Why is feeling alive important?
Your baby receives nutrition and oxygen through the placenta (placenta). As the function of the placenta decreases, the baby’s condition may deteriorate. It will begin to move less. Make sure you become familiar with your baby’s movements. If you notice your baby becoming quieter or moving differently than normal, contact your obstetrician or gynecologist.
Feeling every day
Feeling life experiences every woman differently. Often the first movements are described as “bubbles, bubbles or little plops” or “like your bowels, but different. Once you have felt your baby, you will recognize the movements. You will start to feel your baby more and more often. From about 28 weeks of pregnancy, you will be able to feel your baby move every day. If the placenta is at the front of the uterus, you won’t be able to feel your baby as much until 28 weeks. After 28 weeks, your baby’s movements become so powerful that you can feel the movements. Some babies are busy and others are quiet. This can vary from pregnancy to pregnancy. Your posture can also affect how often you feel your baby. When you are lying down, you can feel your baby move better than when you are standing. Until the 32nd week of pregnancy, the number of movements increases. By the end of pregnancy, your baby has less and less room to kick. The vigorous kicking turns into feeling sliding. It can no longer move in all directions, and you may experience the movements as less violent as a result. Your baby often sleeps. At these times he hardly moves at all. Still, it is important that you feel your baby move enough. Here, every kick you feel counts. The best way to feel the movements is to lie down or sit relaxed and concentrate on the movements. If your baby is asleep, you can wake him up by gently pushing on your belly.
- From 24 to 28 weeks, your baby's pattern of movements per day is still very different. If you are in doubt whether your baby is feeling enough, contact us. If necessary, you will get an extra check-up.
- Starting at 28 weeks, you should be able to feel your baby regularly every day. If your baby moves less than usual, take time to feel movement in your belly. If you lie on your left side, you can feel your baby best. In that position, blood flow to the placenta is optimal.
- Do you feel less than 10 movements in 2 hours, or doubt the strength of the movements and are not reassured? If so, contact your team midwife right away! Don't wait until the next day! You will get an additional check-up if necessary.
- Sometimes it is necessary to take a heart monitor of the baby. Your baby's heartbeat is then recorded for at least half an hour. Making such a cardiotocogram (CTG) is done in the hospital.