Fetal Movement

Babies kick in response to many of the same things that adult humans or animals kick. Some of it is involuntary movements. The rest can be reactions to stimulation, hunger, pain, etc. Experts also believe that the movements "in utero" (in the womb or uterus) help the developing fetus develop muscle strength. Animal babies show more muscle strength in the weeks after being born than human babies show, because animal babies grow much faster than humans.

If a fetus (animal or human) never moved in the uterus, it would not have put its growing muscles to use, so the muscles would be very weak. If a baby animal or human is born with undeveloped or underdeveloped muscle TONE, the baby could die because it needs respiratory muscles in order to breath. Babies with flaccid (no tone) muscles would not be able to scoot toward its mother (ex. kittens and puppies), so that baby would not get fed and would die without food, mother's warmth, and mother's attention. Human babies born with flaccid muscles would have trouble nursing or sucking on a bottle and could have digestive and respiratory problems from lack of muscle tone. As human babies grow, if it had flaccid muscles, it would not be able to hold its head up, roll over, or begin to crawl.

So, in a sense, human and animal fetuses use the time in the uterus to build muscles-- it's like they are in their own little swimming pool and getting exercise!

yes and its terrible!

You should be able to feel your baby move between 16-20weeks. if this isn't your first pregnancy then you will be able to distinguish 'baby' movement even earlier

From my experience, the baby may not move all the time, when I thought something was wrong I would lie on my bed and turn side to side then lay on my back and just lay there for a while, eventually she would move. If its been more than 4 days I would talk to your doctor just to be safe.

I'm not trying to frighten anyone but I lost a baby at six months. With my second child, I was told to call if I don't feel movement within twenty four hours. You should do a kick check. Drink something with sugar in it and within an hour if you don't feel movement, wait a bit and call the doctor. I would lay still and the baby would be active. When you are super active, you don't always feel kicking. You activity makes the baby sleep. For most women, myself included, my babies were active at night when I tried to sleep. But if you feel nothing in 24 hours call your doctor or go to the emergency.

Oncew the baby's heart starts beating it stays more or less the same until after it is born. It can be anywhere from 120-160 and it varies over the day.

I am 20 years old and pregnant with twins. This is my first pregnancy and I started to feel some fetal movement at 17w. It wasn't strong or very frequent, but it was definitely there. It felt like butterflies in my lower abdomen. I'm not 22w pregnant, and they kick me all over!

yes. It doesn't mean that your going to have the baby early it just means that the baby is getting ready. My 2nd daughter got in the head down position and stayed that way at 16 weeks. It just depends on the baby.

Most women start to feel the baby move around 13 to 16 weeks of pregnancy. If a person is very thin, they may feel it before.

The "baby drop" is officially called lightning....when it happens depends on how many times you have been in labor. For first time mom's lightning can happen up to two weeks before labor begins.....if you have had at least one child previously lightning usually happens once labor begins or in the first stage of labor.

You won't feel many movements at 21 weeks, maybe small flutters or kicks. Later on, around week 24, movements will be stronger. You should feel 10 movements every six hours. Your doctor may recommend you do kick counts to confirm the baby is healthy. If you are worried about lack of movement in your fetus, call your doctor.

Nope - breathing is the action of drawing air into the lungs, and expelling waste gasses. Whilst in the womb, the developing foetus draws all the oxygen it needs from the placenta.

Yes, (and congratualtions! )

I started feeling movements around the fourth month. They start like soft little flicks in your abdomen.

21 weeks is at the very lowest limit of survival, only one or two babies in the world have lived Each additional day adds to the baby's chances. Babies born under 28 weeks and living also have a very high chance of ongoing medical problems and disability.

It is possible for one to feel movement very early on in a pregnancy. I am currently pregnant with my third child and am 9 weeks and have felt a fluttering sensation. I will say that having a previous pregnancy you will be more sensitive very early on. It depends on your body and experience.

all people are different. my ob said that you usually feel light flutters around 16-19 wks. then the kicking should begin 20-23 wks.

I have had 4 children and this is normal , if your wife busy doing other things she may not notice until she sits down or lays down to relax , unless she has noticed that the baby has not moved in 24/48 hours i would see the midwife as soon as possible so she/he can have the baby monitored just to make sure that everything is OK.

This will then put your mind at ease , if you are concerned at all and just want some reassurance see the midwife anyway and she/he may give your wife a kick chart so that she can monitor and record the movements herself and take it back on the next midwife appointment.

Shalonda Watt

Why are you asking? This is your third? It doesn't matter whether it's first or fifth. You generally feel it when you are four or five months pregnant.

I am 24 weeks 3 days pregnant and I have the same problem as you. I asked my midwife about it 2 weeks ago and she said that their is a good chance that I have an anterior placenta, meaning that the placenta is in front of the baby. She said that because of this when the baby moves that the placenta absorbs the hit. She suggested that I drink a full glass of orange juice let it set in, then jiggle my belly around and lay very still on the ground. She said then your partner should watch your stomach especially the sides and see if they see any movement. She said usually the movement will be felt on the sides because the baby can try to kick around the placenta. Hope this helps.

If it's your second pregnancy then yes it's normal. If it's your first, you generally don't feel it until around 16 weeks, but I guess you could still be feeling it

Its highly unlikely that you can feel fetal movements at ten weeks, the fetus is active, but does not weigh enough and is not strong enough to be felt. Chances are, what you are perceiving as fetal movements are more likely gas bubbles.

It will feel completely normal. At 3 weeks past conception (which doctors call 5 weeks pregnant) your baby will be 1mm long. There will be no changes in your body that you can see or feel. In a couple of weeks, a trained doctor will be able to feel a change in your uterus, but you will probably not be able to feel it.