child is over two years of age and has sustained a fall more than five feet, a trip to the Emergency Room is in order.
Luckily, babies are resilient, and in the vast majority of cases in which a baby falls or is dropped a small distance, there's little cause for concern. When a baby falls, the most important thing to do is calmly assess the damage and watch for the signs of serious injury.