How come somedays I feel my baby move a lot and other days I don't feel movement at all. Can you tell me why?

Question

I usually feel movement 4 or 5 times a day but for the pass two days I don't feel anything could something be wrong? I am starting to worry, and I don't see my doctor until August 2. I really scared and I really don't know what to expect because this is my first pregnancy and I am just 17 years old.

Answer 1

I'm sorry to hear you're worried sweetie. I would be able to answer your question a lot better, if I knew how far along you are.

I'm 21 weeks pregnant, and some day's my daughter is really active, other days I barely feel her at all. I have found that on the days that I hardly feel her, I am quite busy. Perhaps she is rocked into a 'resting period'. Perhaps she is moving, but I don't notice it as I go about my daily tasks. My advice to you is to have a really cold drink, and a high energy snack, and put your feet up for a while. Babies tend to kick more when you are lying still. Also, I find it easier to feel my daughter kick when I am lying on my back, so you might like to try that.

I also have some information about babies movements that might be comforting to you.

Your Baby's Movements

The moment you feel your baby move inside you for the first time is a huge thrill - proof that she actually exists. Even though you may have had an ultrasound scan, which showed your baby moving about in the womb, she'll seem much more real when you feel her for yourself. If she's your first baby, you'll probably first notice her movements inside your womb at about 18-20 weeks. If you've already had a child, you may feel movements at 16-18 weeks or even before. The earliest noticeable movements of the baby - known as the quickening - make a delicate sensation that's been likened to the fluttering of wrings. First time mothers other mistake this feeling for indigestion, wind or hunger pangs, but the experienced mother knows what to expect, so is quickerto identify these feleings as movements of her baby.

Why your baby moves:
Your baby stretches and flexes her growing limbs as they develop. This activity is vital to help her muscles grow properly and starts around the eighth week, when she begins making tiny movements of her spine. In those early weeks you might not notice her movements, ut by about the end of the sixteenth week, you may feel the vigorous kicking of the now fully formed limbs, although you might not recognise them.

Your baby will kick, push, punch, squirm and turn somersaults and you'll often see as well as feel her movements. She'll move more and more as she grows and is at her most active between weeks 30 and 32. The typical baby averages 200 movements a day at week 20, rising to 375 a day at week 32, but the number of movements a day can range from 100 to about 700 over a period of several days.

After week 32, it will become harder for your baby to move as she grows to fill the uterus. Although restricted, she'll still be able to give plenty of sharp kicks. When her engaged head bounces on your pelvis floor muscles, you'll feel a jolt.

Changing position and emotional reactions:
Your baby need s to exercise and coordinate her growing muscles, but she also moves around for other reasons.

She may, for instance, shift her position because she feels like a change, or because you're sitting or lying in a position that's uncomfortable for her. OOr she may be trying to find her thumb that she'd ben happily sucking before she moved.

She may also be moving around in response to your emotions. Hormones, such as adrenalin, are released into your bloodstream when you're physically or emotionally stimulated. Pleasure, excitement, anger, stress, anxiety of fear can also stimulate the production of chemicals that will pass acrossthe placenta and into your baby's bloodstream. These hormones affect your baby, so if you get angry or very anxious, she may become agitated and start kicking and squirming. If you can, sit down in a quiet place and practice your relaxation techniques. This will help to calm both you and your baby.

Counting the kicks:
Just like the rest of us, your baby will feel and be more active on some days than on others, but her daily pattern of movements will become more consistent after about week 28. From themn on yu can keep a check on your baby's movements. On average, most women can feel about nine out of every 10 of their baby's movements, although for some women the proportion is only six out of every 10.

Whether you feel a movement or not depends on its direction and strength, and the position your baby is in when she makes it. For instance, if she is facing and kicking in towards your spine, you wont feel the sort of short, sharp jab that you get if she kicks out towards your belly or up towards your ribs.

I'm also going to include the link to a pregnancy forum that I think you might find really helpful and interesting. It's full of supportive women with boundless knowledge about these issues. I learnt so much there that I doubt I would have learnt otherwise. Hope you sign up!

Answer 2

Jackie-
This could be normal, but your baby should be moving several times a day. Are you very busy in your day and possibly just not noticing the movements? If not, GO TO THE ER IMMEDIATELY. Your baby could be in serious danger. Go have them at least listen for a heartbeat. (You may have a home heartbeat kit, if so, use that)
You have to be your own advocate with that dr. DO NOT let them brush you off. Tell them that you havent felt the baby move in 2 days and that is abnormal for your pregnancy. Ask for them to make sure the child is ok. If you don't and something is seriously wrong, you will regret it for the rest of your life!

Best of luck-

Answer 3

Baby Moves A Lot

Answer 4

My baby moved a lot depending on the noise. Get some kind of music and lay on your tummy. See if you can get the baby to move. Also try cranky up the music. That can sometimes scare the baby and the baby will move. If you can't and still are worried about it call your Dr. The worse they are going to tell you nothing is wrong. It is better to know then be worried. Then stress happens which ain't good for the baby. You seem like you are going to be a good mom. Good luck to you.

Answer 5

i had the same thing happen with me,some days there were movements and then there were none.i dont know how far-along you are but it was like that for me up until 5 months and from then on i have felt movement everyday.i didnt feel movement everyday because the baby was still small and there was still all this room for him to move around in.dont worry about it,yes i know its easier said then done but have faith,around 5 and a half to 6 months your tummy will be a rocking and a rolling.good luck and i wish u the best!!

Answer 6

I was told to drink a glass of orange juice. Lay down on 1 side for 3o min, record the # of times the baby moves, then the next 30 min the other side and the same thing, if still no movement call the obgyn and they will usually have you come in and have you checked out

Answer 7

Like anybody, your baby has days when he wants to move around a lot and days when he just wants to veg out and relax. But a good general rule is that if you are concerned, call your doctor. It's much better to waste your doctor's time on something that doesn't matter than to find out later it really was serious. Most likely, the baby is fine, but call your doctor anyway.

Answer 8

That happened to me too my son is fine though he is now 2 1/2 y/o. Call the doctors and ask them if it is normal just incase something might be wrong. He/she could be sleeping just not feel like moving etc. but like I said, call just incase.
And by the way, if anyone says anything about you having a baby at your age, IGNORE it :)

Answer 9

Call your OB and they will get you into the office right away. Some days babies are sleepy. My daughter scared me a few times but she was fine. If you could rent a fetal doppler, it's a sure way to check your baby's heartbeat when you're in doubt. Good luck Hun!!

Answer 10

How far along are you? If you're concerned I would call your doctor. They could get you in before the 2nd of August for an ultrasound just to be sure that everything's OK.