One of those sensations that is remembered for a lifetime for women is the first movements of the fetus during the first pregnancy. According to the observations of physiologists, this happens closer to the middle of the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. However, some expectant mothers claim that the first “connection” with the baby occurred earlier.
At what stage of pregnancy does the fetus begin to move?
This question interests all expectant mothers. However, those who are carrying their first baby are more worried about this. The fact is that such women have no idea how the first movements of the fetus are felt during the first pregnancy and how not to confuse them with habitual digestive disorders. When determining the timing of the first movements, doctors advise being wary of your well-being closer to the beginning of the second trimester.
According to the statements of embryologists who carefully study the development of the baby in the mother’s womb, the first fetal movements during the first pregnancy are observed at 7-8 weeks
. However, the fetus is still so small and the range of movements is low that no mother can capture them. When the fetus begins to move with such amplitude and force that the woman herself feels it, she is already in the second trimester of pregnancy.
When can you feel your baby move?
Women notice distinct first movements during their first pregnancy only at 20 weeks
. According to statistics, multiparous women record the first movements of the child 14 days earlier, at about 18 weeks. However, these indicators are individual, and the norm values fall within the boundaries between 18 and 24 weeks of pregnancy. At the same time, the very fact of the first movements of the fetus during the first pregnancy is not given the same importance as in later stages.
Thus, obstetricians can tell by the number of episodes of activity of the unborn baby per day whether everything is normal with him. In this regard, doctors always pay attention to the need for such monitoring. For many pregnant women, this becomes such a habit that they begin to count almost automatically. This can partly be explained by the fact that every time he visits a doctor, he is interested in the values of this indicator.
The first fetal movements during the first pregnancy - sensations
These sensations are such an individual parameter that it cannot be applied to all pregnant women. The first movements during the first pregnancy are described differently by everyone. The intensity and degree of sensations partly depend on which wall of the uterus the placenta is attached to, as well as on the body constitution of the pregnant woman.
How to feel the baby move?
In the third trimester of pregnancy, when the baby’s movements are clearly felt, expectant mothers do not have such questions. However, around the middle of the second trimester, many begin to pay more attention to their well-being. However, not everyone knows how to correctly listen to the first movements during pregnancy. To catch them, doctors recommend doing the following:
- lie down on a bed or sofa;
- place your palms in the lower abdomen, just above the pubic symphysis;
- lie quietly, without moving, and listen until light tapping begins to be felt under your palm.
What does fetal movement feel like during pregnancy?
Trying not to miss the moment, waiting for the baby to get in touch, expectant mothers ask their experienced friends what the fetal movements can be compared to. However, there is no consensus or answer. If you ask several women who have already become mothers how the first fetal movements feel during their first pregnancy, each will describe this moment in their own way.
Some compare the sensations to those that occur in the stomach during flatulence, others describe them as the splashing of a fish in an aquarium, or the fluttering of a butterfly. In practice, everything depends on the woman’s imagination and ability to describe her feelings. However, women pregnant with their second child can easily determine when the baby is moving.
Sensations at the first movements of the child. What are your associations?
Hello, dear Blog readers. Today I, Nadezhda Nikolaeva, want to tell you a little about that wonderful time when pregnancy manifests itself in all its glory, and the expectant mother feels that she is no longer alone. Anyone who has to face this task - read to the end! What sensations appear at the first movements of the child, how to behave, you will find out further.
Pregnancy is the most mysterious and unusual period in a woman’s life. This is especially true for the first pregnancy, because it is completely unclear what to expect, and you have very vague ideas about what is happening inside you with your first-born. Yes, the first weeks are rarely easy for anyone: toxicosis and drowsiness are hardly encouraging. But this period ends, toxicosis is slowly subsiding, the tummy begins to gradually become rounder, and the woman is looking forward to the first movements of her unborn baby. But how can you understand that the new sensations in your stomach are him? How does a pregnant woman feel?
- What does it feel like when your baby moves for the first time? Well, when will this happen?
- The meaning of shocks
- If there are two inside
What does it feel like when your baby moves for the first time? Well, when will this happen?
On the Internet you can read a variety of descriptions of the sensations of a future young mother. Some people think it's similar to the gas bubbles that come out when you open a bottle of sparkling water. Others claim that their stomach is like an aquarium in which fish swim. For others, the movements are associated with the fluttering of butterflies. And some people just feel tremors. No matter how we try to characterize these sensations in words, one thing can be said for sure: for any pregnant woman, the moment when she can feel her baby, and not just know about its existence in her stomach, is long-awaited and almost the most trembling... I remember how I myself sat and I cried for no reason, feeling the first movements of my son. During interrogations, I told my family that I saw the baby waving his hand at me.
