How are you monitoring your baby's movements?

[TrixieLox]

I've been reading up on kick-counts after seeing some stuff about the Count the Kick campaign and how important it is to count kicks.

However, am finding so much contradictory advice, eg, many places say you should be able to count 10 kicks in 2 hours. But surely a baby sleeps for longer than 2-hours? So if you feel nothing for 2 hours, is that really cause for alarm?

Then other places suggest setting aside time for one monitoring session in the morning then one at night, but is that enough?

In an ideal world, I'd like to monitor kicks and movements as they happen (I downloaded a kickcounter onto my phone) then if there's any change, report it. But difficult when you work full-time and out and about.

What are you girls doing?

 

[JenX]

Nothing except being generally aware of her normal patterns of activity. She's pretty active, so has never given me a chance to worry so far.

 

[julesjules100]

Have a read of the reduced fetal movements sticky thread. I know my obgyn said not to bother as it can just stress you out. I have quite a kicky baby and there has only been one time that he made me worry for an hour and then it was fine again. I just think you need to be aware of a rough pattern and any change to it thereafter. That said some days they're more active than others so can be tricky x

 

[Dani_Ldn]

My little man has a routine, so if he goes off that I would be worried. He has been a lot more active this week, so no worries here.

 

[musicmomma]

My OB said as long as you have one hour a day where baby is very very active then not to worry. They sleep longer in the 3rd trimester. Of course they should be moving throughout the day as well, but my doctor said at least one hour of very active movements. Everywhere is so different I feel.

 

[jen1019]

I think that we are all so aware of our babies patterns. Some babies are active at night, others in the morning. I find that mine is active in the morning, and had a bit of a scare as I woke up around 5 am and only felt one kick until about 11 am. I ended up calling in to my OBGYN, and they told me to drink a big glass of orange juice, put my feet up, and see if I got ten kicks in 2 hours. If not they would bring me in to check things out. The juice did the trick-- she kicked 10 times in a big over an hour. I think that we get so busy too with work, etc that we don't always recognize the smaller movements. I am just counting kicks when I noticed a reduction in her normal movements.

 

[Mummy_to_be87]

I have never done the kick count monitoring with my first or this baby, I know my baby and what is normal and what is not right, I know my baby has a really long period of non movement followed by a regular active period! If I hadnt felt anything for ages I would be concerned! You know your body and baby the best, just observe!

 

[_Lexi_]

I don't specifically count kicks or anything like that, but I am very aware of her movements. The only reason we knew my son was struggling during my last pregnancy was because if reduced movement at 23 weeks. Get to know your baby's pattern, and try keep an eye on it to make sure it's fairly consistent. My baby seems to be very active early afternoon, and late at night, but I have a lot of movements between those. She's only given me one period of worry, and just as I was finding the number for my midwife, she decided to kick up a storm.

 

[star4marie]

I just got out of my doctors appt, and he told me to start the kick counting.
nothing extreme, but he said one time a day, I need to set aside 1 hour to count 10 kicks. once i get my 10 kicks, I am good for the day.
if I do not get it, then i have to call him the next day as this can mean the baby is not getting enough oxygen or nutrition from the placenta.

 

[tashalina]

I agree with the other ladies, I dont count how many kicks but know she moves if I lie down at all, and usually if I play music or my other 2 are being noisy (think she likes to join in). She is a very active baby though, much more than I remember my other 2 being. Know your babies routine and remember you know your body and you baby best

 

[Chelle26]

I think I must have a very active little man he is constantly moving only been once where I've been concerned

 

[MamaFlick]

My baby has a pattern, and if she varies from that, I'll worry. Luckily that hasn't happened yet. Sometimes during the day I won't feel her kick for a couple hours, because I'm guessing she's asleep. But since that's normal for her I don't worry.

I count her kicks until 10 kicks every night at around the same time. She's always active at night. I play Mozart for her and just relax and wait. She kicks a lot when I play classical music for her! The longest it has taken for her to reach 10 kicks is 11 minutes (so far). I've been counting for about a week.

