Early fetal movement. Diagnosis of a child’s health status based on movements

One of the most exciting sensations in every woman’s life is the first movements during pregnancy. Many expectant mothers who are carrying their first child worry about how fetal movements are felt, at what stage this usually occurs, how often and how intensely the baby should “kick.” Naturally, each course of pregnancy is individual, so we will consider the average norms and indicators regarding the baby’s movements.

When the first movements are felt

During pregnancy, the first fetal movement is felt in the second half of the interesting position, between 18 and 22 weeks. This does not mean that until this time the baby sleeps peacefully in his mother’s tummy and does not move. It’s just that it’s still so small that the woman doesn’t feel how it pushes off the walls of the uterus and floats in the amniotic fluid. By 18-20 weeks, the baby has grown so much that the expectant mother can already notice his slight movements. Most women experience the first sensation of movement between 20 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. In the second trimester, it is felt like tremors in different parts of the abdomen: the baby still has enough space to move in all directions, twist his arms and legs, and “play” with the umbilical cord. The longer the pregnancy, the larger the baby becomes and, accordingly, stronger. His confident kicking of his mother’s belly from the inside is very different from the timid, first movements. During pregnancy, up to 30-32 weeks, the baby still turns over freely, and then he takes a stable position with his head down (cephalic presentation of the fetus), although in some cases the baby is positioned with his buttocks or legs down (breech presentation of the fetus).

Many women note that the first movements during the second pregnancy are felt much earlier than during the first. This phenomenon can be explained very simply; the expectant mother already knows how the baby’s movement in her tummy feels. While during the first pregnancy she could confuse slight movements of the fetus with increased gas formation or intestinal motility, or muscle contractions. In addition, in women who are pregnant not for the first time, the anterior abdominal wall is more stretched and, accordingly, more sensitive. According to statistics, most expectant mothers feel the first movements during their second pregnancy at about 16 weeks.

It has been noticed that obese women feel the first movements of the baby in the stomach a little later than thinner expectant mothers.

How often and how intensely should the baby move?

After the feeling of joy from feeling the first movements has passed, the expectant mother begins to wonder how often and how hard the baby should push during the normal course of an interesting position. After all, by the nature of a child’s motor activity, one can judge how well he grows and develops, how comfortable he is in his mother’s tummy.

Until about the 26th week of pregnancy, while the baby is still relatively small, the expectant mother can feel his movements only a few times a day. This does not mean that he is inactive and moves little, it’s just that the woman still does not recognize her baby’s movements well enough, and may not notice some of his movements. According to average statistics, after 26-28 weeks the baby should actively move about 10 times in 2-3 hours.

To make it easy and convenient for the expectant mother to determine whether her child moves often enough or not, obstetricians-gynecologists advise from the moment when the first movements begin to be clearly felt, to conduct the so-called fetal movement calendar. Every day, the expectant mother should count the number of movements of the baby that she felt, and each time she feels the tenth “kick”, mark the time of this event on the calendar. In cases where it seems to a woman that the baby is not moving actively enough, she should take a comfortable position and relax; before doing this, you can eat something (there is an unproven hypothesis that after eating the baby moves more intensely). If after two hours the pregnant woman has not felt 5-10 movements, then she needs to slowly get up and down the stairs, walk around, and then lie down quietly again. In most cases, the activities listed above lead to increased motor activity of the baby. If after 2-3 hours a woman does not feel any tremors from within, then she should consult a gynecologist as soon as possible so that he can check the condition of the baby in the mother’s belly.

Many women begin to worry if the baby moves very energetically. But don't worry, there's nothing wrong with it. Excessively active movements of the child are not a pathology; most often the reason for such vigorous activity is that the expectant mother has taken an unsuccessful position, which causes discomfort to the baby. Typically, increased motor activity is observed in cases where a woman sits, leaning far back, or lies on her back. As soon as a pregnant woman changes the position of her body, for example, lies on her side or sits down, leaning forward, the baby calms down and moves less intensely.

At what age does the baby begin to move, what does it feel like, and how can you not miss this moment? The first movements of a baby in the womb are incomparable. This is something special and unique. Mothers describe them differently. And the timing at which weeks the baby begins to move can vary. Some people feel kicks already at the 15th week of pregnancy, and others at the 22nd. In the uterus, the baby makes chaotic movements already at 8-10 weeks, but they are so weak that not a single woman is able to feel them. It has been scientifically proven that the timing of the first tremors depends on previous pregnancies and the number of fetuses gestated.