I found a short video online showing how a child moves slightly in his house; by the end of the term he can play football or rugby there:
To understand how many weeks the movements become noticeable, it is worth having an idea of how it develops inside. The fetus in the uterus begins to move much earlier than we can feel it. This happens at 8-9 weeks due to the beating of the heart. But the fetus is still so small that the woman simply does not feel its movement. During the first planned ultrasound at 12-13 weeks, you can already see the baby moving his arms and legs. However, only by 16-20 weeks does the embryo grow to such a size that its movements, when it floats in the amniotic fluid, pushing off the walls of the uterus, can be felt. It turns out that you should start listening to your feelings at the 17th week of pregnancy.
You can often hear that someone felt the first movements much earlier, at 15-16 weeks, while others felt it at 20-21 weeks. Why is this happening?
It turns out that there are many factors that influence how long you will feel movements:
- Placenta insertion site. If the placenta is attached along the anterior wall of the uterus, then the first movements will most likely be felt somewhat later compared to the case when the placenta is attached along the posterior wall.
- Body composition of the expectant mother. Thin women with a thin layer of subcutaneous fat begin to feel the first signs of their baby's movements earlier than women with curvier figures.
- Intestinal activity of a pregnant woman. The first movements are mistakenly mistaken for intestinal seething. Because of this, you can miss the moment of the first movements, attributing your sensations to the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Sensitivity threshold of a pregnant woman.
- Mismatch between the biorhythms of mother and baby. It may turn out that the child sleeps during the day and is awake and moving at night. But since at up to 20 weeks its weight and size are still small, the expectant mother probably simply does not notice her baby’s movements in her sleep.
- Women expecting their first child begin to feel its movements at a later date compared to those expecting their second or third. This is explained by the “experience” of the expectant mother, who already knows what sensations and when to expect. Girls, understanding what happens to the mother during pregnancy is useful for both the child and the parents - contrary to the opinion that claims that pregnant women need to turn off the Internet!
If this topic has touched you, I hasten to congratulate you on the upcoming addition to the ranks of your loved ones! How nice it is to create someone who will love you all your life with the purest, strongest love. And on the way to this creation there is often one reason - fear of pain... However, after watching one of the courses of the experienced mentor of women in labor Marina Aist, you will definitely prepare for childbirth!
The meaning of shocks
Fetal movements are not just sensations that strengthen the emotional connection between the mother and the unborn child, allowing you to feel how he is growing there. This is an important indicator of the progress of pregnancy. The sensations at the first movements that the mother experiences, their nature, frequency, starting from about 28-30 weeks, give the mother and doctors information about the condition of the fetus.
If you feel that the fetus is moving too actively, and the stomach is literally “stirring,” you should be wary and report this to your obstetrician-gynecologist. Such behavior of the baby may indicate hypoxia - a lack of oxygen in the child. A sign of hypoxia may also be too few movements per hour or their absence at all for 6 hours or more. On average, about 10 movements per hour are considered normal.
If you suspect something is wrong, there is no need to panic ahead of time, just listen more carefully to your baby’s behavior over the course of several hours. If during this time there are no changes, and anxiety does not leave you, tell your doctor about your experiences. Most likely, he will then prescribe CTG - a diagnostic method in which sensors are placed on the abdomen, and the device to which they are connected records the number of fetal movements and its heartbeat. CTG determines the condition of the fetus and will tell you when to sound the alarm and when, on the contrary, you should not worry.
What sensations can you experience when carrying more than one child?
If there are two inside
Pregnancy with twins is completely different from expecting one child. Such pregnancies require special attention. At how many weeks can you feel movements when pregnant with twins?
After all, since 2 fetuses are growing in the stomach at once, then you can probably feel them earlier than when there is only one baby?
You will be surprised, but in the case of a multiple pregnancy, movements generally begin to be felt at approximately the same time as during a normal pregnancy - in the period from 16 to 20 weeks. But the longer the period, the more active the movements of both babies become, since each of them will try to “win” for themselves more free space in such a warm and cozy mother’s tummy! Eh, I didn’t have twins - otherwise I would have told you about my feelings!
When did you first feel your unborn baby's movements? What did you associate these movements with? Or maybe there will be mothers of twins among the readers who will also share with us their memories of the sensations of having two babies growing in your belly at once? I'm waiting for you in the comments! See you soon, interesting meetings, Nadezhda, mother of three children, without twins.
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How to count fetal movements?
