Are Things Okay if You Don't Feel Your Baby Move for 8 Hours

Plenty of pregnant parents absolutely dearest and expect forrard to feeling that very first boot from their soon-to-exist baby. Just once you feel that boot, it's easy to autumn downward an anxiety spiral every fourth dimension your infant isn't kicking correct at this moment (um, fetuses need to nap, too!). That said, a lack of fetal movement can actually exist a crusade for concern — and it'southward completely natural to feel worried if y'all oasis't felt your picayune i move for a while. But what should you do about it? And how much time should y'all really spend "counting kicks"?

The first thing to retrieve is that every mom — and therefore every pregnancy — is different. While some moms might feel slight "quickening" movements as early as xiv to 16 weeks, others don't feel move until afterward in pregnancy. So basically, what's normal for another mom might not exist normal for you.

According to Ashlyn Biedebach, women'due south health RN and doula, how early y'all feel infant movement varies based on whether it's your first pregnancy (typically, you feel movement earlier if it's not your commencement pregnancy), how many babies you lot are carrying, the placement of the placenta  — feelings of movement can be impeded if the placenta is anterior (fastened to the front of the uterus) — and your body composition.

Why is baby motility important?

"The movement of your baby reflects the health and well-beingness of the placenta," Dr. Sherry Ross, OB-GYN and women'due south wellness proficient at Providence Saint John'south Health Eye in Santa Monica, California, tells SheKnows. "The placenta is the 'centre' of the pregnancy since this is where all the nutrients and oxygen come from, which become directly to your infant. If there is less baby movement, this could mean the placenta is no longer working well and could ultimately be dangerous to your baby."

When should I feel my baby kick?

When y'all start feeling regular fetal movements — whether that's at 18 weeks, 21 weeks or 24 weeks — you may exist able to place your babe'south unique patterns. "Your baby sleeps nigh of the day while growing inside your uterus," says Ross. "After meals, snacks and at night, your baby'southward movements will be more noticeable."

Should I count kicks?

According to Ross, you don't need to get as well worried about counting your infant'due south kicks unless you notice your baby'due south daily motility is less often in full general. As long every bit your baby has 10 movements in a two-60 minutes period at least twice a day, you don't accept anything to worry nearly, she says.

Biedebach recommends setting aside a fourth dimension during the 24-hour interval to sit down downward, residuum and focus fully on fetal movements, making notes on paper or your phone to constitute a baseline. "Moms can usually tell if something is happening that is dissimilar than normal, especially as the weeks get on and Baby is bigger," she says. "At this point, it isn't as difficult to monitor motility since your babe's movements get more noticeable."

However, it's normal for your baby's motility to alter and be less noticeable toward the end of your pregnancy.

"As your baby grows — a half pound a week in the last trimester — she has less infinite to stretch out," explains Ross. "The most likely reason a baby stops moving every bit much is due to less room inside the uterus. The infant grows faster than the uterus virtually the end of the pregnancy. It makes sense that a bigger baby has less space in the uterus to motion as energetically as yous may take noticed earlier in your pregnancy."

What should I do about decreased fetal movement?

If you notice less move during the twenty-four hour period, Ross suggests drinking a large glass of juice or a high-saccharide drink and lying on your left side in a comfortable and quiet location. "There is a skillful chance the baby will move with a sugar and hydration heave," she says. "I recommend waiting ii hours to see if your baby's move becomes noticeable."

If your baby notwithstanding doesn't motility within that 2-hour period, Ross recommends contacting your health care provider or obstetrician. "You may get an ultrasound to make sure the amniotic fluid around the infant is normal and the babe's muscle tone and reflexes are nowadays," she says. "Your doctor may too put yous on a heart monitor to behave out the ultimate test for your baby's well-being."

As with everything pregnancy-related, the most important piece of advice is to follow your gut feeling. If you're concerned about a change in your baby's movements, don't hesitate to contact your doc. When it comes to your babe's well-being — and your peace of listen — it's always better to be safe than sorry.

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Source: https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1071841/what-should-you-do-if-you-cant-feel-your-baby-kick/