During the first pregnancy, the first fetal movements begin at approximately 20 weeks. But young mothers cannot always distinguish these tremors from bowel movements. The movements can be confused with flatulence. Therefore, the baby’s first kicks can be +- 2 weeks. There are cases when a girl has highly developed tissue sensitivity, and then she is able to feel the baby already at 15-16.

And in the second pregnancy, the child begins to move at an earlier stage, at a maximum of 18 weeks. And the point is not that the baby develops faster than the first child. It’s just that by the second pregnancy, the mother is already an “experienced fighter” and is able to distinguish the baby’s first tremors from everything else. The sensitivity of her muscle tissue has also increased and is ready for these same movements. During the second pregnancy, the mother can no longer be fooled by false pushes.

As for cases when pregnancy proceeds with the presence of two fetuses, in this case there are no special changes in the timing of the first movements. Babies also begin to move in the first trimester of pregnancy, but the mother can often feel them a little earlier than when carrying one fetus. When pregnant with twins, the baby begins to move at approximately 18-19 weeks. The thing is that the amount of free space in the uterus is rapidly decreasing. Accordingly, even minor movements of babies are felt more strongly.

Do not forget that everything mentioned above is an individual process. There are cases when mothers feel the first tremors even at 16 weeks. This is due to the fact that such women have increased tissue sensitivity. Conversely, when sensitivity is reduced, tremors can be noticed only after 20 weeks. There is nothing wrong with this, and there is no need to panic ahead of time. But if you are still worried, then you can do an unscheduled ultrasound examination, which will accurately show whether the pregnancy is progressing correctly and whether everything is okay with the fetus.

Most pregnant women are happy at the end of the first trimester, because the risk of miscarriage is reduced to zero and reduced. The second trimester usually brings joy to expectant mothers, since at this time unpleasant symptoms usually do not appear, and the first tremors of the fetus are felt. At what time does the baby begin to move in the mother’s belly? In each individual case, this process occurs differently.

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Process Features

The baby’s ability to move appears much earlier than the woman feels it. After all, in the first trimester the baby is still too small for the mother to feel his movements and kicks. If a pregnant woman underwent her first screening at 12 weeks, she most likely saw the fetus “tumbling” in her stomach.

When does the baby start to move? at 1st pregnancy, at what time the mother will be able to detect obvious tremors.

The first time babies in the stomach begin to make any movements is 8-9 weeks after conception. If we compare this with the obstetric period, this falls on the 11th week of development.

At this time, the baby’s body is overgrown with small bundles of muscles and neurons, so the movement is more like a shudder from convulsions.

Of course, when a child pushes like that, a woman cannot yet feel it. In addition, there is fluid in the uterus in which the baby swims, which can reduce the strength of his movements. And the fact that the baby is inside the uterus and does not touch its walls also leads to the absence of early kicks.

Interesting! How pregnancy occurs: description of stages

Clearer and more deliberate movements occur at 11-15 weeks of development, when active work of the cerebellum. Thanks to him, the baby is able to move his legs and arms. At this time, the first tremors of the child during pregnancy can already be detected in sensitive women.

How many weeks does a baby start to move? Some women claim that they notice the first movement of the baby when turning it inside the abdomen at 14 weeks. However, any gynecologist will confirm that this is impossible. In this case, the pregnant woman probably felt the activity of the intestines, which are more active during pregnancy.

At what stage does the baby begin to move so that the woman begins to feel it? The first time the mother will be able to feel the tremors is 16-23 weeks after conception. At the same time, it is important to remember the day of the movement, because the gynecologist will use it as a guide when setting the date of birth. If you count in which month the first movement occurred, this is it will be 5 months carrying a baby.

Important! If you notice the baby’s first movements during pregnancy, you should definitely inform your doctor about this, who will suggest an action plan in order to notice the pathology in time.

If a woman becomes a mother for the first time, 20 weeks should be counted from the day the tremors are detected. For multiparous women, these indicators change.

Harbingers of tremors

To correctly understand your own condition during pregnancy, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the development of movements in the embryo and fetus.

From the 10th week, the baby develops nerve bundles that are responsible for movement. However, at this stage it is impossible to detect the child’s movements, because he is still too small and weak.

Already at the onset of the second trimester, almost all future mothers notice touch. However, these frameworks cannot be called exact, because the deadlines are different in each case.

