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When can you see your stomach move during pregnancy


Your Baby's Movements During Pregnancy – Health Information Library

Overview

During your pregnancy, you'll feel your baby move. For example, your baby may kick, hiccup, roll, turn, and twist. These movements are common and expected. As your baby grows, these movements will get stronger.

But sometimes you might feel a movement that surprises you. You may wonder what it means. Most pregnant women don't have any serious problems. But it's a good idea to learn about the different kinds of movements. They include:

Fluttering, butterflies, or bubbles.

You'll probably start to feel your baby move sometime between 18 and 22 weeks. At first, these small movements feel like fluttering or "butterflies. " Some women say that they feel like gas bubbles. These first flutters are sometimes called "quickening."

Hiccups.

Around 21 to 24 weeks, you may start to feel some jerky movements inside your belly. You might even see them on the outside. Repeated jerky movements usually mean that your baby has the hiccups.

Hiccups are perfectly normal. They can last from a minute to an hour. You may feel your baby have hiccups now and then throughout the rest of your pregnancy.

Kicks, twists, and turns.

As your pregnancy goes on, you may feel some changes in your baby's movement. Around 25 to 28 weeks, your baby may start to kick and stretch. And you may notice that your baby does less turning and twisting and more squirming or jerking. Around 30 to 32 weeks, your baby turns less and kicks and jabs more.

At about 28 weeks, you may feel your baby move from head-down to feet-down, or even sideways.

When and how often babies move

After 18 to 20 weeks, you may notice that your baby moves more at certain times of day. For example, when you are active, you may feel less movement than when you're resting quietly. Believe it or not, babies find the activity and noise of daytime hours to be soothing. So they often sleep during the day and are awake at night.

Starting at about 30 to 32 weeks, you should feel your baby move several times a day. Babies usually sleep 20 to 45 minutes at a time, and then are more active at certain times of day.

By 40 weeks, your baby has grown larger and doesn't have much room to move around. You will probably notice less "big" movement than before.

Call your doctor or midwife right away or seek immediate medical care if you notice that your baby has stopped moving or is moving much less than normal.

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When Can Baby Kicks Be Seen on the Outside?

If you’re starting to feel your baby move on the inside you may wonder when you can see the baby kick on the outside. While feeling kicks is a very special moment of joy, seeing them makes your baby’s arrival seem much more real.

You may even want your partner to be able to see your little one moving around. It happens at different times for different women and babies. One thing is for sure, you will be watching your belly for stretches and kicks that are visible through your skin. This article will explain when first kicks are felt, when they can approximately be seen from the outside, and things you can do to get your baby moving.

 

You may begin to see your baby move on the outside sometime after the 25th week of pregnancy, but more commonly after the 30th week. Some women see it earlier due to a thinner frame, less abdominal fat tissue, and a really strong kicker. It also depends on if your placenta is situated to the front or back of your uterus. If the placenta is front oriented, the first kicks may even be felt later in the pregnancy. 

The first actual “flutters” are usually felt sometime after the 16th week of pregnancy. Many new moms who are in their first pregnancy may not even feel movement until the 20th week. Moms who have had more than one pregnancy may recognize these tiny movements that feel like “bubbles” around the 13th week.

For the majority of women, the first visual movements often happen from the 28th week on. You may just be sitting there watching tv when you notice what looks like a foot or hand go across your belly. 

There are some general timelines when movement can be felt, and seen. Remember, it differs from pregnancy to pregnancy. Here is a guide by weeks of pregnancy: 

  • 0 to 12 Weeks - Your baby is still very tiny, so movements may not be felt during these weeks. Some women do claim they “feel something” inside. This is more of an instinctive feeling of knowing your baby is there more than a physical sensation.
  • 13 to 15 Weeks - A small number of women do report feeling something like “bubbles” or “flutters” anywhere from the 13th to 15th week of pregnancy. At this time you may ask friends, “when can you see the baby kick on the outside?” Still, your baby is too small to be seen this early on.
  • 16 to 20 Weeks - This is the time when most women can feel the “flutters” and “bubbles” inside. Baby is still too small to be seen on the outside, but you may be well aware they are in there doing a little dance. This is around the time of your first ultrasound exam, and you will definitely be able to see them moving on the inside at this time.
  • 21 to 27 Weeks - Movement starts to increase during this time. Some women even report hiccups at this time. Kicks and jabs still feel tiny and you most likely won’t see them yet. There have been a few reports of stomach movement as early as 25 to 26 weeks, but it is rare.
  • 28 to 32 Weeks - Your baby is growing fast and is really able to give a good kick now. This is the time when you may see the first “rolls” and “swipes” with your baby’s legs or arms. You may even notice a rhythmic bounce with the hiccups. If you have extra abdominal fat or the placenta is up front, you may have to wait a few more weeks before you see anything.
  • 33 Weeks to Birth - It’s getting crowded in there! During these weeks you will most likely be able to see most of your baby’s movements. You may also see them “flip” into the birth position during this time. When this happens, your stomach will morph like a huge wave. Kicks can sometimes be so fierce during these weeks, you may get a bruised rib or lose your breath from them.

