The period of pregnancy is one of the happiest moments for every woman. But with her onset, the expectant mother has many different questions with which she turns to the doctor. One of them - how many months does the baby start to move in the stomach?
When should I expect fetal movement?
A woman in position can identify such violations on her own. To do this, she should use the "count to 10" technique. From the 28th week of pregnancy, count the movements of the fetus in the interval from 9 to 21 hours. The tenth is recorded in a special card. In the event that the fetus is inactive or in 12 hours the number of shocks is more than 15, you need to consult a doctor.
If for a while the child behaves quietly, do not panic, because such a lull may be temporary. The crumb can be stirred. To do this, you can use the following methods: 
- Lie on your back and lie still for a while. In most cases, after 5 minutes, the fetus will begin to push.
- Lie on your side and stay in this position for 10-15 minutes. For the baby, this position is uncomfortable, so most often he will start to push.
- While lying on your back, stroke your stomach, talk to your child, sing a song to him or read a fairy tale. This will not only get him to push, but it will also help you establish close contact with you.
- Take a contrast shower, paying special attention to the abdomen.
- Go down or up the stairs, do some breathing or physical exercises.
If within 12 hours you do not feel the movements of the fetus, show yourself to a specialist observing you.
For every woman, the day when her baby began to move in her stomach is a special event. After all, this is what allows you to truly feel that a new life is developing inside. You now know how many weeks the fetal movement begins and how it happens. Baby pushing is a way to communicate with mom while still in the womb. Soon you will be able to understand how the child reacts to your voice and loved ones, different foods, time of day, your mood and much more. If you have any concerns about fetal movements, contact your doctor. No need to listen to the advice of friends, because the body of each woman is individual and the course of pregnancy for each woman proceeds differently. I wish you easy pregnancy and successful delivery!
Answers to popular questions from our pediatrician
Is it possible, because of the subcutaneous fat layer, not to hear the movements of the baby?
The movement of the fetus in each pregnant woman is perceived differently and depends on many factors: what kind of pregnancy, placenta attachment, external factors, nutrition, mother's emotions, daily routine, and physique. Each pregnant woman describes this phenomenon in her own way: someone compares it with the movement of a fish, someone with a gurgle, and someone seems to have something rolling inside. A baby's sensation of movement in utero may vary, as physical build and subcutaneous fat thickness may impair sensitivity, however cannot completely rule it out. The absence of movement serves as an alarming bell, let me remind you that in primiparous women, the first perception of intrauterine movement should occur at 20 obstetric weeks, in multiparous women at 16-18 weeks. If you do not feel fetal movement, you should consult a doctor. And also do not ignore scheduled examinations in order to timely identify possible complications of gestation.
Every woman who is going to become a mother remembers for the rest of her life the moment when she felt the first movements of her child.
If until this time pregnancy is perceived more as a source of various restrictions and a growing belly, now it becomes clear that a new life is growing inside. Any movements are perceived as the main evidence of the normal functioning of the child.
First fetal movement
The first movements of a woman are not recognized as manifestations of the activity of the child, it may seem to them that it is just the intestines grumbling or the stomach itches. The child begins to move as early as the seventh week of intrauterine development, but at this time he is so small that it is impossible to feel his movements. Most often, the first movements can be noticed at a gestational age of about 20 weeks.
If a woman's pregnancy is the first, then this sometimes happens at 22-24 weeks, and if the second or any subsequent one, then movements are felt already from 17-18 weeks. Perhaps this is due to the fact that experienced mothers listen to themselves more clearly and already know what signs to pay attention to. This phenomenon is also explained by the fact that the uterus of a multiparous woman is more sensitive in itself.
Also, the period of the first tangible movement of the child also depends on the complexion of the expectant mother, since obese women, due to the shortcomings of their figure, can determine only quite tangible movements of the baby, and this is already characteristic of the 22-25th week of pregnancy.
