Some days, you may feel like a human punching bag turned inside out — with the kicks, punches, and head butts coming from the little one in your womb. You may wonder: Is this normal? The kicking may lead you to believe that you’ll be raising a soccer star.
Even if your pregnant sister-in-law or BFF reports no such intensity, rest assured that your experience is very within the realm of typical. Let’s look at what it may mean.
The fetal movements you feel are an indication that your baby is growing both in size and strength. Research, including this
- frequency of movement (less or more often than expected)
- intensity of movement (weaker or stronger than expected)
- duration of movement (shorter or longer than expected)
- character of movement (a change of pattern — slower or faster than expected)
If your baby is very active, your friends and family may repeat urban legends that an active baby results in a smart, boisterous, or athletic child. These claims are largely unfounded.
Your doctor, however, will most likely explain that to promote healthy bone and joint development, your baby needs to exercise. So this activity is probably typical and healthy movement — not an indicator of the person the baby will grow up to be.
Chances are they’ll also tell you that there’s no such thing as too active a baby in utero and that as your pregnancy progresses, your baby will tend to grow and become even more active.
If you notice any changes in your baby’s movement or feel concerned, go to the hospital immediately.
Hospitals are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can provide the care you and your baby need. Don’t delay going for care until the morning or the next day. Don’t wait for your next prenatal appointment.
It’s not necessary to notify your doctor before you go, and you don’t need your doctor’s approval to go to the hospital. Doctors can’t check decreased movement and assess your baby remotely; you need to get to a hospital immediately.
Changes in movements may be an early sign that your baby needs help, and they may be the only warning sign.
If noted early enough and if you seek care, there is a window of opportunity to provide healthcare to you and your baby that may help save your baby’s life.
Examples of changes you may feel are things like fewer kicks, weaker movements, or a new or atypically rapid increase in movement. If you feel something is wrong, trust your gut and seek care right away.
Handheld home monitors, dopplers, or phone apps that check your baby’s heartbeat are not enough. Even if you detect a heartbeat, it doesn’t mean your baby is OK.
Drinking cold water, eating something sugary, or “tips” to get your baby moving won’t ensure that your baby is well and not facing an emergency. Don’t start a new kick count, even if asked by a healthcare professional. Go to the hospital and get checked immediately.
At the hospital, they are equipped to provide the life-saving care your baby may need.
You will likely not be discharged until you are comfortable with your baby’s movements. Do not go home if you do not feel reassured.
Periods of higher activity
Babies are often more active at certain times of day, such as after you’ve eaten a meal or when you’re lying down in bed. (In contrast, your movement — such as a walk around the block — can lull them to sleep.)
And, if your stomach is full (and taking up more room), you might be able to feel that movement even more.
Every pregnancy is different
Remember that no two pregnancies are exactly the same. Friends and family members may have stories about their pregnancies and compare the activity level of their babies to yours. Or, in a previous pregnancy, you might not have experienced the same level of activity.
All babies are different, but in most cases, an active baby is a healthy baby.
Feeling your baby’s first gentle kick can be a wonderfully exciting moment, but after a while, the kicks can sometimes be surprisingly forceful.
Many people don’t realize how strong a baby in the womb can be.
A 2018 report estimated that fetuses kick with up to 6.5 pounds of force at just 20 weeks. At 30 weeks, their legs can generate up to 10.5 pounds of force. At 35 weeks, the force drops off to 3.8 pounds of force as your baby starts running out of space.
While this kicking is going on, by 15 weeks, your baby is also punching with its little limbs and moving its head.
By your third trimester, your healthcare professional will most likely have you monitoring your baby’s movements.
They may suggest doing a kick count at the same time each day. During a kick count, you want to accurately time how long it takes your baby to make 10 movements. Baby movements include things like:
- kicks
- flutters
- swishes
- rolls
Note: Don’t count hiccups.
Stop counting when your baby reaches 10, and record the time it took your baby to reach 10.
Compare how long it took and how strong the kicks felt with past sessions. If you notice a change in strength of movements or how long it takes your baby to get to 10 movements, go to the hospital immediately. Don’t wait.
If your active baby becomes less active, go to the hospital immediately. Healthcare professionals at the hospital can provide the care your baby needs and may save your baby’s life.
You can contact your doctor from the hospital if you want to notify them, but you don’t need their consent to seek emergency care during your pregnancy.
As your pregnancy progresses, you’ll typically feel your baby move. Generally, an active baby is a healthy baby. The movement is your baby exercising to promote healthy bone and joint development.
All pregnancies and babies are different, but it’s unlikely that lots of activity means anything other than your baby is growing in size and strength.
By your third trimester, your doctor will probably have you kick counting to monitor the level of your baby’s activity. If after 22 weeks you don’t feel movement, your doctor may suggest additional monitoring.