If you want to actually see some kicks, it will have to be the right time. The best week to try this is around the 28th week. You will also have to give your baby a reason to wake up and move. Get your video recorder ready and try these tips:

  1. Eat or Drink Something

Food and beverages give your baby energy, just like you. If your baby isn’t kicking, try eating or drinking something to wake them up. If you aren’t suffering from gestational diabetes, eat something sweet or high in carbs.

  1. Lie Still

If you are moving around, the rocking of your body lulls baby to sleep. If you eat or drink something, take a break and be still for 20 to 30 minutes. When can you see the baby kick on the outside? When you are resting after a meal is probably one of the best times.

  1. Place Your Hand on Your Belly

If you aren’t seeing anything at first, place your hand on your belly to feel how baby is positioned. If you are not seeing the jabs, it could be the baby’s back is to the front of your body.

  1. Move a Finger Across

There have been cases of baby following mom’s finger or hand. If your baby is awake and kicking, try taking one finger and moving it slowly across your belly. They may follow you with a foot or a hand.

  1. Try Catching Movement During Ultrasounds

Babies tend to move a lot during ultrasounds. They don’t like the doppler and move to get away from the pressure. You may see an actual punch or kick right at the doppler. For later ultrasounds around 32 to 34 weeks, you may want to have your partner come along to see the antics. 

Fetal movement - how and when does it occur

  1. At what time does fetal movement begin
  2. Fetal movement rate
  3. Methods for assessing the "sufficiency" of fetal movements
  4. Changes in fetal activity
  5. Determination of the condition of the fetus

“Dear patients, we are glad to welcome you to the website of the Fetal Medicine Center – a medical center of expert level in the field of modern prenatal medicine. nine0018

We see our mission in making the expectation of a child and its birth a happy, calm and most comfortable period for every woman. By providing professional medical support, we help couples plan pregnancy, control its harmonious course, conduct expert-level prenatal diagnostics, providing comprehensive care for the health of the expectant mother and baby. ”

Roza Saidovna Bataeva

Head of the Fetal Medicine Center in Moscow

From the very beginning of pregnancy, every expectant mother begins to listen carefully to the sensations inside her growing belly. Can't wait to feel your baby move. When does the fetus begin to move? At what time can a pregnant woman begin to listen carefully to herself, waiting for the first movements of her child? Should I be worried if they are not felt or the baby suddenly calmed down? And can movements carry any other information, besides communicating with mom? nine0018

At what time does the fetal movement begin

The first movements of the future baby begin early - already at 7-8 weeks of pregnancy . It was at this time that the first muscles and the rudiments of the nervous system of the fetus are formed. Naturally, at this time, the movements of the embryo are still very primitive - these are muscle contractions in response to nerve impulses.

Approximately from 10 weeks of pregnancy the fetus begins to move more actively in the uterus, and, encountering an obstacle on its way (walls of the uterus), change the trajectory of movements. However, the baby is still very small and the impacts on the uterine wall are very weak, the expectant mother cannot yet feel them. At 11-12 weeks of intrauterine life, a little man already knows how to clench his fists, grimace, frown, by 16 weeks of pregnancy he begins to react to loud, sharp sounds with increased motor activity, at 17 weeks the first facial expressions appear, and at 18 weeks he covers his face with his hands and plays with the umbilical cord, compresses and unclenches the fingers of the hands. nine0003

Gradually, with increasing gestational age, movements become more coordinated and more like conscious. When the baby grows up, the pregnant woman begins to feel his movements.

