The importance Of Reduced Fetal Movements And Movement Guidelines

[Jox]

^
I can only say what my midwife told me. Obviously I am not going to disagree - I tend to go more with 'knowing baby' and what her movements are like because she will VERY rarely give me 10 movements during kick counts, but I am getting used to what is normal for her. Wasn't trying to mislead, just what I was told by midwife and by my consultant.

EDIT - Looking on that site, it truly shows the different information on there. The babycentre link doesn't recommend kick counts but getting used to babies patterns (not always easy to do) - Ask a mum says about kick counts, and NICE are against any fetal monitoring! It's so hard to know what to do for the best. Sorry if you felt I was being misleading at all, wasn't my intention.

I know its not you... its MW whos are still saying this. What they say is if a baby usually kicks 100 times a day if that baby then started kicking just 10 times then something could be wrong.

It is true... get used to your babys movements and patterns. If something doesnt feel right then do the cold drink and sugary food and monitor for an hour... if your not happy do it again and then call MW.

What Emma1984 says is right. MOST MW's are happy to monitor!!!



xxx

 

[meldmac]

My dr hates the 10 movements a day thing. He said he looks at it this way that if you had 10 movements in the morning then none again for the rest of the day by the 10 movements a day rule people would assume everything is ok, when in fact if you only had 10 movements in the morning and none again for the rest of the day you should be going to get monitored. I think it's way more important to be aware of patterns and if they change patterns to get checked out.

 

[AriannasMama]

My doctor hasn't told me anything about kick counts yet. I know I feel at least 10 kicks through out the day, mostly rolling around that moves my tummy, but then late at night, like past midnight, she wakes up and kicks stronger, I worry about being able to stay awake to count if I ever get worried about her moving.

A bath usually gets her moving though .

 

[Jox]

Mrs.stokes - you may never gt told about kick counting. I dont know how different it is in the US but we rarely get told here. I know i was never told with my son. They will answer yours questions if you ask but rarely bring the subject up as they worry about 'scare mongering' as many call it!! Surely its worth it if it saves just 1 babys life tho

x

 

[kmac625]

My midwives have never specifically mentioned kick counts. They just ask me at each appointment if I've felt baby move that day and am I getting regular movements. They did say to page them if I ever am concerned about a lack of movement though.

 

[xSnowBabiesx]

Mrs.stokes - you may never gt told about kick counting. I dont know how different it is in the US but we rarely get told here. I know i was never told with my son. They will answer yours questions if you ask but rarely bring the subject up as they worry about 'scare mongering' as many call it!! Surely its worth it if it saves just 1 babys life tho

x

I was only briefly told about kick counting at my 28 week o/b appointment before she sent me for my glucose testing. She was more concerned that i pay attention to the "routine" of my baby if there was one because kick counts can sometimes be misleading as to the health of your baby if not done properly or not given proper instructions. So she told me to call if i felt any sort of change in my baby's habits or any movement change be it an extreme increase or any sort of substantial decrease. And she told me that this was effective through the rest of my pregnancy. So i took that as her saying i shouldn't stop feeling LO just because she's getting bigger.

 

[Jox]

Snowbabies - appears your level of care if very very good.

In the UK we kinda just get asked... have you been feeling your baby? you say yes and thats it!!

xxx

 

[Drazic<3]

^
I can only say what my midwife told me. Obviously I am not going to disagree - I tend to go more with 'knowing baby' and what her movements are like because she will VERY rarely give me 10 movements during kick counts, but I am getting used to what is normal for her. Wasn't trying to mislead, just what I was told by midwife and by my consultant.

EDIT - Looking on that site, it truly shows the different information on there. The babycentre link doesn't recommend kick counts but getting used to babies patterns (not always easy to do) - Ask a mum says about kick counts, and NICE are against any fetal monitoring! It's so hard to know what to do for the best. Sorry if you felt I was being misleading at all, wasn't my intention.

I know its not you... its MW whos are still saying this. What they say is if a baby usually kicks 100 times a day if that baby then started kicking just 10 times then something could be wrong.

It is true... get used to your babys movements and patterns. If something doesnt feel right then do the cold drink and sugary food and monitor for an hour... if your not happy do it again and then call MW.

What Emma1984 says is right. MOST MW's are happy to monitor!!!



xxx

Thank you sweetheart. I really appreciate your advice.

 

[PreggyEggy]

I'm currently trying to decide whether or not to ring my midwife...since yesterday, my baby has been quiet, and kicks are lighter then usual, but I am feeling them sometimes...one min I'm convinced she's just turned around and I can't feel her as strong, and the next I'm panicking that I should be doing something.

This thread has helped. She's never kicked more after eating or drinking, but I'm going to gulp down some coke, lie down for an hour, and if I haven't felt some good strong kicks, I'll ring. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

 

[xSnowBabiesx]

Snowbabies - appears your level of care if very very good.

In the UK we kinda just get asked... have you been feeling your baby? you say yes and thats it!!

xxx

Yes, she definately is a great midwife. It is so obvious that she really cares about what she does. But i also go in there with specific questions and i was worried that i hadn't really felt my baby moving as much in the past 2 days which was when she said all of that and chastised me for not letting her know. She sent me for a second ultra sound because of the fact that i was so obviously worried about what was going on and the unexplained pains i've been having in my pelvic region. So, yes, i'm glad i have chosen such a good midwife especially since she's the only one in town haha...

