How early did you start feeling practice breathing?

[1babysmom]

It's definitely what I've been feeling tonight (caught me off guard! Obviously different than hiccups or any other movement, but I don't recall feeling it with either of my girls). However I'm only about 31 weeks. Everything else I read (both info and personal experiences) is always referring to later in pregnancy, when women are closer to term that they're actually feeling it.

[arianascrunchymama]

when my DD had her back pressed against my abdomen I could feel her practice breathing starting around 32 weeks or so. I don't think it's abnormal to feel it at 30/31 weeks at all!

[1babysmom]

Well good to know! I wonder why I never felt it with the other two? I'm very sensitive to this stuff (I start feeling movement very early on) and my babies always move pretty much constantly during the pregnancy. It's a very cool feeling, that's for sure!! Maybe I can hope it's a sign of reassurance that this baby can and will come a little earlier than the other two did? (I know, it doesn't have anything to do with that, but I can hope, right? LOL)

[Plummeting]

Just out of curiosity, what does it feel like? I don't recall being aware of it with DD and I probably wouldn't recognize it with this one, since I have no point of reference.

[1babysmom]

Originally Posted by Plummeting

Just out of curiosity, what does it feel like? I don't recall being aware of it with DD and I probably wouldn't recognize it with this one, since I have no point of reference.

It literally felt like a little body breathing. The best way I can describe it is comparing it to hiccups by using my finger. I'd describe that as a swift tapping like feeling, rythmic, but a definite tap or "flick" type feeling from inside. My babies always have lots of hiccups so I'm really familiar with that one. But this was like instead of tapping my finger (as an example) it was just smoothly moving it up and down, and it was like the body, not just a centralized area (like hiccups I always feel in just a tiny spot by the baby's head). Sometimes it was the same pace as my pulse, then it would be a tiny bit slower. It went on for about 30 seconds, but during that time would do it like 10-15ish times and then stop for a few seconds and do it again, repeating about two and a half times, maybe?

[olien]

Wow, I never felt this with #1. Didnt even know about it. Maybe I will with this baby on the way

[chai]

Originally Posted by 1babysmom

It's definitely what I've been feeling tonight (caught me off guard! Obviously different than hiccups or any other movement, but I don't recall feeling it with either of my girls). However I'm only about 31 weeks. Everything else I read (both info and personal experiences) is always referring to later in pregnancy, when women are closer to term that they're actually feeling it.

I'm thinking I was 32 weeks (I'm 34.5 now, and it seems like it was a couple of weeks ago). I also didn't feel it with my first, but this time I can look down at my belly and see very clear "breathing" movements. Occasionally he'll get the hiccups at the same time, so I can tell exactly where his back is.

I've felt MUCH more in touch with the separate little person inside me this time - I can make out his body a lot easier, and feel a ton more subtle movements. Not sure if it comes with practice or if my body is actually different.