One of the highlights of any pregnancy is, of course, the moment when for the first time the baby movements are felt in the womb. In the first pregnancy, these are often not even recognized as such, as they are usually expressed as a kind of fluttering in the abdomen.
First movements in ultrasound
With the help of an ultrasound examination, it can be determined exactly what movements the unborn baby makes in the womb. Most babies are already active in this process even before the mother notices anything. Usually, the baby’s movements begin between the 7th and 8th week, the baby twitches or can turn to the side. Around the 9th week of pregnancy, it hiccups, moves its legs and arms, swallows and sucks. By the 10th week, the fetus is able to turn or bend its head, touch its face with its hands, stretch and open its mouth. A week later, the baby can already yawn and from the 14th week of pregnancy, he can also move his eyes.
When do you feel the first movements in the womb
In the first pregnancy, the first movements of the baby are usually felt between the 18th and 20th week of pregnancy. In a second pregnancy, the signs are already known, so the movements can usually be felt between the 15th and 18th week of pregnancy.
Child movements during pregnancy
Over time, the movements then become more regular and powerful, however, the child does not move constantly, because it also needs breaks and sleeps. Also, many movements are very brief and then cannot be felt by the mother. Between the 20th and 24th week of pregnancy, the baby becomes more active, so the mother should be prepared for many kicks and somersaults. However, sometimes the mother does not feel anything for a day, but this is quite normal. Between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy, babies often hiccup, which feels like fidgeting. By now, 750ml of amniotic fluid has accumulated in the amniotic sac, so the unborn baby can move very freely. Also, when the baby is startled, it begins to fidget wildly. In the 29th week, the movements become more obvious, but smaller, because the uterus no longer offers so much space. The baby is also very active in the 32nd week of pregnancy, sometimes even causing real pain. After that, the mother notices fewer movements, but this is normal, because it is slowly becoming very crowded in the abdomen. Around the 36th week, the baby turns to reach the ideal position for birth. In the ideal case, it then lies head down in the uterus and is held in place by the muscles of the abdomen or uterus. The baby often thrusts its feet and hands around during this time, and the mother sometimes receives painful kicks to the ribs. Between weeks 36 and 40, the rolling and twisting subsides as the baby is already relatively large. When it sucks its thumb and the finger then slips out of its mouth, the mother feels a quick and stabbing movement. In the last weeks the movements are very slow, but the mother feels kicks on her side or ribs. If the abdominal wall is very thin, even the footprint on the abdomen becomes visible. In the last weeks, the baby also slides very deep into the pelvis and is now ready for birth. At this stage, it often sleeps and then becomes active again. The baby’s active time is often in the evening and it maintains this rhythm for some time after birth, until day and night can be distinguished.
No movements are not always a cause for concern
Sometimes mothers do not notice their baby’s movements because they were busy with something else. If you want to make sure everything is okay, too, you can use a few tricks to encourage the unborn baby to move. To do this, the mother can lie on her side and then remain in this position for some time. Another option is to put your feet up and relax or play music to your belly. If the baby moves now, there is no need to worry, otherwise a midwife or a doctor can also be called.
Your child needs his sleep even in the womb
In the second trimester, the unborn baby begins to develop its own sleep-wake rhythm. Music or loud noises can then also wake the baby.From the 25th week, different sleep phases can be observed, with deep sleep and REM phases alternating. In deep sleep, the heartbeat of the unborn child is very regular and hardly any movement is noticeable. These phases also become longer and longer in the course of pregnancy.
Counting fetal movements – yes or no?
As long as the mother is also active, the child movements are not perceived as strongly as in phases of rest or sitting. The sleep-wake rhythm of the unborn is quite different, so there is no need to expect a certain number of kicks per day. In the course of pregnancy, however, the mother adjusts to the movement pattern of the unborn baby and then also knows what is normal.
