One of the most exciting sensations in every woman’s life is the first movements during pregnancy. Many expectant mothers who are carrying their first child worry about how fetal movements are felt, at what stage this usually occurs, how often and how intensely the baby should “kick.” Naturally, each course of pregnancy is individual, so we will consider the average norms and indicators regarding the baby’s movements.

When the first movements are felt

During pregnancy, the first fetal movement is felt in the second half of the interesting position, between 18 and 22 weeks. This does not mean that until this time the baby sleeps peacefully in his mother’s tummy and does not move. It’s just that it’s still so small that the woman doesn’t feel how it pushes off the walls of the uterus and floats in the amniotic fluid. By 18-20 weeks, the baby has grown so much that the expectant mother can already notice his slight movements. Most women experience the first sensation of movement between 20 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. In the second trimester, it is felt like tremors in different parts of the abdomen: the baby still has enough space to move in all directions, twist his arms and legs, and “play” with the umbilical cord. The longer the pregnancy, the larger the baby becomes and, accordingly, stronger. His confident kicking of his mother’s belly from the inside is very different from the timid, first movements. During pregnancy, up to 30-32 weeks, the baby still turns over freely, and then he takes a stable position with his head down (cephalic presentation of the fetus), although in some cases the baby is positioned with his buttocks or legs down (breech presentation of the fetus).

Many women note that the first movements during the second pregnancy are felt much earlier than during the first. This phenomenon can be explained very simply; the expectant mother already knows how the baby’s movement in her tummy feels. While during the first pregnancy she could confuse slight movements of the fetus with increased gas formation or intestinal motility, or muscle contractions. In addition, in women who are pregnant not for the first time, the anterior abdominal wall is more stretched and, accordingly, more sensitive. According to statistics, most expectant mothers feel the first movements during their second pregnancy at about 16 weeks.

It has been noticed that obese women feel the first movements of the baby in the stomach a little later than thinner expectant mothers.

How often and how intensely should the baby move?

After the feeling of joy from feeling the first movements has passed, the expectant mother begins to wonder how often and how hard the baby should push during the normal course of an interesting position. After all, by the nature of a child’s motor activity, one can judge how well he grows and develops, how comfortable he is in his mother’s tummy.

Until about the 26th week of pregnancy, while the baby is still relatively small, the expectant mother can feel his movements only a few times a day. This does not mean that he is inactive and moves little, it’s just that the woman still does not recognize her baby’s movements well enough, and may not notice some of his movements. According to average statistics, after 26-28 weeks the baby should actively move about 10 times in 2-3 hours.

To make it easy and convenient for the expectant mother to determine whether her child moves often enough or not, obstetricians-gynecologists advise from the moment when the first movements begin to be clearly felt, to conduct the so-called fetal movement calendar. Every day, the expectant mother should count the number of movements of the baby that she felt, and each time she feels the tenth “kick”, mark the time of this event on the calendar. In cases where it seems to a woman that the baby is not moving actively enough, she should take a comfortable position and relax; before doing this, you can eat something (there is an unproven hypothesis that after eating the baby moves more intensely). If after two hours the pregnant woman has not felt 5-10 movements, then she needs to slowly get up and down the stairs, walk around, and then lie down quietly again. In most cases, the activities listed above lead to increased motor activity of the baby. If after 2-3 hours a woman does not feel any tremors from within, then she should consult a gynecologist as soon as possible so that he can check the condition of the baby in the mother’s belly.

Many women begin to worry if the baby moves very energetically. But don't worry, there's nothing wrong with it. Excessively active movements of the child are not a pathology; most often the reason for such vigorous activity is that the expectant mother has taken an unsuccessful position, which causes discomfort to the baby. Typically, increased motor activity is observed in cases where a woman sits, leaning far back, or lies on her back. As soon as a pregnant woman changes the position of her body, for example, lies on her side or sits down, leaning forward, the baby calms down and moves less intensely.

As a rule, women feel the first distinct movements of the fetus closer to the second half of pregnancy, and multiparous women feel them earlier than mothers expecting their first child. This is due to the fact that women who have given birth already know what these sensations are, and women who are pregnant for the first time may initially confuse fetal movements, while they are not yet intense enough, with intestinal peristalsis, gas formation in the abdomen or muscle contractions. In addition, in multipregnant women, the anterior abdominal wall is more stretched and sensitive. Chubby women feel fetal movements a little later than thin women.

So, during the first pregnancy, women feel the first movements of the fetus, usually between 18 and 22 weeks (usually at 20 weeks), and multiparous women can feel the movements of the unborn baby as early as 16 weeks.

When expectant mothers begin to feel the movements of their babies, they have many questions and doubts: how often should a child move? Is he moving intensely enough?

