Feeling your baby kick, twist, wriggle, punch and hiccup is simply one of pregnancy's biggest thrills (and it sure beats heartburn, puffy feet and other hallmarks of these nine months). There may be no better proof that a brand new life is developing within you.
But fetal movement during pregnancy can also drive a mom-to-be batty with questions. Is my baby kicking enough? Too much? Does my baby have four legs (because it sure feels that way when the kicking starts)?
Although every baby is different when it comes to fetal movement, it helps to take a peek into your baby's world to understand what's going on in there and what to expect, when.
When do you start feeling your baby move?
Most women feel the first fetal movement, known as quickening during pregnancy,[1] around weeks 18 to 22 — although you might feel those initial signs of activity any time between week 14 and week 26 of pregnancy. Before then, your baby is generally too tiny and positioned too deeply within the protective cushioning of your womb to make a blip on your radar.
Pregnant women who are expecting for the second time may be more likely feel first movements a bit earlier than they might for first pregnancies, around month 4. But for the most part, women aren’t aware of the flits and twitches (which can feel a lot like gas or muscle spasms) until the start of month 5.
The position of the placenta can also impact when you’ll feel fetal movement: If it's facing front, also called an anterior placenta, it can muffle the movements and make the wait weeks longer.
Haven’t felt any fetal movement by the middle of month 5? Your practitioner may order an ultrasound to take a look at how your baby is doing. It could just be that your due date is off, which can happen. But it's best to get it checked out just to be sure.
More About Fetal Development
And if you’re wondering when you can feel your baby’s kicks from the outside, your partner (and other curious friends and family) will likely have to wait until the end of the second trimester or even the third trimester to feel fetal movements when they put a hand on your baby bump.
What do baby kicks feel like?
Baby’s kicking might feel like a flutter (like the “butterflies” you get when you’re nervous) or waves (as though a little fish is swimming in there, which is pretty much what's going on!). They could feel like a twitch, a nudge or even hunger pangs. Or maybe it’ll feel like a bubble bursting or that upside-down, inside-out feeling you get on a roller coaster.
The feeling of baby kicking will continue to change throughout your pregnancy from choreographed movements at 6 months and stronger punches and kicks at 7 months, to wriggling and turning as baby rapidly grows in months 8 and 9.
Keep in mind that babies are unique, and the rhythms and patterns of their activity will vary. Try not to compare your baby's movements with those of others or of your own previous pregnancies if you have any.
How often should my baby move in utero?
There's no set number of movements you should feel each day, as every baby is different. You should feel movement every day in the third trimester, beginning around week 28 and continuing through the end of your pregnancy.
It’s important to get to know what’s normal for your baby, which typically becomes clearer between week 24 and week 28 of pregnancy.
Are there times baby will kick and move more often?
You may find that baby is more active when:
- You've settled down for the night. During the day, the motion of your body can lull your baby to sleep — and you're often focused on so many other things that you don't feel her moving in there even when she is. When you're relaxed and lying down (especially on one side), you're more likely to notice fetal movements.
- After you have a snack or a small glass of juice. The surge in your blood sugar may give your baby a rush of energy and elicit some kicks and wriggles.
- When you're nervous. Adrenaline can have the same effect and prompt baby to get more active.
- When your baby has the hiccups. Have you sensed occasional little flutters of faint but rhythmic tics that last for a minute to an hour? Your baby probably has a harmless and perfectly normal case of the hiccups. Not having them is just as normal. Note that hiccups do not count as "kicks" or fetal movements, however, especially when you're doing kick counts.
What does a super active baby in the womb mean?
Try not to jump to conclusions if your baby seems unusually active in the womb. It doesn't mean you'll have a hyper child later on or that your baby is destined to go pro as a soccer player.
Baby kicks — even those that are frequent and strong — are considered a normal and healthy part of fetal development. Think of it as an exercise routine, strengthening all of those developing muscles and bones before she makes her big debut.
However, a sudden increase in baby kicks in the third trimester that's different from the normal movement pattern you've come to know warrants a call to your practitioner and a check-up either at your doctor's office or the hospital to make sure all is well.
You also might not realize how strong or often the average baby kicks. By the third trimester, you can expect to feel fetal activity every day — sometimes a lot of it! — despite how big your baby has been getting and how much she's growing. Some research even suggests that a baby’s legs can generate up to almost 11 pounds of force by 30 weeks!
If your little drummer's bongo-playing on your belly starts to be more than you can take, try changing positions. Sit down or lie on your side. Your baby will likely change positions too and find something else to do. And if a foot (or feet) lodges in your ribs in the last few weeks of pregnancy, a gentle nudge, a shift in your position or a set of pelvic tilts might bring some relief.