When does the fetal movement begin during the first and subsequent pregnancies

It is generally accepted that during the first pregnancy, the expectant mother feels the first fetal movements at 20 weeks of pregnancy, with repeated pregnancies - at 18 weeks. This is not entirely true. A mother who is expecting her first child, indeed, most often begins to feel the movements of the fetus a little later than a multiparous woman. This is due to the fact that "experienced" mothers know how the movements of the crumbs are felt at first and what they should feel. Some primigravidas perceive the first movements of the fetus as an increase in intestinal peristalsis, “gaziki”. Many women describe the first movements of the fetus as a feeling of fluid transfusion in the abdomen, "fluttering butterflies" or "swimming fish." nine0003

The first movements are usually rare and irregular. The time of the first sensations of fetal movements naturally depends on the individual sensitivity of the woman. Some future mothers feel the first movements as early as 15-16 weeks, and someone only after 20. Slender women, as a rule, begin to feel movements earlier than full ones. Women who lead an active lifestyle, work hard, usually feel the movements of the fetus later.

By 20 weeks, due to the formation of the spinal cord and brain, as well as the accumulation of a certain amount of muscle mass in the fetus, movements become more regular and noticeable .

From 24 weeks of pregnancy, the movements of the fetus are already reminiscent of the movements of a newborn - the expectant mother feels how the fetus changes position, moves its arms and legs. The motor activity of the fetus increases gradually and its peak falls on the period from the 24th to the 32nd week of pregnancy. At this time, the activity of the baby's movements becomes one of the indicators of its normal development. After 24 weeks, the child begins to "communicate" with the mother with the help of movements, respond to the sounds of voice, music, and the emotional state of the mother. With an increase in the gestational age of more than 32 weeks, the motor activity of the fetus gradually decreases due to the fact that the baby is growing up and he simply does not have enough space for active movements. This becomes especially noticeable at the time of childbirth. By the end of the third trimester of pregnancy, the number of fetal movements may decrease somewhat, but their intensity and strength remain the same or increase. nine0003

Fetal movement rate

The baby in the mother's belly moves almost constantly. At the 20th week of pregnancy, the fetus makes about 200 movements per day, and between the 28th and 32nd weeks, the number of movements reaches 600 per day. Naturally, a pregnant woman does not feel all the movements of the fetus, but only a small part of them. So, after 28 weeks, the frequency of fetal movement, according to the sensations of a woman, is usually 4 to 8 times per hour, with the exception of periods of fetal sleep (3-4 hours in a row). nine0003

In the third trimester, a pregnant woman may notice that her baby has regular sleep and wake cycles. Children are usually most active from 19:00 to 4:00 in the morning, and the period of "rest" occurs more often from 4 to 9:00 in the morning. Of course, the movements of the fetus depend on the mood of the mother, if the mother is worried or happy, the baby can move more actively, or vice versa, calm down. The fact is that when a mother rejoices, her body significantly increases the amount of hormones of joy - endorphins, which regulate the work of the heart and blood vessels, including the vessels of the placenta. During stress or pronounced negative emotions, biologically active substances are also produced - stress hormones, they also affect the work of the heart and blood vessels. It is thanks to this biological interaction between the organisms of mother and baby that the fetus feels the state of the mother. When the expectant mother is resting, the baby usually becomes more active, if the pregnant woman is active, busy with some kind of work, the child most often calms down. The movements also change depending on the satiety of the expectant mother. Usually the baby begins to move actively after the mother eats, especially something sweet. At the same time, the level of glucose in the blood increases sharply, which causes the fetus to be more active. nine0003

Fetal movements are the language in which the unborn child speaks to the mother. Naturally, a pregnant woman should listen to the movements, because in some cases, changes in the movements of the fetus may indicate a violation of its intrauterine state and a not entirely successful pregnancy.

If, after 20 weeks of pregnancy, the expectant mother does not feel the movement of the fetus, it may be worthwhile to see a doctor and make sure that everything is in order with the baby.

Methods for assessing the "sufficiency" of fetal movements

Counting the number of movements

The easiest way to assess fetal movements is to count the number of movements of the pregnant woman herself. Self-assessment methods are very easy to use, do not require additional equipment, the presence of a doctor and are easily reproducible by any woman. Their disadvantages are that each woman has different thresholds of susceptibility.

Count to ten

The most common method for assessing fetal movements is called count to ten . It can be carried out after 28 weeks of pregnancy, when the fetus is mature enough for active movements. Its essence lies in the fact that the expectant mother counts the movements of the fetus for a 12-hour time interval, for example, from 9 am to 9 pm. The time when a pregnant woman catches the tenth movement is recorded on a tablet. If the fetus makes less than 10 movements in 12 hours, this is an occasion to consult a doctor for an additional examination.

