When you first find out that you are pregnant it really is one of the most exciting times of your life (for most people)
After the initial shock, you begin to wonder about all the other little things to get excited about.
When will you start showing? What will your baby look like etc?
One of the most exciting things that a pregnant woman looks forward too is how early can you feel baby move.
The moment you get to feel your baby move is so special because it makes everything so real.
You immediately get a mother, baby connection.
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WHEN DO YOU FIRST FEEL BABY KICK?
Women tend to feel their baby move for the first time at slightly different times. On the whole, you should experience what is called “Quickening”
Quickening or sometimes referred to as flutters can start anywhere from 16 – 25 weeks of pregnancy.
It is named this way as you won’t immediately feel your baby kick but you will feel something that resembles butterflies moving in your stomach.
If this is your first pregnancy then you will likely not feel your baby move until the tail end of that estimation ( around 25 weeks)
During my first pregnancy, I felt my baby move around week 18.
Some people say that they doubt I felt it that early and that it was probably just gas, but I know what it felt like and it was unlike anything I have ever experienced before. It was magical.
If this is your second pregnancy you are more likely to feel your baby move earlier than this.
Some second time moms can feel their baby move anywhere from 13 weeks.
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WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE WHEN YOUR BABY MOVES FOR THE FIRST TIME?
It’s quite difficult to give an absolute truth on what it feels like because you have to almost judge it for yourself.
Some women report that it feels like bubbles or gas moving in their bellies.
I had this feeling too but I just knew that it wasn’t gas.
You might not even notice your baby’s first few movements unless you are deliberately looking out for them.
They will feel extremely subtle and just like little flutters.
You may even second guess yourself as to whether or not you really did feel your baby move or not.
As your pregnancy progresses you will feel your baby’s moves intensify.
To start with the movements will feel like little flutters but over time they will turn into baby kicks the bigger your baby gets.
WILL OTHER PEOPLE BE ABLE TO FEEL MY BABY MOVE?
Other people will be able to feel your baby move as you head into your late second/ early third trimester of pregnancy.
I remember the countless times I would grab my husband’s hand to put on my belly to feel our baby move but he never could until much later on.
A lot of it depends also on the positioning of your uterus as well.
If your uterus is in an anterior position it will make it more difficult for others to feel your baby move from the outside.
As your baby gets bigger it will eventually become easier for others to feel your baby kick.
WHY DO I FEEL BABY MOVE MORE AT NIGHT TIME?
Generally, we tend to settle down a lot more in the evenings. During the day time to we tend to be quite busy moving around and doing lots of different things.
As we calm down in the evenings we are much more aware of what is going on with our bodies as there is much less distraction.
It’s not the case that your baby is moving more during the evenings, it’s just that you become more aware of your baby moving.
WHAT DO I DO IF MY BABYS MOVEMENTS SLOW DOWN?
Firstly, don’t panic!
Your baby could just be asleep. If you are worried you could try drinking a little cold water.
Usually, if you drink something cold it tends to give your baby a jolt and wakes them up.
If after doing this and waiting about 2 hours and your baby still does not move then it would be a good idea to get in touch with your doctor or midwife.
Never turn a blind eye to it.
Just note that as you head into the final stages of pregnancy you may notice less activity from your baby as there is a lot less room in your uterus for baby to move.
The movements that you feel will be much more like sweeping movements rather than kicks.
The movements should never completely stop altogether.
WHAT IS KICK COUNTING AND SHOULD I BE DOING IT?
If you are worried about your baby’s movements you can always track this by using a kick counting sheet.
Kick counting sheets are a great way to keep track of what is happening with your baby.
If you want to count kicks the optimal time to do this would be anywhere from 28 -32 weeks
To count kicks you simply sit somewhere quiet put your hand on your belly and begin to count how many kicks you get from your baby over a certain period of time.
The best time to do this would be when you know your baby is usually a little more active.
If not you could be sitting there for a long time waiting for your baby to make some movement.
If you have been sitting there for a while and haven’t felt anything then go ahead and drink a cold drink to see if that gets baby moving for you.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON FEELING YOUR BABY MOVE
It varies from woman to woman and pregnancy to pregnancy how early you can feel baby move. On the whole, you should feel your baby moving anywhere from 16-25 weeks of pregnancy.
Although feeling your baby move for the first time is a wonderful thing, don’t place too much emphasis on how soon you expect it to happen.
It’s very easy to get caught up in waiting for it to happen that you start obsessing over it.
The best thing to do is to relax and let it happen naturally in its own time.
If you are worried about anything do check with your caregiver. It’s always better to ask and find out everything is ok rather than worry in secret and potentially make things a lot worse.
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