To assess the condition of the fetus without resorting to the use of hardware methods, doctors advise counting fetal movements. At the same time, gestational age does not in any way affect how often the baby should move. Over time, the indicator does not change, which makes it much easier to carry out such calculations. However, to obtain reliable data, it is necessary to follow the counting rules.
How many times should the fetus move?
In order not to worry about the condition of the baby and independently determine that everything is fine with him, every pregnant woman should know how many times a day the fetus moves. The frequency and nature of physical activity are the simplest indicators, the assessment of which does not require special knowledge and skills. In this case, monitoring of physical activity must be carried out throughout the day.
The optimal time for counting is from 9.00 to 19.00. If until 26-28 weeks fetal movements during the first pregnancy may not be felt every day, then from this period they become constant. During the day, the baby should “get in touch” at least 10 times. Moreover, each episode can include several movements of the unborn child.
Fetal movement test "Count to 10"
This test was developed by D. Pearson and is the most common. In some CIS countries, it is included in the list of activities recommended by the Ministry of Health for assessing the condition of the fetus. The fetal movement test can be used from 28 weeks of gestation and does not require special conditions. All entries are made in a special table. The pregnant woman enters the time of every 10th movement in the interval from 9 to 21.00. Upon completion of the calculations, the data obtained are assessed:
- the tenth episode of movements is recorded before 17.00 – the norm;
- the number of episodes of physical activity is less than 10 in 12 hours - you must seek medical advice;
- absence of movement within 12 hours – emergency hospitalization followed by ultrasound examination.
Fetal movement during pregnancy, what it is, sensations, control
The duration of pregnancy is 40 weeks.
From the first weeks of conception, the expectant mother worries about how the baby is feeling and whether his heart is beating. You can feel the first physical contact with the fetus no earlier than 18 weeks of gestation. The first kicks made by the baby are invisible to the pregnant woman. They are too tender and impossible to feel.
Some women claim that they “hear” the baby from 12-13 weeks, but most likely these sensations are associated with increased intestinal peristalsis.
The first movements are marked by the middle of the gestational period (if this is the first pregnancy).
The potential mother feels the presence of the child and talks to him. The fetus, in turn, responds to touch and voice from the outside.
As the height and weight of the fetus increases, there is less space in the uterine cavity. Muscle tone appears, the pregnant woman feels the motor activity of the baby.
The shocks from the womb are a guarantee that the baby is alive.
By the nature of the kicking, you can determine the baby’s well-being and promptly identify possible developmental pathologies.
At what age does a child begin to move?
The first movements occur during embryogenesis. This is on average 5-6 weeks from the moment of conception. By the end of the first trimester, the embryo is still too small to feel its movement.
The doctor records the activity on the ultrasound monitor and shows it to the expectant mother, but it is impossible to feel them.
Noticeable movements occur at 19-20 weeks of gestation. Perhaps earlier, especially for those women who have had experience of bearing and giving birth to a baby.
For experienced mothers, kicks occur at 16-17 weeks, sometimes earlier.
Firstborns start pushing at 17 weeks, but it is extremely difficult to notice and determine that these are the baby’s “messages.”
When the fetus gets stronger and its movements become more conscious, then first-time mothers will appreciate the beauty of the baby’s movements.
The absence of jerking sensations after 21 weeks of pregnancy is an unfavorable sign, so doctors, starting from the second trimester, are interested in the possible activity of the fetus.
First sensations
Feelings about the development of new life in the womb are of a different nature. The first tremors are compared to the flapping of the wings of a butterfly or a fish swimming by, which gently touches the stomach and disappears again.
Some people notice gurgling sensations and sometimes associate them with indigestion.
The expectant mother can “hear” not only the baby knocking at her, but also the hiccups, in which case gurgling is precisely one of these signs.
Experienced pregnant women know the sensations, but according to their reviews, “they are always different, and begin at the most unexpected moment.”
One mother said that when she was expecting the first addition to the family, around the 18th week muscle spasms appeared in her stomach, which could be noticed in a lying position, but it never occurred to her that it was the baby who was starting to communicate with her. Only when the “spasms” became a habit did the mother realize that the child was active.
The first movements are noticeable, but they cannot be seen yet. As soon as the child grows up a little more, his “hello” will become noticeable to others.
The norm of movements at different periods
At different stages of gestation, the baby moves differently. From the moment of the first shock to the subsequent ones, 1 or even 2 days may pass.
When space in the uterus allows, the fetus makes about 250 movements, but the mother will not feel them all.
From the 20th week of gestation, no more than 10 strokes can be noted per day. By week 28, their number exceeds 500, and there are more superficial shocks: 6-8 shocks every hour.