The timing of shocks depends on the following factors:

• the baby's temperament - if he is calm, the tremors will be noticeable later;
• the degree of sensitivity of the woman (overly sensitive women can detect pleasant movements earlier than others);
• activity of the expectant mother.

How many weeks does a baby start to move? As we found out - from 16 to 24. What harbingers notify a woman about the beginning of the baby’s kicks.

These include:

• an increase, which already sticks out in the area under the navel (this indicates the baby’s growth and an increase in his strength);
• sometimes you can notice movement and even “walking” of the abdomen (usually this happens when the baby tries to roll over);
• possible occurrence of constipation, which is formed due to compression of the rectum as a result of the frequent activity of the baby.

How to recognize fetal movement during pregnancy. Typically, women say that they feel like “butterflies are flying” or “fish are splashing” in their stomach. However, sometimes the first push, on the contrary, is strong, and it cannot be compared with anything other than the movement of the fetus. In this case, the answer to the question of how a child pushes is obvious.

What makes the fetus move?

The main factors on which the movement of the fetus in the womb depends are:

1. Lifestyle. If a woman is active, she may notice the tremors later, as she is in constant motion, which obscures pleasant moments. Therefore, in the 5th month you need to pay special attention to your body and sensations.
2. The mother’s physique, or more precisely, the width of the layer of fat that is located in the front of the abdomen. It is known that fat impairs sensitivity, which means that a woman will notice the movements of the fetus when it it will become a little stronger.
3. . If it is in front of the reproductive organ, the pregnant woman will feel the tremors a little later. However, most often it is observed on the back wall of the uterus, which does not prevent the baby from pushing.
4. The place where the embryo is implanted in the uterine cavity. It can attach to the bottom of the uterus (top), on the back wall or side. The time it takes to recognize shocks also depends on this (it also matters what exactly the baby uses to make movements - with an arm or a leg). If the embryo is located on the back wall, its movements will be absent for the longest time (this is especially true for the second pregnancy, when the fetus is not yet too large).
5. As you know, women who carry a fetus twice experience shocks and movements earlier. After all, such mothers are more experienced, they know exactly what sensations to expect.

In what month the child is active - we answered. Now it’s worth finding out when the baby begins to move during subsequent pregnancies, when the uterus is already slightly stretched, which affects its sensitivity.

Reasons for increased activity

When does the baby begin to move during the 2nd case of pregnancy? As a rule, a woman can detect the first movements at 15-18 weeks, although there may be exceptions. This phenomenon can be explained quite simply – experience.

When does the baby start to move during the 3rd pregnancy? There is no more difference in this matter - the baby will begin to push a little earlier than the first time.

Typically, such movements initially resemble intestinal peristalsis, but over time they will begin to increase their own intensity, and then the movements can no longer be confused with anything.

It is especially worth noting multiple pregnancies. In this case, it is possible to notice the tremors at 15-17 weeks, since as children grow, they begin to push against each other, because as they grow, it becomes crowded.

Week 24

After 21 weeks, the baby’s vision becomes sharper, which means he can already sense bright light. Of course, this affects the activity of the fetus.

Also at this time, hearing is formed, the baby recognizes the voices of people close to him. Therefore, after he hears them, he will try in every possible way to make himself known.

If there are no tremors before 24 weeks, this is a signal of serious developmental problems in the baby. They can also be indicated by rare tremors or frequent and painful ones.

In this case, you need to immediately visit a doctor and talk about the “behavior” of the baby, otherwise it will not be possible to restore its healthy and full development.

Attention! At first (the beginning of the 5th month), the baby will be too active, so the woman will be able to notice several tremors a day.

Gradually, the fetus will grow, so the movements will not be as active, but more noticeable. By listening to her body, a woman will be able to notice the first tremors shortly after their appearance. If the baby’s movements are “delayed,” there is no need to worry; in this case, you need to get a doctor’s opinion. The gynecologist will prescribe a test that will help assess the condition of the fetus, its height and weight, as well as motor activity in the womb.

Useful video: at what stage of pregnancy do fetal movements begin?

Pregnancy is the happiest time for every woman. But full awareness of the miracle comes with the first timid, barely noticeable movement of the tiny creature.

This moment is especially significant for those who are preparing to become mothers for the first time. The baby's first movements occur at seven to eight weeks. But you can feel them closer to the second half of pregnancy.

Slender, thin women feel the tremors a little earlier and more clearly. Full later, due to their physiology. But the difference is insignificant - no more than ten days.