If a woman is expecting her first child, then she may simply not know what sensations to expect and what indicates the normal development of pregnancy or some kind of deviation. At first, the baby’s movements bear little resemblance to the kicks or kicks that are commonly spoken of, since there is still enough room for him and a lot of space where he can move freely. That is why if a woman thinks that something is wrong with her, that it is better for her to see a doctor, but her belly continues to grow, but there is no reason for concern.
Sometimes it happens that the delay with "movements" may be associated with the wrong one. In this case, you can consult with several specialists and go through. If the mother leads an active lifestyle, then she may also not notice the movements of the fetus, since she simply has no time to pay attention to “light strokes” from the inside.
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Fetal movement activity
The peak of the baby's activity in fetal development will occur approximately at the beginning of the third trimester. At this time, the child has already grown enough for the mother to feel it well, but he does not yet experience any special constraints inside the abdomen.
Specialists have even developed a special calendar in which expectant mothers should mark periods of activity and rest for their child. These data allow us to assess the condition of the baby in fetal life and sometimes even prevent the development of certain pathologies.
Indicators of motor activity of the fetus - the norm and deviations
During the day, the fetus inside the mother has periods of wakefulness followed by periods of sleep - according to this, motor activity varies, which is why gynecologists who monitor the development of pregnancy recommend taking into account the baby's motor activity for a sufficiently long period of time.
The number of movements also directly depends on the duration of pregnancy - at the end of the first half, at 18-20 weeks of gestation, the first movements felt by the expectant mother are limited to 200 movements in 24 hours, while by the beginning of maternity leave (30-32 weeks), the number of movements increases up to 600.
There are factors whose influence can enhance fetal movements. These include:
- time of day - the baby is more active in the evening and at night, which in some cases prevents the expectant mother from resting normally;
- the condition of the woman - severe stress (psychological) stimulates motor activity, while the physical activity of the woman has a calming effect on the child (the baby is more active during the mother's rest);
- food intake - with a decrease in the concentration of glucose in the serum (light hunger in the matter), movements increase. The same effect has a rapid increase in glucose concentration after eating sweets;
- - they can enhance or slow down motor activity;
- prolonged stay of the mother in an uncomfortable position.
In an hour, a woman usually feels 10-15 pushes while the child is awake, doctors consider the absence of fetal movements for 3-4 hours in a row (during sleep) to be normal indicators.
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When assessing the motor activity of the fetus, both excessively violent jolts of the child and weak rare movements are taken into account - both of these symptoms may indicate the development of acute and chronic oxygen starvation. These conditions require the obligatory attention of a doctor, and the successful outcome of pregnancy may depend on the timeliness of treatment.
In addition, slowing down movements may indicate, and the feeling of soreness that accompanies the child's tremors becomes the first manifestation.
Today, in medical practice, the following methods for assessing the activity of fetal movements are used:
- Pearson method - a pregnant woman should count the pushes and movements of the baby for 12 consecutive hours at rest. Initially, the time of the beginning of observation (the first movement of the fetus) is marked on the scale, and then the expectant mother must count the number of movements, and mark the time of 10 movements on the graph. A normal indicator is considered such a result when less than 60 minutes pass between the first and tenth fetal movement. If the time interval is longer, then doctors advise the woman to use any method that helps stimulate the motor activity of the fetus. In the event that none of these methods gives the expected result, an in-depth examination of the pregnant woman is necessary.
- The Cardiff method evaluates fetal movements for 12 consecutive hours, but a woman can choose the time of the study herself. On the graph (in the table), the start time of the count is noted, as well as the time of every 10th fetal movement. If a woman marks more than 10 movements on the graph for the entire observation time (for 12 hours), then the motor activity of the fetus is considered normal. If the expectant mother does not register 10 fetal movements during the observation period, an immediate consultation with a gynecologist and an in-depth examination are necessary.
- The Sadowski method evaluates fetal movements after the mother-to-be's dinner- at rest and with an increase in the concentration of glucose in the norm, physical activity increases. It is usually advised to choose the time for observation from 19 to 23 hours. If for any hour of this time interval the fetus makes 10 movements, then further observation is stopped. In the event that a woman registers less than 10 fetal movements in two hours in a row, immediate additional instrumental studies (tocography, ultrasound, dopplerometry) are necessary.