In the middle of the second trimester, the fetus develops a sleep-wake pattern.
Most of the time he remains asleep, and movements become rare, but repeated periodically.
How does the intensity of mobility change at different times?
From 20 to 32 weeks, fetal activity gradually increases. The peak occurs at 32-33 weeks of gestation. Then the baby begins to move less often, but more intensely.
The reasons for this phenomenon are as follows:
- firstly, the child is getting bigger;
- secondly, strength and muscle tone appear;
- thirdly, there is still room in the uterus so that you can turn around or stretch.
The intensity of the movements can be expressed in the diagram:
- 20-22 weeks: 3-5 per hour;
- 22-24: from 5 to 7 per hour;
- 24-26: up to 10, but not less than 6 per hour;
- from 26 to 30: from 10 to 14 per hour;
- from 30 to 36: 8-14 per hour;
- from 36 to the end of pregnancy: from 6 to 12 per hour.
On average, the baby should move 10 times per hour.
The data is speculative, since at one hour he will actively push, and at another he will sleep, which means that movements will be sporadic or completely absent.
To some extent, the intensity of movements depends on the pace of life of the mother.
How fetal movements are manifested and felt
The sensations and nature of the tremors depend on many factors:
- Fetal presentation. If the baby's head is lowered down, then the intensity and jerking movements occur in the upper segment of the abdomen. Sometimes they are localized in the area of the right hypochondrium. With incorrect presentation, activity is expressed in internal beats of the lower segment of the rounded abdomen.
- Pregnant woman's pain threshold. Exceeding it is accompanied by painful sensations when moving.
- The character of the future baby. Excessive activity or, conversely, lethargy may be a sign of pathology, or it may be a character trait.
- Gestation period. As pregnancy progresses, brain activity and physiological strength improve. The fetus may react to loud sounds from the outside, the voice of the mother or relatives around her.
The blows fall in various places: the front of the abdominals, the back, the ribs, the groin area.
The more active the baby, the stronger his “hellos”. However, you need to be able to distinguish a physiological character trait from a possible pathological process.
Nature of movements
Weak tremors are observed in the early stages of gestation. Their presence in later stages, and especially in the last weeks, may indicate muscle weakness of the fetus, developmental abnormalities or intrauterine growth restriction syndrome.
Painful sensations are accompanied by other clinical symptoms and are associated with the underlying disease of the pregnant woman, for example, renal failure or varicose veins.
Painful kicks in moderation are normal, but only if your pregnancy is 35 weeks or older.
The reason for this is heavy weight or carrying several fetuses at the same time.
Uncomfortable pain may be a consequence of the uncomfortable position of the baby or mother, or have more serious causes. Painful blows may be confused with contractions.
Excessively active movements are a sign of the development of a lack of oxygen (hypoxia). Oxygen deficiency excites the nervous system of the fetus, and it, in turn, begins to “rage,” causing pain to the expectant mother.
Hypoxia can be confirmed or refuted using CTG or ultrasound.
Lack of oxygen has a detrimental effect on the baby and can lead to severe developmental disorders of the child.
Why count movements?
To determine the normal value of movements, a special test has been developed, during which the tremors are counted.
The technique is as follows:
- movement counting begins at 28 weeks of gestation;
- the expectant mother must refuse to do any business during this period;
- counting starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 9 p.m.;
- any movements are taken into account (small, light, heavy, etc.);
- the normal value is 10 or more movements;
- In order not to lose track of your calculations, you need to keep a map or regular records.
A test for the amount of movement is necessary to assess the condition of the fetus.
If the fetus moves less than 10 times, this is a serious reason to consult a doctor.
The absence of tremors for 12 hours carries an unfavorable prognosis.
What to do if the child does not move for a long time
The baby should not always be in an active state. Normally, during your stay in the womb, the time does not exceed 3-4 hours per day. This means that the baby sleeps more often, occasionally interrupting to communicate with his mother.
There are several methods for forcing the baby to wake up:
- eat chocolate, candy or a sweet drink;
- drink hot tea;
- stroke and tap the stomach;
- play loud music or shine a bright light on your stomach.
The methods are questionable, but sometimes effective.
If the child does not contact for more than 12 hours, and the above methods do not help, you can do something crazy - listen to the heartbeat yourself using a stethoscope.
After 30 weeks, it is possible to hear heartbeats, but it is impossible to assess their quality.
The most appropriate action would be to seek medical help.
You can also call your treating gynecologist-obstetrician and tell him about the problem.
If the fetus does not move for a long time, it most likely has serious health problems.