First movements during pregnancy

The first movements during the first pregnancy

• During the first pregnancy, a woman clearly hears the baby's kicks, starting from the twentieth week. For some, this happens a week earlier or later.
• This is no longer a chaotic movement, but a completely conscious one, no matter how surprising it may be.
• It is during this period that the vestibular apparatus begins to form in the fetus. The baby bends his arms and legs, tumbles, and looks for a comfortable position for sleeping.
• There is enough space around it to float freely in the amniotic fluid, because the baby’s size is still small, from 20 to 25 centimeters.

First movements during second pregnancy

• During the second pregnancy, the walls of the uterus are more stretched and sensitive, so the woman feels the movement of the baby at 18-19 weeks, or even earlier.
• In addition, the expectant mother is already experienced and knows well how to evaluate the floating “fish” in her stomach. This is exactly how almost all pregnant women describe the first movement.
• The intestines will no longer be able to mislead the woman; she will not confuse the baby’s first kicks with anything.

• During the second pregnancy, the belly begins to grow earlier, because the abdominal muscles are not so elastic and elastic. It is located slightly lower and can put pressure on the bladder.
• The positive thing is that the position of the fetus does not impede breathing, and this allows you to fully rest. But fatigue may be worse.
• Due to pressure on the pelvis, aching pain appears in the lower back, which means you need gymnastics and walks.

Third pregnancy: fetal movements

Even earlier, the first movements of the baby during the third pregnancy are noticeable. Already at 15-16 weeks, a woman is sure that the “fluttering of butterflies” in her body is nothing more than the first greeting from her baby.

The back muscles take on the main load, try to organize for yourself the most gentle regime:

• Try to rest in the afternoon
• Don't lift heavy objects
• Do not stand for more than 15 minutes, change your body position often, lean on something stable
• Sleep on your side with your knees slightly bent

• Each organism is individual, so you should not rely too much on specific dates. These are average statistical data, and errors are quite acceptable.
• It is possible that your third baby is calmer or lazy, so his movements will begin to be felt a couple of weeks later. The location of the placenta may also affect it.
• Previously, movement is observed by those women whose placenta is closer to the anterior wall of the uterus.

At what week of pregnancy should women begin to move?

Whatever the pregnancy, movement should be heard no later than 22-23 weeks. During this period, the child not only swims, he can stretch and even hiccup.

There is no need to be scared; experts consider this phenomenon to be quite normal. This manifests itself as fetal shuddering at regular intervals.

It is also necessary to take into account that even in the womb, children are different in activity. After all, their nervous system is already forming, and at this time it is at a fairly high level.

But this does not mean that the mother should not react to weak movements or too long breaks in the pushes. A day for this period is not a reason to worry, but if it is more, you need to conduct an examination. The child may not be getting enough oxygen.

Excessive fetal movement during pregnancy: reasons

• Oddly enough, doctors also associate excessive fetal movement with oxygen starvation. This is partly true, it wouldn’t hurt to get checked again, but many consider excessive activity to be the norm.
• The baby is strong, gets all the nutrients in abundance, that’s why he plays pranks. In any case, all experts agree that active movement is better than weak movement.
• The expectant mother also needs to pay attention to her diet. Coffee, chocolate, strong tea can have a stimulating effect on a child.
• You do not need to give up these products, but you need to consume them in very limited quantities.

If excessive activity is caused by stimulants due to poor nutrition, this can cause future problems with the baby’s nervous system.

Alcohol should generally become taboo for a pregnant woman if she wants to give birth to a healthy child.

Movements during pregnancy: sensations

The main thing that a pregnant woman feels when her baby moves for the first time is incomparable delight. Probably at this moment the maternal instinct is born.

• The onset of movement is so weak that it can only be experienced at complete rest. The feeling is as if something is fluttering or shimmering inside.
• A month later, the tremors become more pronounced. The baby is developing, growing and getting stronger. At the moment of repulsion from the walls of the uterus, its movement can be felt even with the palm of your hand. The fruit is still small and floats in a large space for itself, so its movement appears in different places.
• When a woman walks or does something, the child most often sleeps, lulled by the measured movement of his “cradle.” But as soon as the mother lies down, the baby wakes up and begins to push.
• In the third trimester of pregnancy, the baby reacts to the mother’s voice and mood. He hears music and can behave more actively if the sounds are not pleasant to him, or vice versa - the tiny esthete gets pleasure.

