Feeling baby movement low? « Back to Group Discussions

[buko]

Nearing 27 weeks and I really only feel Buko kicking/punching/squirming below my bellybutton-- like 3 inches below, at least (not even that far above my pubic area), and the height of my fundus was last measured above my bellybutton (23 cm @ 25 weeks). 

I kinda figure this means s/he is breech* right now...  No big deal as it's still pretty early, but just trying to figure it all out, since I'm a first-timer and am not getting the hang of palpating position or anything.  I will see my MWs in a couple more weeks, so I'm sure they can help me out then. 

But does feeling baby low mean baby is breech, or not necessarily?  I would think, well, maybe they're punches or head-butts, but I'm not feeling ANYTHING anywhere close to my ribs, and only very occasionally somewhere closer to my bellybutton or slightly above it.  So if what I'm feeling are hands or a head, then why don't I ever (or rarely) feel feet?  Then again, maybe I'm thinking my uterus is bigger than it actually is? 

Any thoughts?  Insight from non-first-timers, or first-timers who have had position confirmed?

*Or maybe transverse, since I am almost-kinda measuring small and feel her/him on the left about 90% of the time...  But then, that's literally always been the case, so I have sorta suspected my placenta's on the right.

[babytoes]

I would think that feeling lots of movement down low would mean a breech babe. My little girl keeps flipping, one day she's head down the next she's breech, I am also almost 27 weeks and this doesn't bother me at all. All three of my boys stayed head up until after 35 weeks, my first DS flipped at 38 weeks! So I guess I don't mind her indecisiveness. When she is head down though, I know it with out a doubt. The kicks are very strong and about belly button area and higher. Your Buko may be transverse as well, since there is still enough room, although its should be getting rather tight in there. Now, when my baby is head down I can feel lots of movement from her arms and head as well, and she mostly likes to hang out on my left side, but it is much smaller movements and not tough ones like with her feet. If your placenta is across the top and slightly down along the front, it would seem that all of the movements would be contained to below your belly button (hopefully that made sense!), but in fact the placenta is just desensitizing that area.

[buko]

That makes a lot of sense-- thank you!

[jodieanneanton]

It's hard to tell since I am not you.... but I can tell you what's going on with me! :D 

My babe is head down.  I know this because I can feel a large lump attached to what feels like the back...so much much larger mass than what the head would be.  However, I feel most movement down low.  First, I feel a slight thumping of the cervix that is rhythmic when baby gets the hiccups.  This is much different and less intense than the jabs I would feel to the cervix when baby was breech and transverse earlier in the pregnancy.  The other kind of movement I feel are the elbows/hands.  I feel this slightly above my pubic bone.  I feel NO feet or leg movement at all.  The reason for this is likely placental placement.  I know that I have an anterior placenta.  It is high in my uterus and on the front left.  I feel no movement in this area at all which is typically where baby's feet are (based on where I know his/her back/butt is).  So, basically, it is possible that your baby is not breech and you are not feeling movement based on placental placement.  Identifying where that large back/butt mass is is extremely helpful in determining position.  There is good info at spinningbabies about baby positioning that you may want to check out!  Also, if baby is breech he/she still has PLENTY of time to flip!  Again, spinning babies has exercises to help encourage babe to flip to heads down on his/her own and lots of info about that!!

[buko]

I love the spinning babies site!  I am still feeling really unsure as to just what parts I'm feeling when I palpate, though.  I notice that moms who have had other children seem to tell this easily and early, for whatever reasons!  If anything, I kinda feel like maybe Buko is transverse (from palpation)?  But I really don't know... 

I definitely have some fat on top of things, but it's not a ton. 

I do wonder about placental placement, though!

[cocoanib]

At this point baby is probably flipping all around, because of all the space.

I mostly feel babyboy down low, lot's of movements that send me running to the restroom.

However, just yesterday, I was able to see him moving from the outside near my belly button.

I guess yesterdday he wanted to move up higher, but still movements are mostly low.

[madelaine]

I think my babe is still moving around quite a bit too. I don't feel anything strong real low that often, though, so maybe she's less likely to flip that way. But around the belly button or to either side. Sometimes little bumps down low, but they don't seem kick-like, more likely arms/hands, maybe.

They told me I had an anterior placenta, so I'm kind of curious how that will affect the baby's position eventually (hopefully not posterior...)

Haven't felt hiccups yet, but I remember getting those with my first daughter, maybe that will come later.

I think the placenta's position is higher now due to general growth of my uterus, because I'm starting to feel the real stronger kicks and movements more and able to see things from the outside around my belly button (which I find kind of creepy, but cool).

[cabbitdancer]

I feel two types of bumps: rhythmic thumps down low in the pubic area that I suspect (hope? My daughter was breech...) are hiccoughs; hard thumps up around my bellybutton that I can see move my clothing out of the corner of my eye. My fingers are crossed that this means baby is in a good position, but I know baby can still move for a while, yet.

[Melany]

I am feeling bumps EVERYWHERE! I think baby is flipping constantly. Sometimes low, sometimes high, sometimes really tight and painful on one side. I remember seeing her do flips like a swimmer kicking off a wall during the ultrasound, so I know she is moving. Even though this is my third, I'm not really sure how she is position. I can find a large back "lump" on occasion, but I can't figure out which end of the lump is which. :) 

[buko]

I just thought I'd update this... 

I started feeling more movement higher, about a week or so ago, and when I had my last appointment Thursday (almost 29 weeks), my MW and her assistant both palpated and felt Buko was head-down (LOA, even)!  I know it's still very early, so no guarantees, but it was nice to hear, anyway.

FWIW, I still feel plenty of movement (hands, head, whatever) down low, but also a fair amount above the belly-button.

[maydaymom10]

Originally Posted by madelaine 

They told me I had an anterior placenta, so I'm kind of curious how that will affect the baby's position eventually (hopefully not posterior...)

I had an anterior placenta with DS & it didn't hurt his position (as far as being head down) at all. I just didn't feel him as much because of it.

As far as movements down low, I am about 100% sure that this LO is breech most of the time. I have been suffering fierce kicks to the cervix all weekend - to the point that it's weakened my knees a few times. I'm not worried though. My MW hasn't even checked for position yet, and I know from some of my reading that you don't really need to start looking at position until around 34 weeks. There's just too much room in there right now. I do some of the spinning babies exercises just for my own comfort, but will become more proactive with it in a few weeks. And honestly, I'm not looking forward to those kicks in the ribs again.

[withlittlelungs]

Baby A is breech and has been for the majority of my pregnancy, except for a few minutes during my 24 week u/s (he really got my hopes up!). Baby B is technically vertex, but she is on a diagonal. 
I am going to start doing spinning babies exercises this week to get baby A to flip. If he hasn't flipped by 32 weeks, I am going to find a chiro who performs the webster method. I just want a chance at delivering vaginally!

[JennJenn84]

Ii feel a lot down low as well, but usually in the mornings or late nights. The rest of the time its near my ribs or belly button. When I feel it low, it feels very light though.