Those kicks remind you of the life inside. They tell you that your happiness is growing in your womb and will soon come out and join your lives. The baby’s kicks make you feel special and enable your partner to connect with the baby. Not just that. They indicate that the fetus is having a healthy growth.
Interested to know more about the amazing baby kicks? Read here as Momjunction shares some unbelievable facts and answers tricky questions. We also share a kicks counting chart that will help you track the movements.
After reading these facts, you cannot but marvel at the miracle called pregnancy.
The baby kicks indicate that your baby is developing well inside the womb. You can understand that the baby is active when they turn, tumble, roll, and kick inside the womb. Moreover, a swishing feeling or flutter can be experienced in the abdomen when the baby stretches out its limbs. These movements become more distinct towards the later stages of pregnancy.
Babies kick in response to some changes in the surrounding environment. Any external stimuli such as the food you eat or different noises can make the baby move or kick.
Response to sounds: During the 20th week, the fetus begins to hear low-pitch sounds and gradually begin to high-pitched sounds as the pregnancy proceeds (1). These movements indicate the normal growth of the baby.
Response to foods: The food that the mother eats during pregnancy introduces the baby to various flavors through the amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby inside the womb. These flavors can make the baby move if they like or dislike them (2).
You can feel more kicks if you sleep on your side. This is because the supply of blood to the baby increases while lying on the left or right side, thereby improving their movements.
A feeling of flutter in the abdomen during the early stages of pregnancy is an indication of baby movements. The movements start around the seventh week of pregnancy, which is very early for the expecting mother to feel them. Typically, babies start kicking after nine weeks of gestation as they start moving their limbs (4). The early kicks can be detected during an ultrasound scan. After 24 weeks of gestation, you can feel the baby’s kicks and hiccups quite often.
Maternal stress or nutritional problems. Your emotional and physical state impacts the baby’s movements. Similarly, inadequate nutritional supply can lead to improper development of the brain and nervous systems that can reduce the fetal activity. Drink a lot of water or keep walking around if you do not feel the movement of the baby.
Placental abruption. It can restrict the flow of blood and oxygen to the fetus, impacting its development.
Premature rupture of the amniotic sac. It can lead to decreased amniotic fluid and slow down the fetal movements due to stress or insufficient supply of oxygen.
Fetal hypoxia: This condition arises when the umbilical cord gets twisted, kinked or deformed. This cuts the supply of oxygen to the baby.
An ultrasound scan or a non-stress test can help determine the baby’s heartbeat and the reason for reduced fetal movements.
Usually, babies take rest in the womb for 20 to 40 minutes (sometimes up to 90 minutes) at a time. However, as they grow in size, their movements and rolling become difficult in the later stages of pregnancy. Therefore, it is normal for the number of kicks to reduce. However, during this time, you may experience painful kicks under your ribs and jerking that lasts for a few minutes (6).
According to a study, the motor behavior of the baby inside the womb is likely to influence the temperament attributes in the early childhood (7). However, this is not the only criteria for a child’s behavioral development.
These facts have made you feel good, haven’t they? You wouldn’t have imagined your baby could be this active and naughty inside the womb!
After knowing these facts, we are sure that you have several questions about kicks in your womb. Read on as we answer several such questions.
During the sixth month of gestational period, you will start to feel your baby kicking in your womb. Initially, one or two kicks/hour is a good indication that you’re pregnancy is safe.
If you are not able to feel your baby’s kicks, wait and check after one hour.
If you do not feel the kicks even after an hour, take sugar-based products like sweet milk, chocolate, or a pinch of sugar, and lie down in the left lateral position for ten minutes.
Check for your baby’s kicks again. If they aren’t coming, then rush to your doctor immediately.
1. When can I feel my baby’s movement during pregnancy?
You can feel the first baby movements around 18 weeks of pregnancy. These movements are called ‘quickening’. In the first pregnancy, you experience the movements towards the 20th week, while in the second and subsequent pregnancies, you can notice the signs around the 16th week (8). The baby movement patterns change as the pregnancy proceeds, making you notice about 16 to 45 movements in an hour.
2. What if the baby’s movements are reduced?
Around 24 weeks: If you do not feel movements by the 24th week, then contact your doctor. An ultrasound scan help determine your baby’s well-being.
Between 24 and 28 weeks: You will be advised a prenatal check-up that includes checking your blood pressure, measuring the size of the uterus, and testing the protein levels in your urine. You will also have an ultrasound scan.
Over 28 weeks: A full antenatal check-up is advised and the fetal heartbeat is monitored for at least 20 minutes. An ultrasound scan will be done to check the amount of fluid in the sac, size of the uterus, growth of the baby, and the risks associated with stillbirth.
3. When should I be concerned about the baby’s movement?
you have less than ten movements in two hours.
there is reduced response towards the external stimuli like loud noise or food.
there is a gradual decrease in the movements for two consecutive days.
3. Why do babies kick more in the womb at night?
Babies develop a unique pattern of movements inside the womb. During the day, you might be engaged in various activities. So, when your movements stop at night while you are sleeping, the fetus might become alert and begin kicking.
Also, the fetus starts responding to sounds. So, the baby may observe that there is silence outside and hence move due to the changes in the external environment.
4. When am I not likely to feel my baby’s movement?
You cannot feel your baby’s movements when you are active.
If your placenta is positioned at the front of your uterus, you might not feel the movements.
If your baby’s back is at the front of the uterus, you will feel fewer kicks than when it is lying at the back.
5. Do I need to keep a count of the kicks every day?
If your pregnancy is proceeding normally, then there is no need to keep a count of your baby’s movements. But if you do not notice movements for some hours or a day, you need to monitor the kicks after a meal or when you sleep, or at the time when the baby is usually active.
Dr. Manik Pansey MBBS, MS, Anant Hospital, Jabalpur, India, advises pregnant women to maintain DMFC (daily fetal movement count chart), and check it at a fixed time every day, ideally at 8am.
6. What do I do if my baby is not kicking?
Have a cold drink or snacks and keep your feet up. The coldness and the sugar in the food can cause the baby to respond.
The baby might respond through hiccups, rolls, kicks, thumps or pokes.
7. How do I count the kicks?
Here is a daily kick count chart you can maintain to record the number of kicks per day (10).
Feeling the kicks of your baby is a major milestone in pregnancy. It indicates the well being of your baby, and is reassuring to you that all is well with your pregnancy. No wonder, your doctor asks about the movements in all your monthly visits. Therefore, keep feeling your baby’s kicks, and if they have slowed down or stopped, call on your doctor after the initial examination at home.
When did you first feel your baby’s kicks during pregnancy? Share your experience in the comment section.
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