: fetal movement during pregnancy
Source: https://kakrodit.ru/shevelenie-ploda-pri-beremennosti/
How to understand the baby's movements?
It has been established that the nature, amplitude and intensity of movements depend on how the child feels in the mother’s womb. Correct assessment of these parameters allows doctors to make a preliminary conclusion, according to which ultrasound may be required in some cases. In addition, the expectant mother herself, assessing how the baby is moving in her stomach, can suspect something is wrong in time and consult a doctor for help. Timely medical intervention can prevent the development of pregnancy complications, and in some cases, save it.
Frequent fetal movements
When, over a short period of time, the baby’s movements during pregnancy become intense and frequent, the expectant mother needs to be wary. In this way, in most cases, the child wants to tell his mother that he is experiencing anxiety and suffering. This situation may indicate the development of fetal hypoxia, when the baby does not receive enough oxygen, which negatively affects his brain and his condition as a whole.
Another situation is when during pregnancy the baby simply moves frequently and turns over. Excessive motor activity may indicate an infant's temperament. However, in such cases, the movements do not have a high amplitude, they are not sharp and do not cause pain to the woman. Sometimes increased activity indicates the fetus’s demand for the mother to change her body position.
Rare fetal movements
In certain situations, a decrease in a baby’s motor activity may be normal. The baby calms down when the mother feels cold, worries, worries, or is in one position for a long time. Changing these conditions often leads to the restoration of activity of the unborn child.
If this does not happen and the baby practically does not communicate for 12 hours, it is necessary to exclude a condition such as fading pregnancy. In this case, the child’s movements are not recorded, the development of the fetus stops and it dies. When performing an ultrasound, doctors do not record the heartbeat, and the established indicators of physical development do not correspond to the gestational age.
Weak fetal movements
Weak movements, but at the same time with the required frequency, are a variant of the norm. The movement of the fetus may not be clearly felt by the pregnant woman if the expectant mother is overweight. In this case, the kicks and pushes applied by the baby to the wall of the uterus are transmitted worse to the abdominal wall and are practically not detected by the pregnant woman herself. At the same time, according to the results of ultrasound, doctors do not record pathological changes.
It is the frequency rather than the strength of the shocks that is important. However, some doctors, based on what the woman said, can conclude that the fetus is insufficiently developed and the size of the baby does not correspond to the gestational age. But with the help of ultrasound examination it is possible to completely eliminate doubts regarding this.
Sudden fetal movements
In most cases, sudden movements of the fetus are caused by uncomfortable sensations. When the mother takes an uncomfortable position, the fetus instantly reacts to the changes taking place and lets her know about it with sharp, active kicks. When the body position changes, the woman notices how the child calms down and behaves quietly.
However, such a situation may also indicate possible violations. The main ones are hypoxia and increased uterine tone. In the first case, the baby feels oxygen starvation and tries with all his might to tell his mother about it. In the second case, tension in the walls of the uterus leads to a decrease in internal space: the fetus begins to respond to rhythmic contractions of the muscle layer. Both situations require additional monitoring by doctors.
How and why to count fetal movements?
We already know that the child speaks to the mother through his movements, so monitoring them is simply necessary. After all, he talks about his condition, good or bad, through tremors. Rare and weak fetal movements may indicate developmental abnormalities. In order to be calm and confident that everything is fine with the baby, the mother needs to count the movements. There are special techniques for this.
Cardiff technique
From the 28th week, a schedule/diary is kept in which daily movements are recorded. It is considered from nine o'clock in the morning to nine o'clock in the evening. During this period, the pregnant woman should note 10 movements. If the tenth shock occurred before the allotted time, then further shocks need not be counted. In cases where the baby is active less than 10–8 times, you should consult a doctor.
Pearson method
According to the Pearson method, a diary is also kept from the 28th week, in which the time of the beginning of movements is recorded every day. It can be:
- tremors;
- coups;
- bulging, etc.
After you count 10 such actions, write down the end time of counting. If the time between the first and last recording is an hour +/- 15 minutes, then everything is fine. If the gap is longer, then wait until the baby sleeps for 3-4 hours, and then provoke him into active somersaults (eat sweets, take an uncomfortable position, etc.) and repeat the calculations again. If the result does not change, go for a consultation with your gynecologist.
Sadowski method
The Sadowski method is completely identical to the Pearson method, the only difference is the specific time and posture for counting. For measurements, the evening time is chosen, when the fetus is most active. The woman, lying on her left side, recording the time, counts all the pushes, revolutions, etc. Having counted 10 such actions in an hour, you can not worry and rest calmly, but if after 2 hours 10 movements have not been counted, then you should sound the alarm.
