Baby Movement questions

[HeatherG]

Hi all. How much and often do you feel the baby move. I am 30 weeks 4 days. I am on super alert with this pregnancy as my sister had a major complication and she had an emergency c-section at 36 weeks. He was severely malnourished due to a small placenta and cord and has complications because of it.

So I am SO freaking out over my pregnancy. At 30 weeks how much and how often should I feel the baby? My midwife tells me the baby is doing great and I need to clam down, she understands my concern. It is very hard to relax when I see and know what is going on with my nephew. I guess I want to feel this baby do some hard kicking and doing it often. I do feel the baby move, but sometimes it is a long time inbetween.

So tell me what you all feel.

[Celtain]

My baby moves all the time. some times it is just a little flutter or a hiccup but once in a while it is like he is trying to break right out of the womb!!!!!


BTW-Where in SE MASS

[Proudmom]

Now you have me totally freaked out! My ds kicked all the time and he kicked hard! He is a constant mover now also. I felt every kick, move, hiccup...everything.

This pregnancy is different. I am not as far along as you are, but I notice a difference. I am pregnant with a girl, and she only moves a little bit. Her movements aren't as hard either. I don't feel hiccups this time. Sometimes she makes me very worried, because she won't even move after I lie down, drink, etc...

Proudmom

[canadiangranola]

Heather,
I'm not currently pregnant, but my ds didn't ever move all that much. Other women talked about being kept awake all night by baby's movements, but i never experienced that. Try to relax, and remember that your tiny little babe spends a heck of a lot of time sleeping in there...it's warm and cozy, who wouldn't want to sleep?
Also, as they get bigger, you feel the kicks less because they start to get a bit cramped, so you feel shifting and stretchign more than the gymnastic endeavors of before.
Try to notice times throughout the day when dc is kicking/moving. If you think it's been a while, try lying down and actually paying attention, often, we don't even feel the movements cuz we are busy cleaning, walking, whatever, also the motion of our bods soothes the baby so that often, they will sleep while we are in motion. If you lie for awhile and still feel nothing, try drinking a big glass of cold water or oj, sometmes that can jumpstart the action.

My sis also had weird complications with emergency section, and I know how stressfull it can be to follow that with your own pregnancy, but please, for your own sanity and peace of mind, trust your baby to grow as it should, and trust your body to tell you if there is something seriously wrong...that mommy "spider sense" that begins in pregnancy will serve you well throughout parenthood.

Blessings, much movement, and even more peace of mind to you,
anno

[Mizelenius]

Heahter, is this your 1st? I didn't feel DD very much at all. I was surprised because, although my butt isn't small, my waist was always slim, and that's supposed to help you feel things better. Anyway, I didn't even feel my contractions (during early labor) so it was a blessing, I guess.

My only concern is if you have DECREASED movement. Compare your baby's movement to the past-- if it's the same, I wouldn't worry. It's when it gets to be much less that I'd call someone. Also, whenever I got worried, I'd drink some OJ to get DD moving. At a certain point, I do think that babies move less simply because there isn't as much room. But still, when in doubt, call an expert!

For comparison, I'm only 14 weeks now, and I feel the baby. Not constantly, but I do feel things. I didn't feel anything at all with DD until much later, and when I did, it wasn't super strong. She was born very healthy, thank goodness, and FULL of energy (she's anti-sleep). My MW told me that after the 1st, things get "stretched out."

So, esp. if this is your 1st, it's normal!



(BTW, I'm not in this due date club, just saw your post!)

[HeatherG]

Hi all, thanks for the posts. They did make me feel a little better. This is my second pregnancy, my DD is 15 months and our new DC is expected arounf 1-1. I am super paranoid because of all the issues my sister and her baby have. The movement has not really decreased, but it doesn't seem to be lots of movement, ya know. Guess this new bean is not as active, which is fine.

embens....Sagamore.

[Celtain]

HeatherG, try not to worry. I know that is easier said than done, but try. I'll be keeping you in my thoughts.

I am originally from the cape too, dennis

[3_opihi]

My second baby moved alot less than my first one and it really freaked me out too. Maybe you have an anterior placenta or something?

I think we tend to feel our subsequent babies less because we are so busy chasing our other kids around...Maybe it lulls the baby to sleep, maybe we just don't notice the movement as much.

Has your midwife told you how to do kick counts? I don't know if they are accurate (I tend to be a little cynical when it comes to mainstream pregnancy notions) but its a good way to feel your baby move if you are missing those kicks, or just want to check in. What you do- drink a glass of ice water (or OJ) and then lay on your left side for an hour or two. You should get some good kicks.

I know its hard not to freak yourself out. I do it too sometimes. Hang in there I hope your sister and her little one are doing ok now.

[fromscatteredtribe]

i also do not feel this baby (my 4th) move as much as the others and at 27 weeks i want to feel crazy big movements all day long. my midwife suggested that the placenta was elsewhere and I looked at the ultrasound report and sure enough i have an anterior placenta. i think that is right in front and therefore making those littler movements less likely to get my attention. i wish you the best.

[FreeRangeMama]

I felt ds1 for the first time at 12 weeks and he moved non-stop till the moment he was born. With ds2 I didn't feel him move until 21 weeks and I would go DAYS without feeling a single thing, even in the last weeks of pregnancy. That fits well with how their personalities are, ds1 is very intense and ds2 is very laid back. This new baby seems to be in the middle, I felt movement periodically from fairly early on but not too much or too often. Each one is different, go with your mama intuition and try not to let your sister's experience worry you about your own outcome. Such things are rare.

[chickiepickie]

Wild child

I'm on my second pregnancy and this one has been different in every way. I was not sick, I didn't crave weird food (like last time - my infamous incident with liverworst and avocado on dutch crunch roll sandwich...ew!), I'm feeling really good. The one thing that strikes me is the difference in fetal movement between the two pregnancies. I thought my first was a mover and a shaker but this one completely blows him out of the amniotic fluid! It takes me at least two hours to go to sleep from the time I hit the bed because the baby is moving and jumping and rolling and OUCH! It seems like it NEVER sleeps! I don't know anything about the position of my placenta but that sounds like a decent explanation for why it feels stronger or lighter. I always just figured it was the personality of the baby...even though I can't prove that, having a wild-boy-four-year-old. If you are super concerned about lack of fetal movement, just talk to your doctor or midwife. Don't worry yourself unnecessarily! You'll do plenty of that LATER!

Love, Theann