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Pregnancy is not always an easy time for everyone, and it is definitely a lot for a body to go through. With all the aches, pains and hormonal changes that come with pregnancy, there is still this immense feeling of joy and excitement that a new baby is coming into the world.



There are other really great moments in pregnancy, like hearing the baby’s heartbeat, seeing them on ultrasounds, and planning out a nursery theme. One of the other greatest moments in pregnancy is when mom-to-be starts to feel her baby kick and move inside of her.

It won’t be long until dad can feel the baby kick too, and this is the moment when it gets real for a lot of couples out there. When they realize that they are welcoming new life into this world, and it can remind them just how special and beautiful pregnancy really can be.

RELATED: Fetal Movement and Why Pregnant Women Count Kicks

However, the world can take baby movements for granted, and not really think about what is going on inside. We are going to take a detailed look at baby movements while pregnant, and explain why they happen, when they happen and what it means if they don’t happen.


When Will They Start?

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From the moment a woman gets a positive pregnancy test, she may begin wondering when she will feel her little baby move inside of her. This takes time, as the fetus grows big and strong, but it will happen.

According to Virtue Baby, the earliest movements in pregnancy are called “quickening,” and this will typically happen around the 18th week of pregnancy.

Every pregnancy and body, is different, so some women may feel them sooner than others. The more pregnancies you have, the earlier you will feel them as well. By the second pregnancy, you may feel them as early as 16 weeks. That is because you know what you are looking for when it comes to baby movements. It won’t be for a while until dad-to-be can feel them as the baby needs to be much stronger to make the movements noticeable on the outside.

What Kind Of Movements Are There?

via: youtube.com

There are many kinds of movements inside the womb, and mom can feel any number of them. The first feelings are often described as fluttering, butterflies and bubbles.

According to My Health Alberta, some women have described them as “gas bubbles,” and mom may not even notice that her baby is moving for a bit.

If mom notices that there are some jerky movements in her womb, and they come pretty regularly, her baby likely has the hiccups. Fetus’ can get hiccups, and they will feel like short, jerky movements, and they are perfectly normal. They can last from one minute to an hour.

Then there are the more known and noticeable movements, which are kicks, twists and turns. You will feel your baby kick at your stomach, you will feel them move and turn, and you may even feel them do a big stretch while inside.

As you get further on in your pregnancy, you will be able to see them from the outside, and they can get pretty uncomfortable as you near the end of your pregnancy, and your baby starts running out of room.

An Anterior Placenta

What Is Circumvallate Placenta?

While it may seem odd that there is a section here about placentas, but the placement of the placenta can impact how mom feels movements. According to Cleveland Clinic, if mom has an anterior placenta, it may be hard for her to feel kicks.

An anterior placenta is when it is on the front of the stomach, and it is acting like a cushion between mom and the baby. While mom will still feel movements, it may take her longer to feel them, and they may not come through as strong.

When To Be Worried

If you haven’t felt any movements, and you are 24 weeks pregnant, it is a good idea to bring it up with your medical provider. They can do a quick check to make sure everything is OK. However, there are times when you need to be worried about your baby’s movements, and that is when you don’t feel them.

According to NHS, fetal movements can tell us a lot about how the baby is doing in there, and mom-to-be needs to be paying attention.

When it comes to baby movements, mom wants to get familiar with any patterns in her baby movements. Is there a time of day when they are more active? These patterns can highlight if something is wrong. It is normal for babies in the womb to be more active at night, when mom-to-be is sleeping. That is because during the day, the movement of mom’s hips puts her baby to sleep.

If mom thinks that her baby is moving less than normal, she should seek medical advice immediately. It is always better to be safe than sorry, and hospital staff would always rather a mom-to-be come in if she is concerned at all, than to wait. We can also look at kick counts, because they can help mom identify if something is wrong. However, it is important to remember that it is not always the amount of kicks that are important, but a change in the normal routine.

Kick Counts

baby kicks monitored

Kick counts are a great way to make sure everything is fine, especially if mom is concerned that her baby has not been moving as much as possible. According to The Bump, to do kick counts, mom wants to see how long it takes for her to feel 10 movements. Any kind of movement counts, and it can take up to 2 hours to feel 10 movements, and that is OK. Anything past that is concerning, and mom should call her OBGYN/Midwife.

If mom wants to try and encourage her baby to move, she can try and drink something cold, eat something sweet, or even change the temperature of her belly (like place an ice pack on it). Mom can also shine a flashlight on her belly, and her baby will move away from the light. Baby movements are important, special and wonderful, and it is always best to soak them in while you can.

Sources: Virtue Baby, My Health Alberta, Cleveland Clinic, NHS, The Bump

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