Signs Baby Is Healthy In Utero

When women are pregnant, the reassurance that their babies are healthy and safe while they are growing in utero is a great stress reliever. Many times, this only happens when mothers-to-be go to their doctor appointments throughout pregnancy and get positive news about their babies. Something that can leave them wondering how their little ones are faring for the remainder of the month. But by knowing the signs of a healthy pregnancy that lead to babies being healthy in utero, greater confidence in the health of the pregnancy can be had. And anxiety levels will decrease as a result.

Until babies begin to kick, those who are pregnant can feel like they have little to go off of but the doctor’s good word that the pregnancy is progressing as it should. This is only because many women do not know the signs that mean their babies are healthy as they develop. But by knowing the subtle and not-so-subtle signs that babies are doing well while in the womb, there should be fewer worries about the health of little ones and just joy about the pregnancy overall.

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Here are signs babies are healthy in utero.

10 Pregnancy Symptoms

While dealing with pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness and fatigue is not fun, they may be a sign that babies are healthy as they develop.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the cause of morning sickness is the increasing number of hormones that are entering women’s bodies to help support pregnancy. Specifically, HCG is produced when the fertilized egg attaches to the urine wall, according to the publication.

Not having morning sickness and pregnancy symptoms does not mean that pregnancies are not progressing as they should. But, when there is morning sickness, it signals that everything is moving forward with a healthy pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic. Perhaps something to see as a silver lining while dealing with not feeling well the first several weeks of pregnancy.

9 Fetal In Utero Movement

One of the easiest ways to tell if babies are doing well in utero is to feel them move.

All babies have their own times per day and things that will make them move more than others. By figuring out what their normal movement times and patterns are, mothers-to-be can tell if their babies are doing well or are in distress by how much their babies move while expecting.

8 Steady Growth In Utero

Each baby will grow at its own pace in the womb. As long as it is steady and there is consistent growth at each appointment, babies are healthy during pregnancy.

According to Ovia Health, around 20 weeks gestation, doctors will begin to measure growth by using fundal height. This is the area from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus, per the publication.

Babies should be growing larger with each appointment. And as long as there is growth happening, moms can rest assured that babies are doing well in utero.

7 Fetal Heartbeat

One of the biggest indicators of a healthy baby during pregnancy is their heartbeat. Something that is music to any mother’s ears when doctors detect it during regular antenatal visits.

Because women want to have the ability to hear their little ones’ heartbeats more often than just at doctor’s appointments, they may be tempted to purchase at-home fetal Doppler devices. Something that has not been approved to use consistently during pregnancy.

According to MedicalNewsToday, at-home fetal Doppler devices have not been found to cause harm to fetuses, but they have not been found to be safe either. As such, it is not recommended to use them at home just to hear the sound of babies’ heartbeats.

6 Putting On Healthy Weight

Much of the weight that women put on during pregnancy occurs after week 20, according to the NHS. It is important for women to put on healthy and consistent weight from this time to the end of pregnancy. Most of which should be coming from babies growing versus eating unhealthy foods without abandon.

As long as weight is being put on, it is a good sign that babies are growing as they should. Something that makes for a healthy pregnancy and healthy babies while in utero.

5 Baby Bump Growing Bigger

A great sign that babies are healthy while in utero is watching the baby bump grow from week to week. This is because if the baby bump is growing, then babies are growing. Something that indicates little ones are thriving while developing over the course of the pregnancy.

4 Position Of Baby As Delivery Date Nears

As the delivery date draws near, babies should begin to change their positions in utero. And if babies are making their way head down with the back of the head at their mothers’ pelvis, according to the Cleveland Clinic, it is a sign babies are healthy.

This does not mean that babies are unhealthy if they do not get into this position. But those who do are getting ready to be born without assistance to position them properly. Something that hopefully means delivery will go smoothly when that time comes.

3 Increased Vaginal Discharge

Vaginal discharge during pregnancy helps to keep infections from occurring, according to Healthline. As such, if there is increased vaginal discharge during pregnancy, it is a sign that babies are continuing to thrive while in utero.

As the pregnancy journey comes to an end, there will be more discharge than ever. This is because babies are pushing on the cervix as they get ready to be born, per the publication, showing just how strong and ready they are to enter the world.

2 Enlarged & Sore Breasts

Hormones impact every part of the body during pregnancy. This includes the breasts. As such, if the pregnancy is moving forward as it should, women will have enlarged and sore breasts as they get ready to develop milk for babies to consume when they are born.

Enlarged and sore breasts will be a part of pregnancy from the very early days to the end, according to the American Pregnancy Association. As long as babies are continuing to develop, the production of milk will also. Indicating that babies are healthy and growing strong during pregnancy.

1 Constipation Sets In

One symptom of a healthy pregnancy that is not fun to deal with is constipation. But given that constipation begins around the second to the third month of pregnancy, according to What To Expect, it can give women comfort in knowing that babies are continuing to grow and develop. As it is a result of the extra progesterone being produced in the body to prepare for delivery which is slowing digestion down.

Constipation may not be the greatest of signs to look for when determining the health of babies while in utero. But if it is happening, it is likely that babies are doing just fine and are developing properly during their final months of gestation.

Source: Mayo Clinic, Ovia Health, MedicalNewsToday, NHS, Cleveland Clinic, Healthline, American Pregnancy Association, What To Expect