Before using any of the methods for assessing fetal motor activity, the gynecologist who prescribes such a test should tell the woman what signs she should pay attention to and if any symptoms occur, you should immediately seek help from the medical staff of the clinic (call an ambulance) ). These signs include:
- a clear change in the mode of movement of the fetus;
- the complete absence of fetal movements felt by the woman for 6 hours in a row.
These signs indicate the development and progression of fetal hypoxia - only timely medical intervention can correct the situation and save the child.
During the examination, the doctor will auscultate the fetal heart rate with an obstetric stethoscope (normal heart rate is 130-160 beats per minute).
In addition, a cardiotocographic study will definitely be carried out in a hospital - simultaneous registration of fetal heart rate, motor activity and uterine tone remains one of the most reliable methods for detecting hypoxia.
Many mothers are afraid of situations when at first the baby is very active, and then is silent for a long time. Doctors advise in this case to calm your own nerves to stimulate the baby. To ensure the desired effect, you can drink a glass of milk or eat something, and then lie down to rest. Usually, the introduction of new food into the mother's body makes the baby move actively, especially if the mother has eaten too much and the food is now pressing on the baby.
However, do not rely only on your own strength. If periods of calm are repeated quite often or, conversely, the child is too active, then you need to inform your doctor about this, as this may indicate a risk of developing hypoxia and strangulation of your own umbilical cord. Gynecologists consider a normal phenomenon to be a decrease in the activity of the child before childbirth, as he is preparing for the birth.
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Fetal movements cause many positive emotions in expectant mothers. When and how does a woman feel fetal movements? In what cases can the “behavior” of the fetus become an alarm, and when is there no reason for concern?The fetus begins to make its first movements as early as 7-8 weeks of pregnancy. It was at this point that the first muscles and nerve fibers were formed. Now signals from the nervous system can already cause muscle contractions. But the expectant mother does not feel these movements inside herself, because the fetus is still too small and it still does not reach the walls of the uterus.
Gradually, the baby grows and, making movements, begins to touch the walls of the uterus. The expectant mother can already feel his movements. Women who are expecting their first child begin to feel fetal movements from about 20 weeks of pregnancy, and multiparous - from 18 weeks. The difference of 2 weeks is due to the fact that experienced mothers know exactly what they should feel.
The evolution of sensations
First trimester
Pregnant women often perceive the first movements of the fetus as an increase in intestinal motility. Some describe them as fluttering butterflies, others - "as if the fish are swimming in the stomach." In the first weeks after their appearance, fetal movements may not be felt every day.
Second trimester
In the second trimester, pregnant women feel “shocks” of the fetus in different parts of the abdomen, as the baby is actively moving in the uterine cavity. As the fetus grows, light “shocks” are replaced by quite noticeable “kicks”.
third trimester
In the third trimester (by the 32-34th week), the fetus occupies a certain position in the uterus, which will not change until childbirth. If he lay down with his head down, then the pregnant woman will feel “kicks” in the upper abdomen, and if with the pelvic end down, then in the lower.
A pregnant woman needs to remember the day she felt the first movements
fetus, and inform the doctor. This date will be entered into the exchange card. Now
the doctor will be able to calculate the expected date of delivery: during the first pregnancy
20 weeks are added to the date of the first movements, and 22 weeks are added to the date of the second movement.
Before childbirth
2-3 weeks before delivery, the fetus begins to move not as actively as before. This is due to the fact that the uterus tightly covers a noticeably grown baby and there is very little space for movements.
Movement frequency
Baby Activity Guidelines
Fetal movements reflect his condition. Watching them, the expectant mother can understand how her unborn child feels.
Up to 26 weeks, a pregnant woman may notice that the intervals between fetal movements are quite large (up to a day). This does not mean that all this time the baby does not move, just the woman does not notice some of his movements yet. From 26-28 weeks, the fetus should normally move 3 times within 10 minutes, 5 times within 30 minutes and 10 times within an hour.