Sadowski Method

In the evening after dinneruntil 11 p.m.), the woman lies on her left side and counts the movements of the fetus. At the same time, everything is considered, even the smallest movements. If 10 or more movements are noted within an hour, this indicates that the baby is moving quite actively and feels good. If the fetus moved less than 10 times in an hour, then the movements are counted for the next hour. Evening time for this assessment method was not chosen by chance. It is in the evening hours, especially after dinner and the associated increase in glucose, that the greatest activity of the fetus is noted. If the number of fetal movements during this test is less than 10 per two hours, this should be considered as a sign of a violation of his condition and additional studies should be carried out. nine0003

For an obstetrician-gynecologist, fetal movements are also an important diagnostic criterion for some deviations in the course of pregnancy from the norm. Too active, violent, painful fetal movement or weak, rare movements may indicate its unfavorable condition.

Changes in fetal activity

Changes in fetal activity may be associated with external influences. For example, if a pregnant woman lies on her back for a long time, then the enlarged uterus compresses a large vessel - the inferior vena cava, the blood flow to the fetus is disrupted, which immediately causes its violent reaction - active movements. The same changes in the activity of the baby can occur in any other uncomfortable position of the mother - if she leans forward, squeezing her stomach, sits with her legs crossed, the child forces her mother to change her position with her activity. A similar situation occurs if the baby himself squeezes or presses the loops of the umbilical cord, limiting the flow of blood through it. He begins to move more actively, changes his position and relieves pressure on the umbilical cord. However, in some cases, an increase or vice versa, a subsidence of fetal movements can be a sign of a serious pathology. nine0003

After 28 weeks of pregnancy, if your baby does not let you know for 3-4 hours, he may just be sleeping. In this case, the expectant mother needs to eat something sweet and lie down on her left side for half an hour. If these simple manipulations do not lead to a result, it is worth repeating them again after 2-3 hours. If this time the baby does not make itself felt, this is an occasion to consult a doctor. Rare and weak movements can also indicate a fetal problem, most often a lack of oxygen for the baby, that is, fetal hypoxia. nine0003

Determining the condition of the fetus

To determine the condition of the fetus, the doctor conducts a series of examinations:

Auscultation (listening)

The simplest is auscultation (listening) using a special wooden tube (obstetric stethoscope) or a special device that captures the fetal heartbeat, doctor listens to the baby's heartbeat. Normally, it is about 120-160 beats per minute. A decrease in heart rate less than 120 or an increase of more than 160 indicates intrauterine suffering of the child. nine0003

Ultrasound and dopplerometry

During ultrasound, the doctor visually assesses the size of the fetus, the correspondence of the development of the fetus to the gestational age, because with oxygen starvation, the growth rate of the fetus slows down and its size lags behind the norm for each period of pregnancy. Also important is the structure of the placenta, the presence of signs of aging in it, as a result of which the function of transferring blood, oxygen and nutrients to the fetus usually worsens. During ultrasound, the amount and type of amniotic fluid is assessed, which can also change with intrauterine fetal suffering. Dopplerometry of the vessels of the placenta and umbilical cord is a method for studying blood flow velocities in these vessels. With a decrease in the speed of blood flow in any vessel, one can speak of fetal malnutrition of varying severity. nine0003

Learn more about the services:

  • Pregnancy ultrasound
  • Ultrasound in the first trimester of pregnancy
  • Make KTG
  • Perform fetal echocardiography

Cardiotocography (CTG)

This is an important method for assessing the condition of the fetus. CTG is performed at a gestational age of 33 weeks or more, since only in this period of intrauterine development of the baby is a full-fledged regulation of the activity of the cardiovascular system of the fetus by the centers of the spinal cord and brain. Recording of fetal heartbeats is carried out for at least 40 minutes, and if necessary, the study can be extended up to one and a half hours. The device registers and records the baby's heart rate. For example, with a decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the blood of the fetus, the supply of oxygen to the cells of the nervous system decreases, which in turn affects the heart rate, especially during the period of wakefulness of the child. The obstetrician-gynecologist evaluates the heartbeat recording curve, episodes of slowing down and a sharp increase in the fetal heart rate, and based on these data, makes a conclusion about how comfortable the baby feels in the mother's stomach. nine0003

If during additional methods for assessing the condition of the fetus, initial disturbances in the supply of oxygen to the baby are detected, drug treatment is carried out aimed at increasing the access of blood and oxygen through the placenta and mandatory control examinations against the background of ongoing therapy. If the changes are deep and the baby experiences a pronounced deficiency of oxygen and nutrients, his condition suffers, an emergency delivery of such a patient is performed.

Fetal movements are not only an indicator of his condition, it is a way of communication between the baby and parents. The movements of the crumbs in the mother's tummy are unforgettable sensations that a woman can experience only in this short, but such a happy period of her life. nine0003

Center for Fetal Medicine in Moscow:

The main activities of our center are the early detection of congenital malformations in the fetus, prenatal screening for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus, as well as pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, fetal growth retardation and threatened abortion.

