Anyone else have a non-active babe?

[scarletjane]

I'm not really worried about this, but I would love to hear other people's thoughts on whether or not I should be. I'm 37 weeks and I feel very little movement, but this has been the case all along (though there's a little less now). I've mentioned it to my midwives and they aren't concerned at all. I've done the test where I lie on my left side and count movements and there are always more than the requisite 10 per 2 hours... but man are they subtle! Just little blips really. It's possible that I have an anterior placenta and that my abdominal wall is thicker because (though i'm not overweight at all) I know the midwives had a hard time hearing with the doppler until much later than usual. But still... when I hear you all talking about these huge kicks and people even experiencing the kicks as painful.. that has never happened to me! Did anyone else have this experience and go on to have a happy healthy little one? And I hate to even ask this.. but is it possible it's a sign that something could be wrong with the baby's health? I'm not too concerned about IUGR because my uterus is increasing the appropriate amount each week, but is there anything else it could be a sign of? Where is this end-of-pregnancy paranoia coming from?? Maybe it's partly because we never had an ultrasound, but as I near the end here, I've really been thinking a lot about how I hope the baby's healthy and everything's alright.
I'd love anyone's thoughts on all of this.

[clicksab]

Same thing happened to me with my first. We think I probably had an anterior placenta, like you're guessing. I felt movement, but it was NOT the kind that I'd always heard about, just like you describe. I also felt movement much later than most women, and never felt any BH contractions. Absolutely nothing was wrong, and it seems like you really have nothing to worry about. It's normal for movement to slow down as you get bigger, also. Many times women know they are approaching birth because the baby has gotten calmer! I had a completely healthy babe, so try not to worry!

This pregnancy has been completely different, I feel EVERYTHING. So you may end up getting kicked out of breath your next pregnancy

[mischievium]

As someone who had the issue you described (along with an anterior placenta) and everything did not turn out okay, I am trying to walk the line here between being alarmist and reassuring. The problem is, what you're describing can be fine and normal, or it can be an indication that there may be an issue-- the only way to have a better idea of which is which, is to get it checked out. I say, if you're worried, just go in for an ultrasound/ biophysical profile. If everything is fine (which it probably is), then you will be able to be reassured, on the off chance it isn't, it's better to know now.

[at_the_hip]

I had an anterior placenta and compared to my other pg's, it was noticeably muffled. I hope that's the case with you and that you have nothing to worry about. But I think a biophysical profile wouldnt' be a bad idea if you are worried...it doesn't take long to do and gives a good idea of how baby is doing.

[Astraia]

With my daughter, I never felt "big" movements. I could never watch my belly move from the outside. I could fall asleep during her active periods with no problems, it just wasn't enough to keep me awake. The movement I did feel was always around my sides and the very top, and it never felt like kicks so much as stretches. I could also sort of feel her kicking and wiggling towards my back, but it's such a weird & hard to identify feeling that you almost feel like you're imagining it.

I had an anterior placenta with her.

This baby - I feel like he's huge and so so active because my placenta is posterior. He's really not much more active- still no real kicks, just stretches and wiggles- but I can feel him EVERYWHERE. I can watch him squirm around from the outside. It really is just so completely different, it's amazing.

If you're actually worried then by all means go for some testing to set your mind at ease. But if you're only worrying because of what you feel OUGHT to be normal based on other people's experiences (does this make sense? I don't know how to explain it, but I do this to myself all the time!) then just realize that every woman and every baby is different

[redvlagrl]

DD was exactly like this. I only just passed kick counts. And she was a totally passive baby (problematically so, when it came to BFing). And now she's an easygoing 15 mths old. I honestly think it's just her personality that was showing itself in utero.

[scarletjane]

Thanks so much for these responses. It really helps to hear that this has been other people's experiences as well. And, Mischievium, thanks for sharing your perspective; I'm so sorry about your experience and appreciate your balanced insight. I am going to bring this up at my appointment this week and see what my midwives have to say. thanks again, ladies.