Note to expectant mother
Normally, the baby may not move for 3 hours in a row. Most likely, at this time he just sleeps. In the evening and at night, the pregnant woman feels that the fetus is “pushing” more often than during the day. This is not entirely true. During the day, the expectant mother may simply not pay attention to the movements of the fetus, as she is busy with work or other things.
Excessive activity
Sometimes the fetus moves too actively, even causing pain to the expectant mother. This is how he announces his troubles. The cause of discomfort may be loud sounds around or the uncomfortable position of the pregnant woman. It is enough for a woman to move into silence or change her position, and the fetus calms down.
Often, violent movements occur when the pregnant woman lies on her back or sits, leaning back strongly. In such positions, the enlarged heavy uterus compresses the vessels that are behind it. In this case, less blood is supplied to the fetus, and with it, oxygen. The expectant mother needs to turn on her side (preferably on the left) or sit down, leaning forward a little. The blood flow is restored, and the fetal movements become less active.
Calm before the storm
No cause for concern
It also happens that the pregnant woman does not feel the movements of the fetus at all, or they occur too rarely. If the fetus does not "push" within 3 hours, there is no cause for concern. He's probably just sleeping. If, after this time, the “kicks” are still not felt, it is worth taking action. It is recommended to eat something sweet (candy, cookies), drink sweet tea, lie down on your left side for an hour, walk, go up or down the stairs. If after these actions the fetal movements are restored, everything is in order.
There is cause for concern
If “home” measures do not help and more than 6 hours have passed since the last “shocks” of the baby, you should immediately consult a doctor. Most often, the fetus begins to move less often when little oxygen is supplied to it for some time. This leads to chronic fetal hypoxia. The doctor will be able to find the cause of the disease and prescribe treatment.
Health care
To determine the condition of the fetus, the doctor conducts the following examination:
- auscultation - using a special tube (obstetric stethoscope) listens to the fetal heartbeat. Normally, it is about 120-160 beats per minute.
- cardiotocography (CTG) - a study in which the fetal heartbeat and uterine contractions are determined. Normally, when the fetus moves, its heart rate increases. Recording is done within 30-40 minutes, and if necessary, longer.
- Doppler ultrasound - examine the blood flow velocity in the vessels that supply the uterus, as well as in the vessels of the placenta and fetal arteries. This helps to determine if the blood flow is disturbed.
Fetal hypoxia: how to avoid?
After the examination, the doctor draws conclusions whether there is fetal hypoxia, how severe it is and what to do next. There are two options: the first is the appointment of drugs that will improve the condition of the fetus, and the second, if the fetus suffers very much, is a caesarean section.
Expert: Galina Filippova, general practitioner, candidate of medical sciences
Irina Isaeva, obstetrician-gynecologist
Perhaps the most exciting sensations during pregnancy are the first movements of the baby in the stomach of the expectant mother. When and how does a woman feel the baby's movements and in what cases can the "behavior" of the fetus become an alarm? The first distinct, as a rule, women feel closer to the second half of pregnancy, and multiparous women feel them earlier than mothers who are expecting their first child.
This is due to the fact that women who have given birth already know what these sensations are, and women who are pregnant for the first time may at first confuse fetal movements, while they are still not intense enough, with intestinal motility, gas formation in the abdomen, or muscle contractions. In addition, in re-pregnant women, the anterior abdominal wall is more stretched and sensitive. Fuller women feel fetal movements a little later than lean women. For details about in the mother's tummy, find out in the article on the topic "The first signs of a baby moving."
So, during the first pregnancy, women feel the first movements of the fetus, as a rule, between 18 and 22 weeks (usually in 10 weeks), and multiparous women can feel the movements of the unborn baby as early as 16 weeks. When expectant mothers begin to feel the movements of their babies, they have many questions and doubts: how often should the baby move? Is he moving hard enough? It should be remembered that each baby is individual and develops at its own pace, and the norms regarding fetal movements have a fairly wide range.
