At first, we feel tiny movements, very similar to your digestion. Then, the weight of your baby allows you to locate him in your belly and to feel more of his moves. You think he has hiccups, you catch a little baby part (Is that an elbow? His knee? His heel?), you feel him move when loud music plays… but what is going on in there?
Movements
At the beginning of your pregnancy, the movements of your baby are so discreet that you can barely feel them. It is around the fourth month of pregnancy that you will finally feel that little baby growing inside you. At first, it is true that his kicking will feel like your stomach rumbling but after a while, you will know when it’s him.
Between the 4th and 5th months, you will really feel your little acrobat. By day, he will often kick and move really fast. Because he will have enough room to do so, he will move as he pleases.
By the seventh month, when you feel his hiccups, it means that he has swallowed some amniotic fluid. During this period, you will realize that sudden noises make him jump. It will probably be the first time you find your baby even cuter in all its vulnerability.
From the eighth month, your baby will be cramped and move less. Soon, he will put his head down and prepare to be born, but this is the biggest move he can afford for a long time. Indeed, he will be stuck in this position until birth, unless you have had many pregnancies and your flexible belly allows him to move a little.
During this period, you will sometimes see a small bump or feel a small heel coming through and you feel great when it will finally move back to a comfortable position. You will quickly get used to massaging his little elbow when you see it and you should enjoy it to the fullest that feeling is greatly missed by several mothers who have given birth.
Share your joy!
When a pregnant woman announces that her baby is moving, everyone rushes to touch that little child that no one has seen yet. If pregnant women do not always like when strangers touch them, they are often more sympathetic with relatives.
The baby kicking is an extraordinary phenomenon for the dad who, can finally feel small movements and understands what he cannot experience during pregnancy. It helps him to get acquainted with his baby and to get ready for the family life that awaits him.
Finally, the movements of the little brother or sister that is coming help other children realize that the baby is real and it makes them want to see their future play pals.
Doctor? My baby is not moving!
Sometimes the baby does not move for a while. Maybe he woke up while you were sleeping. Perhaps he has moved and you were too busy to notice. To know for sure, you can do several things:
- Drink a cold liquid. Your baby will want to move away.
- Lie down and stay still. Sometimes babies move when their mothers do not move, as if your movements soothed them and your quietness disturbed them.
- Put on some music. Some babies like the vibrations of the music and will move to the rhythm of lullabies or disco.
- Change position. If you were lying on your back and turn to the side, your baby may need to change position too in order to be more comfortable.
- Slam the door. The noise may startle him.
If none of this makes him move or if he has kicked a lot less in the past few days, call your doctor or midwife and they will run a few tests. They want to ensure that your placenta is still working well and check the heartbeat of your baby. If they have any concerns, they will run an ultrasound.
However, be aware that almost all pregnant women experience a moment of panic when they realize that their belly has not moved at all for a few hours and usually, everything gets back to normal very quickly.
