Whether it’s your first baby or fourth, every pregnant mama looks forward to feeling flutters and kicks from her baby. Known as ‘quickening’ it’s a reassuring sign that your baby is growing and thriving. Not all the movements you can feel are actually kicks from your baby.

Babies spend plenty of time moving their hands and exploring the uterus, hiccupping, changing sides and even doing somersaults. Babies are busy!

Baby Kicking Facts

Pregnancy is full of wonder and if you’ve ever wondered what all those baby movements actually mean, here are 9 facts about baby kicking that you should know:

#1: When Will I Feel My Baby Kick?

First time mothers-to-be usually recognise their baby’s movements as late as the 24th week of pregnancy. Your baby has been moving long before that, but the sensation is unfamiliar, and you might not recognise it for what it is. A baby’s movements aren’t very strong in the earlier stages of pregnancy – some mothers think they just have wind!

If the placenta is at the front (anterior) of your uterus, it may buffer the feeling of your baby’s kicks for some time. Women having their second or subsequent baby usually recognise the ‘flutters’ of their baby’s movement much earlier – even as early as 12 weeks.

#2: Why Do Babies Kick?

Babies tend to move mostly in response to what’s happening in their environment. Too much noise, light or even certain strong foods can stimulate your baby into kicking and moving.

Babies also need to stretch and move for relaxation. If you’re moving about, it can be soothing for your baby, they will often relax and even go to sleep. Mothers-to-be who participate in relaxation exercises, such as mediation or yoga, may find their babies are quieter. This study found that pregnant women undertaking a guided imagery relaxation exercise experienced a reduction in fetal movements.

The exercise resulted in physiological signs of relaxation in the mother, such as lowered heart rate, respiration rate, and skin conductance. This in turn lowered fetal heart rates and decreased movements of babies.

#3:  How Many Baby Kicks is Normal?

The average number of kicks falls between 15-20 per day, remembering this includes all movement, not just kicking your bladder! Every baby is different, and this includes their movements. Some babies literally sleep all day and move at night when you are asleep, whereas others seem to be moving all the time.

Babies rest and sleep in the womb as much as 17 hours a day, usually for periods of around 40-50 minutes at a time. If you’ve been busy and on the move, you might not notice your baby’s wakeful movements. Most pregnant women will notice a peak in activity after meal times, after being active and during the evening.

#4: When Should I Count Kicks?

There isn’t a ‘normal’ pattern for movements, but you have probably worked out what is normal for your baby.

As your baby grows and develops, the pattern of baby kicking might also change. It’s normal to worry if you think you haven’t felt your baby move for a while. Here are signs that mean you should monitor your baby’s movements:

-          Experiencing less than 10 movements in a two hour period

-          Reduced or no movement in response to external stimuli like loud noise, patting or prodding your belly, or the sound of your or your partner’s voice

-          A gradual decrease in your baby’s movements for more than two consecutive days.

#5: How To Count Baby Kicks

If you think your baby’s movements have reduced, make a note of any movements in the following hour. Sit down, have a snack or a cold drink, and put your feet up. The sugar in food or the coldness of the drink will usually wake your baby and you should feel at least ten movements in the next two hours. These movements include rolls, thumps, hiccups, kicks and pokes. If you notice reduced movements in a two hour period, you should contact your care provider as soon as possible.

#6: Does Reduced Baby Kicking Mean Something Is Wrong?

While it doesn’t always means something is wrong, reduced movement can be an indicator of fetal distress from lack of nutrition or oxygen. A maternal and fetal assessment will be done to look at the cause of reduced fetal movements. This involves an ultrasound to check blood flow of the placenta and baby’s wellbeing, as well as how they respond to stimuli. Sometimes a problem is detected and your care provider will discuss with you how to proceed if your baby needs to be born early, to prevent further complications.

#7: Should I Count Kicks Every Day?

Keeping tabs on your baby’s movement is important, but unless you’re experiencing a high risk pregnancy, there’s no need to be consumed about kick counts. Most mamas will realise they have been very busy and haven’t noticed any movements. This usually prompts them to focus on their baby who immediately starts kicking up a storm! If your care provider advises you to monitor kicks, it can be useful to do this at the same time each day, after a meal or when your baby is usually very active.

#8: Will My Baby Move Less After 36 Weeks?

Your baby should always be moving throughout the day. After 36 weeks of pregnancy, babies have much less room for big movements like kicks and rolls. This doesn’t mean you should feel a reduction in movement – they will still use their hands to explore their face and body, play with the umbilical cord, and try to stretch in their cramped surroundings. Regular and rhythmic movements will indicate your baby has hiccups – some babies have hiccups at the same time every day.

#9: Does Fetal Movement Predict Future Behaviour?

Your baby’s pattern of movement in the uterus is often cause for speculation of their behaviour once born. Everyone from your mother in law to the bank teller will tell you that babies who are active in pregnancy will have you run off your feet when they are toddlers. Babies who sleep all day and ‘party’ all night will have their nights and days backwards, according to conventional wisdom. But how true is it?

A doctor from John Hopkins University has been studying links between fetal activity and future behaviour.  In one study, Doctor Jane DiPietro looked at fetal activity in over 50 babies, then followed up with behaviour assessments at one and two years of age. The results seem to point to a link between movement in the uterus and regulatory behaviour in early childhood. Regulatory behaviour involves impulse control, inhibition and self-regulation.

Feeling your baby move and kick is a special feeling, and one that most mamas look forward to and even miss after their baby is born! New milestones are being reached as your baby’s brain is wired for learning about the world outside the womb.

Movement is one of the first communications your baby has with you. Any reduction in any movement should be noted and checked out by your care provider as soon as possible, to help you have a worry and stress free pregnancy.

Written By Sam McCulloch

Retrieved From: http://www.bellybelly.com.au/pregnancy/baby-kicking-9-facts-you-need-to-know/