Research shows girls kick as often as boys. Babies who kick a lot in the womb are also more active after birth. Some mothers have more trouble feeling the kicks than others. If the placenta is on the front side of the womb, or if you are overweight, you will feel the kicks less.
The baby's movements are felt stronger on the side the placenta has attached itself to the womb. As mentioned above, if the placenta is attached to the right side and you feel more movement on the right side, you could be carrying a boy.
You might get some useful clues about your baby's position from where the kicks are felt. Head-down babies will kick more strongly on one side and towards the top of the bump.
What does it mean if the baby is on the left side? If the fetus is on the left side of the uterus, doctors call this the left occiput anterior position. Some people have traditionally considered this to be the best position at the start of labor, but a 2013 study found no evidence to confirm it.
Fetal movements typically increase when the mother is hungry, reflecting lowered blood sugar levels in the mother and fetus. This is similar to the increased activity of most animals when they are seeking food, followed by a period of quietness when they are fed.
No, the strength of your baby's kicks is not a reliable way to work out whether you're having a boy or a girl. Many things can affect how much movement you feel. You're less likely to be aware of your baby's movements when you're active or busy (RCOG 2019, Tommy's 2018).
Fetal fidgets
They asked the women about their stress levels and recorded fetal movements. They also examined the babies two weeks after birth. The fetuses of women who reported higher stress levels during pregnancy moved around more in the womb.
The truth is, the sex of your baby doesn't have anything to do with the appearance of your pregnant belly. The belly test to guess a baby's gender is simply an old wives' tale that has been passed down through the years.
An ultrasound can show if a person is having a girl, usually at around 20 weeks. Amniocentesis and other tests can also provide a definitive answer. There are many myths, but research has not shown that any other method can tell.
"It can be possible to identify male and female genitalia at the NHS 20-week scan or at a private scan from about 16 weeks of pregnancy," says Dr Philippa Kaye, our expert family GP. "At most (but not all) NHS hospitals, the sonographer will tell you the sex at the 20-week scan, if they can tell and you want to know.
Studies have shown that infants as young as one month-old sense when a parent is depressed or angry and are affected by the parent's mood. Understanding that even infants are affected by adult emotions can help parents do their best in supporting their child's healthy development.
It's best to avoid lying on your back, especially in late pregnancy, when the weight of the heavy uterus can press on the large blood vessels in your belly. When lying on your side, keep your body in line, with your knees bent slightly, and avoid twisting.
Research has shown that, during pregnancy, your baby feels what you feel—and with the same intensity. That means if you're crying, your baby feels the same emotion, as if it's their own. During the gestational period, your baby is preparing themselves for life in the outside world.
This is often put down to distraction and being busy during the day, but that may not be the whole story. 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.”
Researchers in Scotland compared fetal responses when pregnant women spoke to their babies or rubbed their bellies. "Overall results suggest that maternal touch of the abdomen was a powerful stimulus, producing a range of fetal behavioural responses," the researchers write.
They can feel pain at 22 weeks, and at 26 weeks they can move in response to a hand being rubbed on the mother's belly.
Ideally for labor, the baby is positioned head-down, facing the mother's back with the chin tucked to its chest and the back of the head ready to enter the pelvis. This position is called cephalic presentation. Most babies settle into this position within the 32nd to 36th weeks of pregnancy.
Background. 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.
The baby is well-protected in the uterus, and even a hard sneeze will not affect the baby.
“When we're watching the fetus on ultrasound and the mother starts to laugh, we can see the fetus, floating upside down in the womb, bounce up and down on its head, bum-bum-bum, like it's bouncing on a trampoline," said Janet DiPietro, the Vice Dean for research and faculty at John Hopkins.
According to Carista Luminare-Rosen, PhD, author of Parenting Begins Before Conception: A Guide to Preparing Body, Mind, and Spirit for You and Your Future Child, research shows that babies in the womb have the emotional and intuitive capabilities to sense their parents' love.