The nature of the movements
First trimester. In the first trimester of pregnancy, the most intensive growth of the unborn child occurs. First, a group of cells rapidly divides, grows, and develops into an embryo, which attaches itself to the uterine wall and begins to grow, protected by amniotic fluid, fetal membranes, and the muscular wall of the uterus. Already from 7-8 weeks, during an ultrasound examination, it is possible to fix how the limbs of the embryo move. This is because his nervous system is already mature enough to conduct nerve impulses to the muscles. At this time, the embryo moves chaotically, and its movements seem to be devoid of any meaning. And, of course, he is still too small, and the movements are too weak to be felt. Second trimester. By 14-15 weeks of pregnancy, the fetus has already grown and its limbs are completely differentiated (they have acquired the shape and shape of arms and legs that are familiar to us), movements have become intense and active. During this period, the baby swims freely in the amniotic fluid and is repelled from the walls of the uterus. Of course, he is still very small, so these repulsions are weak and the expectant mother does not yet feel them.
By 18-20 weeks, the fetus grows up, and its movements become more noticeable. Pregnant women describe these light first touches as “fluttering butterflies”, “swimming fish”. As the fetus grows, the sensations become more distinct, and by 20-22 weeks, as a rule, all pregnant women clearly feel the movements of their child. In the second trimester, expectant mothers can feel the “shocks” of the baby in different parts of the abdomen, because he has not yet taken a certain position in the uterus and there is still enough room for him to roll over and rotate in all directions. What do babies do while in the womb? According to the observations made during ultrasound examination, unborn babies have many different activities: they drink amniotic fluid (ultrasound shows how the lower jaw moves), turn the head, twist their legs, handles can clasp the legs, sort out and grab the umbilical cord. As the pregnancy progresses, the baby grows and becomes stronger. Light pushes are already being replaced by strong “kicks”, and when the child turns over inside the uterus, it is noticeable from the outside how the stomach changes its configuration. At the same time, the mother may be faced with the fact that her baby "hiccups". At the same time, the woman feels how the child shudders at regular intervals. "Hiccuping" movements are associated with the fact that the fetus intensively swallows amniotic fluid and its diaphragm begins to actively contract. Such movements of the diaphragm are a reflex attempt to push the liquid out. This is completely safe and normal. The absence of "hiccups" is also a variant of the norm.
third trimester
By the beginning of the third trimester, the fetus can freely roll over and rotate, and by 30-32 weeks it occupies a permanent position in the uterine cavity. In most cases, it is located head down. This is called cephalic presentation of the fetus. If the baby is placed down with legs or buttocks, then this is called breech presentation of the fetus. With cephalic presentation, they are felt in the upper abdomen, and with pelvic presentation, on the contrary, they are felt in the lower sections. In the third trimester, a pregnant woman may also notice that the baby has certain cycles of sleep and wakefulness. The expectant mother already knows in what position of the body the baby is more comfortable, because when the mother is located in an uncomfortable position for the child, he will definitely let you know about it with violent, intense movements. When a pregnant woman lies on her back, the uterus puts pressure on the blood vessels, particularly those that carry oxygenated blood to the uterus and to the fetus. When they are compressed, the blood flow slows down, so the fetus begins to experience a slight lack of oxygen, to which it reacts with violent movements. Closer to childbirth, movements are felt mainly in the area where the baby's limbs are located, most often in the right hypochondrium (since in the vast majority the fetus is head down and back to the left). Such pushes can even hurt the expectant mother. However, if you lean forward slightly, the baby will stop pushing so hard. This can be explained by the fact that in this position, blood flow improves, more oxygen enters the fetus and it “calms down”.
Shortly before the onset of labor, the baby's head (or buttocks, if the fetus is in breech presentation) is pressed against the entrance to the small pelvis. From the outside, it seems as if the stomach has “dropped”. Pregnant women note that before childbirth, the motor activity of the fetus decreases. This is explained by the fact that at the very end of pregnancy the fetus is already so large that there is not enough space for it to move actively and it seems to “calm down”. Some expectant mothers, on the contrary, note an increase in the motor activity of the fetus, since some babies, on the contrary, respond to the mechanical restriction of motor activity with a more rapid nature of the movements.