• The baby develops a certain routine. Mom knows when he sleeps and what position is most comfortable for the child. If something is wrong, he will let you know with a push.
• The movements take on the character of communication, the woman understands how the little child is feeling, whether he has enough oxygen, whether the baby is comfortable.
• And it’s difficult to call the baby’s activity at this stage a movement, it’s more like kicking, but so pleasant.
• When turning over, the stomach changes shape and can roll over to the left or right. And it happens that the butt or leg protrudes.
• Closer to birth, the baby takes a certain position and no longer tumbles as actively as before. It’s good if the baby is positioned head down, this will make childbirth easier.
• If there is pelvic diligence, a caesarean section may be recommended, since natural delivery will be difficult for both mother and baby.
• An ultrasound will determine the exact position, but the woman herself can do this. When head-down, the legs will be on top, and with them he pushes most actively. Mom will definitely feel it.

Movement during pregnancy is normal:
When does a baby start to beat?

• Week 20 - this is the period you need to focus on. But if another week or two has passed and no movements are felt, you need to sound the alarm. Even a plump woman during her first pregnancy should hear the baby’s slight movements.
• Up to 26 weeks, the nature of the tremors is so unstable that the break between them can be from several hours to a day. If more, then you need to do CHT in the clinic.
• Starting from week 28, the baby is active up to 10 times in 3 hours.

To control the number of movements, you can make a graph like the one in the picture below:

In the proposed version, the countdown starts from 31 weeks, but you can do this from an earlier period. Enter the number of pushes into the cells and compare your indicators with those that should be at a certain time.

This will allow you to observe your activity graph at home. If movements occur less frequently than normal, then the child is suffering from a lack of oxygen.

17 - 18 weeks of pregnancy - movements: sensations, normal

• At this stage, the baby begins to give the first signals to his mother. They are weak, barely noticeable. The baby is tiny, up to 13 centimeters, and this allows him to move freely in his mother’s tummy.
• The eyes are still closed, but they are already responding to light. And on the fingers appeared those lines that make each person unique.
• The most active children can make themselves felt from several times an hour to complete rest during the day. Both at 17-18 weeks are considered normal.

19 – 21 weeks of pregnancy - movements: sensations, normal

• The child has grown significantly - up to 26 centimeters. His brain is actively developing, his movements become more conscious.
• The internal organs are almost developed, but they cannot yet function outside the mother’s body. The movements have a certain frequency, because the baby sleeps a lot - up to 18 hours a day, which means at this time he is almost inaudible.
• The norm of movements is up to 4 times per hour. The nature of the tremors is still weak.

22 – 24 weeks of pregnancy - movements: sensations, normal

By this time, the child weighs up to 500 grams with a height of 30 centimeters. He becomes a little cramped, which means mom hears stronger tremors.

The face acquires the features it will have at birth. In a successful ultrasound picture, you can see the appearance of your son or daughter.

The tummy is noticeably increasing, a woman needs to think about looser clothes. By evening your legs get tired, your shoes should be comfortable and have low heels.

This is the most active period of movement, the child sleeps less and moves more - up to 15 times within an hour. Each baby's sleep time is different - from 3 to 5 hours.

27 - 29 weeks of pregnancy - movements: sensations, normal

• The child weighs almost one and a half kilograms, and his height is 40 centimeters. The eyes are open, but in bright light the baby closes them.
• The skin becomes smoother, and the first fat accumulates under it. Body weight is growing rapidly, and will at least double before birth. With normal development, he pushes strongly and often, even when sleeping.
• The frequency is the same, but the character is more intense. At this stage, the baby is most often in pelvic position, but soon he will turn head down.

38 - 39 weeks of pregnancy - movements: sensations, normal

• At this stage, the baby is completely ready for the long-awaited birth. All its organs are developed, the necessary enzymes for processing food are formed in the ventricle.
• The child distinguishes the movements that occur around him. Movements are only in the form of pushing by various parts of the small body. Although not so small - height up to 52 centimeters, and weight more than 3 kilograms.
• She will no longer be able to turn over; the size of her uterus does not allow it. Mom needs to monitor her feelings - warning signs of contractions may appear.

Such an important stage of life is behind us, but so short! Pregnancy brings so many emotions and joyful moments. The movement of a baby is the most significant and unforgettable feeling for every woman.

And it doesn’t matter what the birth is - the first, second or fifth, the first tremors cannot be compared with anything, much less described. It is nature itself, so wise and generous, that has given us the opportunity to feel the development of a new life.

Video: Baby moves in the stomach