What should baby kicking feel like

Keep in mind that babies are unique, and the rhythms and patterns of their activity will vary. Try not to compare your baby's movements with those of others or of your own previous children if you have any. Try not to jump to conclusions if your baby seems unusually active in the womb.

It doesn't mean you'll have a hyper child later on or that your baby is destined to go pro as a soccer player. Baby kicks — even those that are frequent and strong — are considered a normal and healthy part of fetal development. Think of it like an exercise routine, strengthening all of those developing muscles and bones before she makes her big debut. You also might not realize how strong or often the average baby kicks. By the third trimester, you can expect to feel fetal activity every day — sometimes a lot of it!

If your little drummer's bongo-playing on your belly starts to be more than you can take, try changing positions. Sit or lie down on your side. Your baby will likely change positions too and find something else to do. And if a foot or feet lodges into your ribs in the last few weeks of pregnancy, a gentle nudge, a shift in your position or a set of pelvic tilts might bring some relief. You can even have a bit of fun with it: Starting at around month 8, you may be able to interact with your baby.

Next time you see something protruding a knee, perhaps, or a foot? If the baby is game, you might see the limb get pulled back, then pushed out at you again. When your baby drops head-first down into the pelvis up to two to three weeks before delivery, activity patterns could change again.

You'll feel, quite strongly, every turn of your baby's head. Fortunately, those little feet can no longer dig into your ribs. Activity levels the last few weeks before delivery vary widely. Some babies move a bit less, but don't be surprised if yours keeps up an energetic pace until it's time for your face-to-face introduction. If there's a noticeable decrease at any point, always check with your practitioner. Here's when you might notice decreased movement:.

The rocking motion of sex and the rhythmic uterine contractions that follow orgasm often lull babies off to dreamland. Other babies become more active after sex. Once you start feeling your karate kid's kicks and chops, don't panic if you go several hours — or even a day or two — without noticing any movement.

Do not worry, midwives are more than happy to hear from you! Phantom baby kicks happen more often than you think. There can be a number of reasons for this outside of being pregnant. It could be a muscle spasm, or it could just be gas. If the feeling persists, you should consult a doctor. They will be able to give you a clear answer. Remember, if you'd like to know more about your pregnancy, why not give one of our friendly experts a call on Or ask us a question online, instantly, using Live Chat Monday to Friday, 8am - 8pm.

Ready to stop worrying about what other people think and do what feels right to you? Please speak with a healthcare professional before introducing solid foods. Find tips, advice and info to help you make the most of your pregnancy. Your privacy is important to us and therefore we would like to explain how we use cookies on this website. With your consent, we will use cookies to measure and analyse how our website is used analytical cookies , to tailor it to your interests personalisation cookies , and to show you relevant advertising and information targeting cookies we think you will like.

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Some pregnant people can feel their baby kick as early as 13 to 15 weeks into the pregnancy, but closer to 18 weeks is more typical. Many factors can influence when you first feel them, and kicks are usually felt earlier in subsequent pregnancies, since experienced parents know what to look for.

The person carrying the baby will feel the kicks first, but partners or others you allow may feel the baby kicking as early as 20 weeks. Interestingly, pregnant people carrying twins are not likely to feel kicks any sooner than those carrying singletons. Early movements are typically felt low in the abdomen and described as something similar to a flutter.

It may feel like a wave or even a fish swimming. For some, the movement can feel similar to gas or hunger pangs, which can make it tricky to initially identify as kicks. This likely means that they have started hiccupping , which is completely harmless. By the third trimester when your baby is more cramped and better developed, the movements will likely be stronger and pack more of a punch.

You may even notice your belly moving on the outside when your baby kicks! Early in pregnancy this may only be as high as your belly button, but later in pregnancy it may be up in your ribs. You may be able to feel a swooping sensation when they turn or roll in the womb. The timing and strength of the movements that you feel may be affected by the placement of the placenta.

You may not feel movement until later during your pregnancy and when you do feel movement it may not be as strong. As your baby becomes larger, you may notice rhythms to their movement. They may tend to be more active in the morning or evening depending on their sleep cycle. While some doctors suggest just a general awareness of changes to fetal movement, other providers suggest using a more formal counting method starting at about 28 weeks.

One example of such a count is timing how long it takes to feel 10 kicks.