How often does the baby move?
The nature of the motor activity of the fetus is a kind of "sensor" of the course of pregnancy. By how intensely and often the movements are felt, one can indirectly judge whether the pregnancy is proceeding well and how the baby feels. Until about the 2b week, while the fetus is still quite small, the expectant mother can notice long periods of time (up to a day) between episodes of fetal movements. This does not mean that the baby does not move for so long. It’s just that a woman may not notice some movements, because the fetus is still not strong enough, and the expectant mother has not yet learned to recognize the movements of her child well enough. But from 26-28 weeks it is believed that the fetus should move 10 times for every two to three hours.
Obstetrician-gynecologists have developed a special "". During the day, a woman counts how many times her baby moved, and fixes the time when every tenth movement occurred. If it seems to the pregnant woman that the child has calmed down, it is necessary to take a comfortable position, relax, eat something (it is believed that after eating the fetal motor activity increases) and within two hours note how many times the baby moved during this time. If there are 5-10 movements, then there is nothing to worry about: everything is fine with the child. If the mother does not feel the baby's movements for 2 hours, you should walk around or go up and down the stairs, and then lie down calmly. As a rule, these activities help to activate the fetus, and the movements will resume. If this does not happen, you should consult a doctor within the next 2-3 hours. The nature of the movements is a reflection of the functional state of the fetus, so you need to listen to them. If the expectant mother has noticed that in recent days the child has become less moving, you should also consult a doctor to check how the baby feels.
By the third trimester of pregnancy, expectant mothers, as a rule, are already well aware of the nature of the movements of their children and can notice any changes in the “behavior” of the babies. For most women, an alarming sign is violent, too active stirring. However, increased motor activity is not a pathology and is most often associated with an uncomfortable position for the expectant mother, when less oxygen is temporarily supplied to the fetus due to a decrease in blood flow. It is known that when a pregnant woman lies on her back or sits strongly leaning back, the fetus begins to move more actively than usual. This is due to the fact that the pregnant uterus compresses the blood vessels, which, in particular, carry blood to the uterus and placenta. When they are compressed, the blood enters the fetus through the umbilical cord in a smaller volume, as a result of which he feels a lack of oxygen and begins to move more actively. If you change the position of the body, for example, sit down with an inclination forward or lie on your side, then the blood flow will be restored, and the fetus will move with its usual activity.
When should you worry?
A formidable and alarming indicator is a decrease in motor activity or the disappearance of the child's movements. This suggests that the fetus is already suffering from hypoxia, that is, a lack of oxygen. If you notice that your baby has become less likely to move, or you do not feel his movements for more than 6 hours, then you should immediately contact your obstetrician. If it is not possible to visit a doctor at an outpatient appointment, you can call an ambulance. First of all, the doctor, using an obstetric stethoscope, will listen to the fetal heartbeat, normally it should be 120-160 beats per minute (on average, 136-140 beats per minute). Even if during normal auscultation (listening) the fetal heart rate is determined within the normal range, it is necessary to carry out one more procedure - a cardiotocographic study (CTG). CTG is a method that allows you to assess the fetal heartbeat and its functional state, to check if the baby is suffering from hypoxia (lack of oxygen). During the study, a special sensor is attached with straps to the anterior abdominal wall on the back of the child in an approximate projection of his heart. This sensor detects the fetal heart rate curve. In parallel, the pregnant woman holds a special button in her hand, which should be pressed when she is. On the chart, this is indicated by special labels. Normally, in response to movement, the fetal heart rate begins to increase: this is called the "motor-cardiac reflex." This reflex appears after 30-32 weeks, so CTG before this period is not sufficiently informative.
CTG is carried out for 30 minutes. If during this time not a single increase in heart rate was recorded in response to movements, then the doctor asks the pregnant woman to walk around for a while or climb up the stairs several times, and then makes another recording. If myocardial complexes did not appear, then this indirectly indicates fetal hypoxia (lack of oxygen). In this case, and also, if the baby began to move poorly up to 30-32 weeks, the doctor will prescribe a Doppler study. During this study, the doctor measures the speed of blood flow in the vessels of the umbilical cord and in some vessels of the fetus. Based on these data, it is also possible to determine whether the fetus suffers from hypoxia.