Our center is organized in such a way that the whole range of services is concentrated in one place, where a woman receives the results of various types of examinations, including ultrasound, biochemical, and specialist consultation within 1-1. 5 hours. In the presence of a high risk for chromosomal diseases in the fetus, invasive diagnostics and genetics consultation are carried out here in the center. nine0003

Fetal echocardiography is given special attention in our center, since congenital heart defects in the fetus are increasingly common today, but, unfortunately, are often missed during ultrasound during pregnancy.

In view of the ever-increasing number of multiple pregnancies, which requires more time and a special approach, the observation of women with multiple pregnancies has been allocated to us in a separate clinic for multiple pregnancies.

All examinations in the center are carried out according to the international standards FMF (Fetal Medicine Foundation) and ISUOG (International Society for Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology). In complex clinical cases, we can consult with specialists from King's College Hospital, King's College Hospital (London, UK). nine0003

The team is a special pride of the center. Our doctors are not only one of the leading specialists, professors, doctors and candidates of medical sciences, doctors of the highest categories, they are also a team of like-minded people and real enthusiasts in their field. All ultrasound diagnostic doctors in our center have international FMF certificates. Having extensive experience in prenatal diagnostics, we share our knowledge with our colleagues by conducting training courses.

The Center is equipped with the most modern diagnostic equipment: these are the latest generation ultrasound machines, GE Voluson E8 Expert, with a complete set of modern technologies, including three-dimensional ones, this is a biochemical analyzer, Delfia Xpress, these are workplaces with professional computer programs. nine0003

Fetal movement during pregnancy

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Pregnant women and obstetrician-gynecologists are waiting for fetal movements. This is a very important sign that allows you to judge that the pregnancy is going well, and the child is developing successfully. Also, the baby communicates with the mother with the help of movements and can tell her about any inconvenience, so you need to listen to the movements of the fetus. nine0003

When fetal movements appear

  1. The first fetal movements appear at the seventh or eighth week of pregnancy. However, the small fetus does not come into contact with the walls of the uterus, so the mother does not feel its movements.
  2. Closer to the seventeenth week, the fetus begins to react to loud sound and light, from the eighteenth it begins to consciously move.
  3. A woman begins to feel movements during her first pregnancy from the twentieth week. In subsequent pregnancies, these sensations occur two to three weeks earlier. Also, a woman will feel the first movement of the fetus earlier if she is slim and leads an active lifestyle. nine0006
  4. From the twenty-eighth week, especially active movements are observed. The child "communicates" with the mother, reacts to her emotions. This continues until the thirty-second week, when the baby grows so much that it can no longer actively move in the uterus.

Fetal movement - as normal

Except for three to four hours a day when the baby sleeps, he is in constant motion. In the twentieth week, the fetus makes two hundred perturbations a day, from the twenty-eighth to the thirty-second, their number increases to six hundred. Then, the activity decreases again. nine0003

Fetal activity may vary depending on the following factors:

  1. Time of day . Usually the fetus moves more actively in the evening and at night.
  2. Mother's emotions . If a pregnant woman is under stress, then the child is frightened, may freeze and stop moving, or, conversely, react to adrenaline with active movements.
  3. Physical activity . During physical activity, the child is usually more calm than at rest. If the mother is in an uncomfortable position for a long time, the fetus may react with strong painful shocks. nine0006
  4. Pregnant diet . If the mother feels hungry, the child begins to move more actively. Also pushing and touching become stronger after eating. Especially if mom eats sweets.
  5. Environment a. The fetus reacts to loud sounds, sudden switching on of light. He may freeze in fear, or vice versa, begin to move more actively.

Why and how to count fetal movements

Changes in the motor activity of the fetus may be a sign of pregnancy pathology. Too strong, painful, or vice versa, weakened movements signal that the child does not have enough oxygen. This condition is called fetal hypoxia. In addition, sensations change when the amount of amniotic fluid changes. Therefore, it is important to count fetal movements, especially during the first pregnancy. nine0003

There are three methods for counting fetal movements:

  1. Pearson method . Movements are considered from nine in the morning to nine in the evening, during which physical activity is limited. In a special table, the time of every tenth movement is entered. Normally, the interval between them is less than an hour.
  2. Cardiff Method . Movements are counted for twelve hours. If during this period of time the child performed at least ten movements, the counting is stopped and starts again the very next day.

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