Baby movements matter!

Movements matter, a lot. 

You are likely thinking “yes I know, my midwife tells me all the damn time”, but it is true, your baby's movements are the BEST indicator to how they are doing. 

You will normally start to feel the first movements between 16-24 weeks, a flutter to a nudge to full blown kicks.

Baby will quickly develop a pattern of movements that becomes normal and familiar to you. 

If you feel like your baby has been moving less than usual, time to sit down, put your hands on your tummy, and really monitor movement. Sometimes, the day is so busy you don’t remember the last time you ate let alone felt baby, and that’s okay. If however, movements remain reduced or slowed once you have focused on bub, or they even just feel ‘different’ it is time to get a check-up. 

When a baby becomes unwell, one of the first things they will do is reserve their energy, by moving less.

Never ever feel like it’s a ‘waste of time’, you are always encouraged to be checked over because you truly know your baby far better than anyone else. As bub grows movements should remain as frequent, however, the feeling can become more like rolling movements as there is a lot less space to be doing karate in there now.

The take-home from this? If you are worried, don’t wait - call your hospital and get checked. Getting ‘assessed’ generally means a CTG (monitor of baby’s heart rate), an ultrasound and a check over by the obstetrician, nothing to be afraid of.

As it normally happens, the second you walk into delivery ward baby will start playing soccer with your bladder and have a full-blown dance party, just to keep you on your toes mama!

Did you get checked during pregnancy for reduced movements?

Here is some more info!