 

[charmy28]

I have conflicting info from 3 different midwives on how to monitor baby movements.

1 said 10 movements a day
1 said 10 mvements an hour when she is most active
and
1 said monitor the pattern

The trouble is that my little one has no set pattern and it changes from day to day, not sure why but think she is just a stubborn little madam.
I always make sure that I can feel 10 movements in an hour though when she is most active.

 

[PearDrops20]

My boy doesn't really kick much anymore, which i think is partly because of the way he's lying and the fact that he has very little room in there now but i did tell my midwife about it & she just said to keep an eye on it because his movements had changed but they're now pretty steady. He likes punching me instead now and sticking his feet out of my side or pushing them up into my ribs :/ but its always around the same time everyday & if he hasn't moved by those times come around then i try the cold drinks, ice lollies and lying on my side they usually work if they hadn't then i would have called my midwife

 

[Jcliff]

My Ob said 10 kicks in an hour in unrealistic, for babys will sleep for over an hour at a time. Im just keeping track of her moving throughout the day. She usually sleeps for 2 hours or so and then moves around alot. She is must active at night.

 

[MMalcomb224]

I worry all the time about my little girl and her movements. It seems she has no set patterns and moves around when she wants too. I am now having the cramping feeling and tightness....which I believe is Braxton Hicks. IDK it is so confusing, frightening, and exciting all at the same time. I try not to say anything to my husband when I do not feel her move all the time so we are not BOTH stressed out. It feels like forever between doctor appt. when I get to hear and see her and I think that is part of the problem. I went and bought one of those fetal monitors that you are supposed to be able to hear the heartbeat after 28 weeks and still cannot hear anything. So it just freaks me out. Sometime I poke at my belly just to feel her move and reassure myself that she is okay in there! I count once in the morning and once at night after dinner just to reassure myself BUT it sometimes does not help and I still lay awake waiting for her to make a move!!! I will be 30 weeks on Sunday.

 

[charmy28]

I worry all the time about my little girl and her movements. It seems she has no set patterns and moves around when she wants too. I am now having the cramping feeling and tightness....which I believe is Braxton Hicks. IDK it is so confusing, frightening, and exciting all at the same time. I try not to say anything to my husband when I do not feel her move all the time so we are not BOTH stressed out. It feels like forever between doctor appt. when I get to hear and see her and I think that is part of the problem. I went and bought one of those fetal monitors that you are supposed to be able to hear the heartbeat after 28 weeks and still cannot hear anything. So it just freaks me out. Sometime I poke at my belly just to feel her move and reassure myself that she is okay in there! I count once in the morning and once at night after dinner just to reassure myself BUT it sometimes does not help and I still lay awake waiting for her to make a move!!! I will be 30 weeks on Sunday.

I know exactly what you mean........my little one has no set pattern and also just moves and becomes active when she feels like it. It worries me too. I have been to the hospital so many times for reduced movements for monitoring. I personally think there is so much conflicting info out there that it is hard to know what is normal and whats not sometimes.
I also usually do kick/movement counts twice a day too for a bit of reassurance !!!

 

[Rozz1e1]

When iv rung the mw bcos lil lady hasnt had a good stretch or kickabout the mw has always said so long as yoube had ten movements in the day then the mw is happy. Then they advisd to lie on left side, relax, cold drink or snack, and place hand on tummy and talk to bump, if after an hour still nothing then to call back and go in, if in doubt try lying down of putting feet up and relaxing with your hand on tummy and focus on those lil movements that babba makes as well as the big ones lol! My lil lady is am acrobat it feels and is very active so if shes quiet i try all those things And majority of time they work ivbhad 3 times where iv gone to b monitored and as soon as tht monitor iz there..boom shes moving all over!! Also moe at this stage its not so much jabs and kicks but rather stretching which sometimes you can put down to a bh kinda feeling because bubs is so big and there is no room that they push and ure whole tummy gets tight lol! Sorry for spelling errors im on my phone lol! Xxx