It should be remembered that each baby is individual and develops at its own pace, and the norms regarding fetal movements have a fairly wide range.

Character of movements

First trimester. The most intensive growth of the unborn child occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy. First, a group of cells rapidly divides, grows, and becomes an embryo, which attaches to the wall of the uterus and begins to grow, protected by the amniotic fluid, membranes, and muscular wall of the uterus.

Already from 7–8 weeks, an ultrasound examination can record how the limbs of the embryo move. This happens because his nervous system is already mature enough to conduct nerve impulses to the muscles. At this time, the embryo moves chaotically, and its movements seem to be devoid of any meaning. And of course, he is still too small, and the movements are too weak to be felt.

Second trimester. By 14–15 weeks of pregnancy, the fetus has already grown and its limbs have fully differentiated (they have acquired the familiar appearance and shape of arms and legs), movements have become intense and active. During this period, the baby floats freely in the amniotic fluid and pushes away from the walls of the uterus. Of course, he is still very small, so these repulsions are weak and the expectant mother does not feel them yet.

By 18–20 weeks, the fetus grows and its movements become more noticeable. Pregnant women describe these light first touches as “the fluttering of butterflies,” “the swimming of fish.”

As the fetus grows, the sensations become more distinct, and by 20–22 weeks, as a rule, all pregnant women clearly feel the movements of their baby.

In the second trimester, expectant mothers may feel “pushes” of the baby in different parts of the abdomen, because he has not yet taken a certain position in the uterus and there is still enough space for him to turn over and rotate in all directions.

What do children do while in their mother's womb? According to observations made during ultrasound examination, unborn children have many different activities: they drink amniotic fluid (ultrasound shows how the lower jaw moves), turn their head, twist their legs, can clasp their legs with their hands, finger and grab the umbilical cord.

As the pregnancy progresses, the baby grows and becomes stronger. Light pushes are already replaced by strong “kicks”, and when the baby turns over inside the uterus, it is noticeable from the outside how the stomach changes its configuration. At the same time, a mother may experience that her baby “hiccups.” At the same time, the woman feels the child shudder at regular intervals. “Hiccupping” movements are associated with the fact that the fetus intensively swallows amniotic fluid and its diaphragm begins to actively contract. Such movements of the diaphragm are a reflexive attempt to push out fluid. This is completely safe and normal. The absence of “hiccups” is also a variant of the norm.

Third trimester. By the beginning of the third trimester, the fetus can freely turn over and rotate, and by 30–32 weeks it occupies a permanent position in the uterine cavity. In most cases, it is positioned head down. This is called cephalic presentation of the fetus. If the baby is positioned with his legs or buttocks down, then this is called breech presentation of the fetus. With a cephalic presentation, active movements are felt in the upper half of the abdomen, and with a pelvic presentation, on the contrary, they are felt in the lower sections.

During the third trimester, a pregnant woman may also notice that her baby has certain sleep-wake cycles. The expectant mother already knows in what body position the baby is most comfortable, because when the mother is positioned in a position that is uncomfortable for the baby, he will definitely let you know about it with violent, intense movements. When a pregnant woman lies on her back, the uterus puts pressure on blood vessels, particularly those that carry oxygenated blood to the uterus and the fetus.

Closer to childbirth, movements are felt mainly in the area where the baby’s limbs are located, most often in the right hypochondrium (since in the vast majority of cases the fetus is positioned head down and back to the left). Such jolts can even cause pain to the expectant mother. However, if you lean forward slightly, the baby will stop pushing so hard. This can be explained by the fact that in this position the blood flow improves, more oxygen reaches the fetus and it “calms down”.

Shortly before labor begins, the baby's head (or buttocks, if the fetus is in a breech position) is pressed against the entrance to the pelvis. From the outside it seems as if the stomach has “sank”. Pregnant women note that before childbirth, the motor activity of the fetus decreases. This is explained by the fact that at the very end of pregnancy the fetus is already so large that there is not enough space for it to actively move and it seems to “calm down”. Some expectant mothers, on the contrary, note an increase in the motor activity of the fetus, since some babies, on the contrary, respond to mechanical restrictions on motor activity with more violent movements.

How often does the fetus move?

The nature of the motor activity of the fetus is a kind of “sensor” of the course of pregnancy. By how intense and often the movements are felt, one can indirectly judge whether the pregnancy is going well and how the baby feels. Approximately until the 26th week, while the fetus is still quite small, the expectant mother can notice large periods of time (up to a day) between episodes of fetal movements. This does not mean that the baby does not move for so long. It’s just that a woman may not notice some movements, because the fetus is not yet strong enough, and the expectant mother has not yet learned well enough to recognize the movements of her child. But from 26–28 weeks it is believed that the fetus should move 10 times every two to three hours.