You can even have a bit of fun with it: Starting at around month 8, you may be able to interact with your baby. Next time you see something protruding (a knee, perhaps, or a foot?), give it a gentle press. If the baby is game, you might see the limb get pulled back, then pushed out at you again.
Kick counts
To ensure that everything is progressing as expected, your doctor will ask you for a “kick count,” or a tab on fetal movements, throughout the third trimester (starting in week 28 through the end of your pregnancy). Follow these steps and tips:[2]
- How often: Set aside some quiet time at least twice a day to do kick counts. Schedule one for the morning and one in the evening hours.
- What to do: Check the clock and start counting. Count movements of any kind (i.e. kicks, flutters, swishes or rolls). Stop counting when you reach 10, and note the time and how long it took to get those 10 fetal movements.
- Look for: Counting 10 movements of any kind in one to two hours tends to be the norm, though sometimes it can take longer and other times you'll feel those magic 10 sooner.
- If you haven't felt 10 movements within two hours or the usual time it takes: If it takes more than two hours to feel 10 movements or the normal amount of time for your baby and you've already tried the usual tricks (eating a small snack, poking your belly, or changing positions during your kick counting session), contact your practitioner right away. See about getting checked out at their office or the hospital maternity ward as soon as possible. Although the absence of activity doesn’t necessarily mean something’s wrong, it can occasionally be a red flag that needs evaluation or monitoring.
- Keep in mind: The closer you are to your due date, the more important regular kick counts become. By month 9, you’ll want to count at least twice or more a day, and get in touch with your practitioner or go to the hospital if you note a sudden decrease or increase in movement.
- Never try this: You should never use or rely on handheld monitors, at-home Dopplers, or phone apps to check your baby’s heartbeat or well-being. They're not accurate or reliable like the fetal monitors and ultrasounds doctors and hospitals use to make sure your baby is thriving.
Baby’s movement right before labor
When your baby drops head-first down into the pelvis up to two to three weeks before delivery, fetal movement patterns could change again.
You may feel, quite strongly, every turn of your baby's head. Fortunately, those little feet typically no longer dig into your ribs.
Activity patterns the last few weeks before delivery can vary from pregnancy to pregnancy, but baby should still be moving every day during your kick counts. Don't be surprised if yours keeps up an energetic pace until it's time for your face-to-face introduction.
No matter what form of movement your baby breaks out for you during the last month of pregnancy, you should still feel those jabs, kicks, pokes, rolls and/or swishes several times each day — and you should even continue to feel baby’s movements right before and during labor. Remember: If there's a noticeable decrease or increase at any point, always check with your practitioner immediately.
Decreased fetal movement
While it’s always good to be aware of your baby's punches, kicks and rolls throughout your pregnancy, there may be times when you feel changes in fetal movement, which may be normal or may indicate the need to get checked by a doctor or at the hospital.[3]
Here's when you might notice decreased movement:
After sex
The rocking motion of sex and the rhythmic uterine contractions that follow orgasm often lull babies off to dreamland. Other babies become more active after sex. Either way, these changes are normal — and are in no way a sign that sex during pregnancy isn’t safe (as long as your practitioner hasn’t told you that you can’t have sex).
In the second trimester
Once you start feeling your karate kid's kicks and chops in the second trimester, don't panic if you go several hours — or even a day or two — without noticing any movement. At this stage and with your baby still quite tiny, it's normal not to feel regular movement. You may miss some of those dance moves because of the fetal position (facing inward, for instance, instead of outward) or because you’re sleeping right through the most active period at night.
In the third trimester
Your baby now has a fairly regular cycle of sleep and wakefulness. Sometimes a lull in activity just means deep slumber (and soon you'll appreciate that ability to sleep soundly!).
But throughout the third trimester and especially in month 9, it's crucial to note changes in activity. Count fetal movements a few times a day throughout your third trimester, and report any sudden decreases or increases to your doctor right away.
If you don't feel 10 movements within two hours or the usual amount of time it takes to get to 10 kicks, rolls, jabs or swishes, contact your practitioner right away. They might bring you in for some monitoring just to make sure everything is okay. If you can't reach your practitioner or there's a difference in your baby's normal kick patterns, head to the hospital maternity ward to get checked out.
Fetal movement is one of the hallmarks of pregnancy — an exciting and very real sign of the life growing inside of you. So sit back, relax and enjoy. And don’t forget to do those kick counts starting in the third trimester until your cute baby is born!
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