When signs of fetal hypoxia are detected, obstetric tactics are determined by the severity of hypoxia. If the signs of hypoxia are insignificant and unexpressed, then the pregnant woman is shown observation, CTG and Doppler and evaluation of their results in dynamics, as well as the appointment of drugs that improve blood circulation and the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. With an increase in signs of hypoxia, as well as in the presence of pronounced signs of hypoxia, immediate delivery should be performed, since there is no effective drug therapy aimed at eliminating fetal hypoxia today. Whether it is a caesarean section or vaginal delivery depends on many factors. Among them are the condition of the mother, the readiness of the birth canal, the duration of pregnancy and a number of other factors. This decision is made by the gynecologist individually in each case. Thus, every woman should listen to the movements of her child. If there is any doubt about the well-being of the fetus, a visit to the doctor should not be delayed, since a timely visit to an obstetrician-gynecologist can prevent negative pregnancy outcomes. Now you know what are the first signs of a baby moving in the womb.
The baby is moving strongly in the uterus - has something really happened? Every expectant mother is worried about the state of her child in the womb. In the early stages, the well-being of the baby is monitored using various tests and ultrasound scans, which the pregnant woman goes through on schedule. From about 18 weeks (someone earlier, others a couple of weeks later), a woman carrying a fetus has the opportunity to control the development of her child through his movements. It is during these periods that he reaches such dimensions that, finally, his mother can feel his movements.
When everything happens as doctors warn and are described in books, the expectant mother is calm and feels only joy from the signals from her stomach. The norm is the presence of motor activity of the child in the amount of at least 10 episodes per day. Increased frequency or, conversely, more rare movements may indicate some deviations.
The most common statement is that the fetus moves very strongly with a lack of oxygen - hypoxia. There are many reasons for its occurrence. These are disorders in the mother's body (kidney disease, diabetes mellitus), and the lack of certain elements in the blood (low hemoglobin), and the environment, and bad habits of the pregnant woman. Hypoxia is a dangerous violation of the development of the fetus, because he simply does not have enough oxygen. The earlier it starts and the longer it continues, the greater its impact.
In order to improve the blood supply to the placenta, the baby actively kneads it with arms and legs. And mom can feel it perfectly. According to other statements, a fetus experiencing oxygen starvation, on the contrary, reduces the number of its movements. He just doesn't have the strength for them. This can be observed if hypoxia has already reached a high degree of development.
Talking about hypoxia is not at all to scare expectant mothers. After all, the main reasons why the child moves strongly in the stomach are by no means so critical. The “culprits” may be the intake of certain foods (for example, sour lemon) or an abundance of glucose. That is, the eaten chocolate bar will give energy to the baby for the active manifestation of himself.
The baby can start charging if his mother does not do it. The child pushes hard, provoking his parent to move, walk in the fresh air, because this is so necessary for a full supply of oxygen to the placenta. The little man already has his own character and may turn out to be simply a quickie. Then the stomach will tremble, but it will be absolutely normal.
The child is actively moving in the stomach and when he sleeps well. This usually happens closer to the night, when mom, on the contrary, is getting ready for bed. In a word, if you are under good supervision of doctors and are already familiar with the regimen and temperament of your baby, then active movements should not cause anxiety. It is worth paying attention to them only if this has not been observed before, and you have noted that the behavior of the fetus has changed over time. In this case, report your suspicions to your doctor for an additional examination.
Often, young mothers say that before giving birth, the baby moves a lot, and not vice versa freezes, as described in the literature for pregnant women. Usually such increased activity is observed precisely with the onset of contractions. The uterus contracts, the child begins to periodically experience a lack of oxygen and physical inconvenience, and therefore pushes. But in childbirth, this should not cause much excitement, since doctors monitor the condition of the fetus in the hospital.