Should I be worried I haven't felt him move yet?

Question

I am 20 weeks and I haven't felt him move yet. I hear it feels like a fluttering feeling, or like a tapping. I also heard that it sometimes hurts. I get nervous all the time, because I don't know whats going on inside. Do you think I should worry or should i just keep waiting??? When do most women feel their babies move?

Answer 1

I didn't feel my daughter till about the 21st week (because I didn't realize what I was feeling at first). If you feel a gas bubble, it's PROBABLY the baby. Try doing a "kick test." Drink a full glass of orange juice, lay quietly on your left side, and pay attention to the feelings in your belly. I'm sure you'll start feeling him soon.

Answer 2

16 weeks is when it is said someone may feel "the first, faint, flutter". It takes a while for it to pick up strength and frequency, though. It usually isn't until the end of the pregnancy that the movements hurt (although I had small babies, so maybe I shouldn't assume that's how it is for everyone).

It is said that if a mother has a lot of extra weight on her abdomen it could make her less likely to feel the baby as easily.

If you've been seeing your doctor, and the doctor has gotten a heartbeat within the last month, all is probably fine. People are told to tell their doctor if they don't feel the baby in 48 hours, and I assume you've mentioned to the doctor that you haven't felt the baby yet. (You could have been asleep when the baby decided to move in a way that you'd feel.)

I barely ever felt one of my babies, and I was a horrendous nervous wreck about it. I was terrified that something awful had happened - so terrified I couldn't tell anyone. So I went through the pregnancy (all 35 weeks of it, which could explain why I didn't feel the bigger and dramatic movements of the last six weeks) kind of not believing I had a live baby.

When I went to deliver him I had this cynical attitude of "Whether I leave her with a live baby remains to be seen."

I could sometimes get a movement that wasn't all that clearly a movement if I'd lay on my back and stretch out as long as possible and kind of try to get my belly to cave in. When I did that I'd get a little something, and then that would be it for another couple of days.

One thing though (although this was later than 20 weeks): I'd cross my legs while I was at a desk, using a keyboard. That would get the baby moving a little more - so try that. (Its kind of like you squoosh their space to the point where they don't have as much room to move without hitting a "wall" I guess.)

For me, having the pregnancy with so few movements was very unsatisfying and unnerving. It always felt like make-believe or something. When the next pregnancy occurred the baby moved the way everyone says they move, and it made me feel so reassured.

(Note: First baby: Bright, lively, happy, healthy. feisty, little guy.)

Answer 3

Im also 20 weeks and although I have felt a tapping sensation a few weeks ago, Ive not felt anything since NYEve. I was really worried and consulted a book, which said up until around 22 weeks it is common not to feel much. i think u are ok, give it a couple more weeks then if u still haven't felt anything, get checked out. Good luck honey

Answer 4

I am 39 weeks now and I didn't feel my baby move until I was about 25 weeks my doctor said it just depends on how big the baby is and when he is ready to but when he does you will know in the beginning i really wanted him to move know sometimes i wish he would take it a little bit easier. I hope this helps.

Answer 5

keep waiting everyones body is different. I have a friend that hasnt felt hers move yet shes 21 weeks but shes chunkier and that makes a difference. I felt my lil girl at 17 weeks but im tall and skinny. Worrying doesnt EVER help or do any good to you or baby

Answer 6

if this is your first i wouldn't worry about movement until you are at 22 weeks cause sometimes you just can't feel them, or the baby is in the wrong postition for you to feel them, or you just don't realize that it is the baby and not something else. Women usually feel lthe baby move somewhere around 18-22 weeks.

Answer 7

If this is your first pregnancy then you might have already felt him move, you just dont know it becuase you havent experinced it before. It can feel like you have gas too, or even your stomach digesting. If your really concered, call the doc and schudeule an ultrasound or a heartbeat.

Answer 8

You should start to feel him in the next few weeks. I wouldn't worry because this is normal. For me it felt like a small muscle spasm in my belly. He doesn't even weigh a pound yet (by books and web sites) so he is still very small. It also could be that he is active when your sleeping and he sleeps when your awake.

Answer 9

well everyone is different but i was thinking u should of already felt it move at 20 weeks i would ask ur doctor about it..im pregnant with # 4 and i felt mine move around 15 weeks good luck!

Answer 10

If it worries you go see your doc. You could just have a mellow baby.