Obstetricians and gynecologists have developed a special “calendar of fetal movements.” During the day, the woman counts how many times her baby moves and records the time when every tenth movement occurred. If it seems to a pregnant woman that the baby has calmed down, she needs to take a comfortable position, relax, eat something (it is believed that after eating, the fetal motor activity increases) and within two hours note how many times the baby moves during this time.

If there are 7-10 movements, then there is nothing to worry about: everything is fine with the child. If the mother does not feel the baby's movements within 2 hours, she should walk around or go up and down the stairs, and then lie down quietly. As a rule, these events help to activate the fetus, and movements will resume. If this does not happen, you should consult a doctor within the next 2-3 hours. The nature of the movements is a reflection of the functional state of the fetus, so it is necessary to listen to them. If the expectant mother has noticed that in recent days the child has begun to move less, she should also consult a doctor to check how the baby is feeling.

By the third trimester of pregnancy, expectant mothers, as a rule, already know well the nature of their children’s movements and can notice any changes in the “behavior” of their babies. For most women, an alarming sign is violent, too active movement. However, increased physical activity is not a pathology and is most often associated with the uncomfortable position of the expectant mother, when less oxygen is temporarily supplied to the fetus due to decreased blood flow. It is known that when a pregnant woman lies on her back or sits leaning far back, the fetus begins to move more actively than usual. This is due to the fact that the pregnant uterus compresses the blood vessels that, in particular, carry blood to the uterus and placenta. When they are compressed, blood flows to the fetus through the umbilical cord in a smaller volume, as a result of which it feels a lack of oxygen and begins to move more actively. If you change your body position, for example, sit with a forward bend or lie on your side, the blood flow will be restored and the fetus will move with its normal activity.

When should you worry?

A terrible and alarming indicator is a decrease in motor activity or the disappearance of the child’s movements. This suggests that the fetus is already suffering from hypoxia, that is, lack of oxygen. If you notice that your baby begins to move less often, or you do not feel his movements for more than 6 hours, you should immediately consult an obstetrician. If it is not possible to visit a doctor on an outpatient basis, you can call an ambulance.

First of all, the doctor will use an obstetric stethoscope to listen to the fetal heartbeat; normally it should be 120–160 beats per minute (on average 136–140 beats per minute).

Even if during normal auscultation (listening) the fetal heart rate is determined within normal limits, it is necessary to carry out another procedure - a cardiotocographic study (CTG). CTG is a method that allows you to evaluate the fetal heartbeat and its functional state, to check whether the baby is suffering from hypoxia (lack of oxygen).

During the study, a special sensor is attached with straps to the anterior abdominal wall on the back of the child in the approximate projection of his heart. This sensor detects the fetal heartbeat curve. At the same time, the pregnant woman holds a special button in her hand, which should be pressed when she feels the fetus moving. This is shown on the chart with special marks. Normally, in response to movement, the fetal heart rate begins to increase in frequency: this is called the “motor-cardiac reflex.” This reflex appears after 30–32 weeks, so CTG before this period is not sufficiently informative.

CTG is performed for 30 minutes. If during this time no increase in heart rate is recorded in response to movements, then the doctor asks the pregnant woman to walk for a while or climb up the stairs several times, and then makes another recording. If myocardial complexes do not appear, then this indirectly indicates fetal hypoxia (lack of oxygen). In this case, and also if the baby begins to move poorly before 30–32 weeks, the doctor will prescribe a Doppler test. During this test, the doctor measures the speed of blood flow in the umbilical cord vessels and in some fetal vessels. Based on these data, it is also possible to determine whether the fetus is suffering from hypoxia.

If signs of fetal hypoxia are detected, obstetric tactics are determined by the severity of hypoxia. If the signs of hypoxia are insignificant and unexpressed, then the pregnant woman is advised to observe, conduct CTG and Doppler measurements and evaluate their results over time, as well as prescribe medications that improve blood circulation and the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. If signs of hypoxia increase, as well as in the presence of pronounced signs of hypoxia, immediate delivery should be performed, since effective drug therapy aimed at eliminating fetal hypoxia does not exist today. Whether it is a cesarean section or a vaginal delivery depends on many factors.

Among them are the condition of the mother, the readiness of the birth canal, the duration of pregnancy and a number of other factors. This decision is made by the gynecologist individually in each specific case.

Thus, every woman should listen to the movements of her child. If you have any doubts about the well-being of the fetus, you should not delay a visit to the doctor, since a timely visit to an obstetrician-gynecologist can prevent negative pregnancy outcomes.