 

[meldmac]

I'm currently trying to decide whether or not to ring my midwife...since yesterday, my baby has been quiet, and kicks are lighter then usual, but I am feeling them sometimes...one min I'm convinced she's just turned around and I can't feel her as strong, and the next I'm panicking that I should be doing something.

This thread has helped. She's never kicked more after eating or drinking, but I'm going to gulp down some coke, lie down for an hour, and if I haven't felt some good strong kicks, I'll ring. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

I would get it checked out hon even if it's nothing to worry about it will help ease your mind.

 

[Drazic<3]

Is there such thing as 'too much' movement? My girl normally alternates between quiet and busy days - and each one I get the thought in my head of is it too much or not enough. I understand a period of frantic movement and then a very quiet period is a concern, but what about just having days where baby is very fidgety?

Also, am I right in thinking that hiccups do not count as fetal movements as they are involuntary, but everything else - kicks, wiggles, pushes, pressure, ect are?

 

[Jox]

I would say busy days are fine unless your notice ALOT!! Its so hard to just put black and white.

I stopped feeling kicks with Kasper as 33 weeks and was told by MW that anything i class as a movements is a movement BUT i was just feeling pressure... like he was pushing his foot in my ribs.... not kicks just like pressure... so personally and from experience I would say pressure isnt classed as movements... I would say kicks, wiggles, rolls etc....

I hope that helps

xxx

 

[Drazic<3]

Thanks hun. I really appreciate you using your experience to help us all out, it's so brave and kind of you. Sending love to you, Kasper and bump -x-

 

[Jox]

Thank you I dont want anyone going through what im going through and anyone can PM me at anytime if they have worries on movements

xxx

 

[PreggyEggy]

I'm currently trying to decide whether or not to ring my midwife...since yesterday, my baby has been quiet, and kicks are lighter then usual, but I am feeling them sometimes...one min I'm convinced she's just turned around and I can't feel her as strong, and the next I'm panicking that I should be doing something.

This thread has helped. She's never kicked more after eating or drinking, but I'm going to gulp down some coke, lie down for an hour, and if I haven't felt some good strong kicks, I'll ring. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

I would get it checked out hon even if it's nothing to worry about it will help ease your mind.

I ended up leaving it, as I had a few kicks, and the next day she was back to her usual kickboxer style movements.

I spoke to my midwife about it today, and she pretty much reiterated what everyone has said here. But she also said to not bother ringing the midwife and ring the delivery suite instead. Even if I had rang, I would have ended up just leaving a message on their machine and not heard anything till the next day. So maybe that's something for other people to keep in mind!

Once again, thanks for sharing your experiences, everyone. I'll make sure I keep this thread in mind, and always take reduced movements seriously.

 

[Jox]

Preggyeggy - im so pleased everything is fine. as yes your MW is right to call labour ward rather than MW as MW will jut send you to labour ward anyway

xxx

 

[X.EMMA1984.X]

Hi ladies, just thought i would add a quick update from my earlier post the other day just to reiterate, TRUST your INSTINCTS, i had been back and forward to the dau with reduced movements but the traces were normal, until i had a contration and showed a deceleration in the heart rate. only once and no other trouble so they sent me on my way saying trace showed good movements etc.

Anyway i still wasn't happy so went back again (4 times in total) and they decided to induce me as a precaution (although only needed my waters broken), i think maybe just because they were fed up of seeing my face. And baby was continuously monitored throughout. So Lacey was born and got stuck on the way out due cord entanglement, it was wrapped around her feet then up around her neck twice and back around her other ankle, the mw couldnt believe it and said no wonder you have had reduced movements.

Everything was fine and i have not posted this to frighten anyone, i am just sayin that if you believe something is wrong or out of the ordinary, stand by your gut feelings, and be persistant if you feel like you are not being taken seriously.

xxx

 

[Jox]

Emma I am so so so happy to hear that Lacey has arrived safely. You and lacey are proof that if you feel something isnt right KEEP GOING BACK!!! Congratulations darling? how many weeks were you?

I was told that even if i had been on once or twice while Kaspers movements were less they wouldnt of nesacerily noticed any problems from just one check.... just like with Emma and Lacey... it took several episodes of monitoring for anything to be spotted.

for lacey and big for her mummy xxx

 

[angelstardust]

Pressure is not movement because that pressure could be the baby lying in a certain position (happily or in trouble) or a problem.

Call your maternity hospital for advice rather than your mw. Someone will answer the phone and you can speak to a mw there and then rather than waiting till office hours for a call back. They will in most cases invite you up for a 'trace' if you are worried. This not only checks how the baby is, it also wakes them up by bombarding them with some ultrasound waves, waking them up. Most times what happens is you go up and they suddenly wake up on the machine and you feel a bit silly. When you shouldn't. For ever so many women who go home feeling silly, one will have a baby who is in trouble. They would rather you went home feeling a bit silly than stay at home worrying with the possibility that you are one of the unlucky ones.

And remember, decreased movement is just as important as lack of movements. My son gave a few feeble kicks and I thought everything was ok, when it was far from ok. I could have saved him from brain damage had I pushed to be checked out. I'm lucky he is alive, but still, I knew something was wrong for hours before I bled. That haunts me and will haunt me my whole life.

(I think I post on this thread every few months, a reminder, it happened to me, it could happen to you, please get checked out.)