All mothers eagerly wait for the baby to give them the first signals. The movement of the fetus, the gentle touch of the mother's hands on the stomach become a kind of communication between the mother and the child. When expecting a baby for the first time, mothers usually feel fetal movements around the 20th week. When the child is not the first, the mother can distinguish the gentle touches of small legs and arms already at 16-18 weeks. The baby moves a lot in the stomach, and over time the number of movements and activity only increase. Listen to yourself, use proven techniques to feel the baby move. The amazing moment when you first feel his touch is truly unforgettable!

1. The first movement is the flapping of a butterfly's wings. Many women experience fetal movement unexpectedly. When you fasten your seat belt in a car, after breakfast, when you get up from your seat, you can feel a light touch, reminiscent of the splashing of a small fish. Was the movement in the area between the navel and pubic bone? Then this is probably your baby! Listen to yourself, watch what is happening in your tummy: very soon you will learn to easily recognize your baby’s signals.
   
2. Like it or not. Pregnant women are often sure that the baby wants to tell them something when it moves. For example, he liked the juice he drank or the candy he ate. Or he is unhappy that mom turned over too sharply in bed. Of course, sometimes the fetus actually reacts to certain stimuli by starting to move. This is the basis of special methods that help you feel movement.
   
3. We create a calm atmosphere and the right mood. Want to feel your baby's movement? Don't know how to feel your baby's movements? Try to make it active. But first, create a peaceful environment, calm down, so that you can notice the gentlest push.
   
4. Comfort and positive emotions. Sit comfortably. It is good to sit on the bed, leaning back, in a comfortable chair, with your legs stretched out on a bench. The position must be free. Tune in to positive emotions. First, remember something especially pleasant from your life, and then gradually move on to the image of your child. You should mentally communicate with him, give him a kind of signal.
   
5. We talk with the baby. Gently and gently stroke your belly. Talk quietly to your child. Tell him how much you love him and how much you are looking forward to his birth. If you have an ultrasound photo of the fetus, you can look at it and imagine how your baby will be born, what he will be like when he grows up a little. Think about who he is more like.
   
6. Music. We arouse interest. Now you will come to the stage when you can get your baby’s first opinions. The fetus hears sounds and can react to them. It is believed that babies love to listen to music while still in their tummy. Choose several CDs with different calm melodies. It is advisable to focus on classical music. Your baby may well respond to the next composition by lightly touching the wall of the uterus with his hand or foot! You will definitely feel it. Some mothers claim that their babies even had favorite tunes that they always responded to.
   
7. Communication with dad. Children quickly get used to obeying their dad. Who knows, maybe your baby will want to talk to dad now? Call your husband, offer to talk to the child, stroke the tummy. If the baby responds, you will know right away.
   
8. New wardrobe. If you have already prepared things for your little one, it’s worth laying them out and admiring the “dowry”. You will experience positive emotions, and the child will probably respond to this with his movements, letting you know about himself.
   
9. Gourmand. It is believed that fetal movements are not directly related to the mother's menu. However, pregnant mothers often talk about how their babies “honk” when they receive another treat that they like. For example, they talk about the wonderful effect of juice, warm milk, sweets, especially sweets and marshmallows. Have you eaten a delicious cake? Listen to yourself, concentrate: what if the baby liked it too!
   
10. Calling for activity. There is one way that helps to induce fetal activity. You just need to use the method carefully. Don't do this too often, because your baby will tell you about the inconvenience and express dissatisfaction with your behavior. Drink a glass of warm milk. Cover the bed with a soft blanket and lie on your back. Lie down for about 10-15 minutes in a calm position. Relax completely. It’s good to put your hand on your stomach and concentrate on the baby mentally. He will probably let you know: he doesn’t like the position. Did you feel a light touch, as if from a butterfly’s wing? This is probably your child!
    
11. Lots of movements: it grows. Over time, your baby will move more and more actively. The fetus grows, it becomes more crowded in the uterus, its walls are getting closer to the legs and arms. Gradually, it becomes more difficult for the child to do somersaults and turn around. As a result, the tremors become more noticeable and frequent. A particularly bright period in a baby’s life usually occurs in the evenings and at night. His mother's movements lull him to sleep. However, even during the day, when you are calm, for example, sitting in a chair, it will be easy for you to feel the baby moving. Just relax, stroke your tummy, talk kindly to your baby.
    
12. Childbirth is coming soon. The closer to childbirth, the easier it is to feel the movement of the fetus. Your baby is already very big, he is beginning to strive to be free. His touch can not only be felt, but even seen. During this period, he is able to communicate with you and your loved ones. It is enough to put your hand on your stomach to “say hello” to your little one.