Where do you feel your baby moving, when and how?

Feel baby moving in his belly is a feeling that expectant mothers generally look forward to and which also gives rise to many questions. It must be said that the movements of the baby in utero are very often an enigma for the pregnant women. If the baby moves a lot or less, or only moves on one side, this can be a cause for concern. To see more clearly, Marie-Laure Deneffe Dobrzynski, a haptonomy midwife, answers your questions and shares her expertise with you.

From when does baby move in the belly?

If the baby’s first movements are generally noticeable by expectant mothers from the fourth or fifth month of pregnancyit actually starts moving much earlier, from the seventh week of pregnancy. “It is very variable from one woman to another, it is especially the moment when the mother will recognize the movements of the baby as such. Very often, the baby was already moving, the mother could perceive a sensation of a small bubble which moves, but did not know that it was in-utero movements. The way the fetus moves in the womb also depends on the size and weight of the baby, how strong it is and how much space it takes up in the womb.“, explains Marie-Laure Deneffe Dobrzynski, midwife.

Often pregnant women describe the baby’s first movements like small air bubbles that move and burst in the belly. Still others speak of vibrations, gurgling or butterfly wing beats.

How do you know if it’s the baby moving, or if it’s gas?

At the start of pregnancy, the air bubbles that the pregnant woman feels can be mistaken for gas in the digestive system. To tell the difference, it is enough to dwell on the frequency of the “symptoms”. If they are felt on a daily basis and occur several times a day, it is undoubtedly baby kicking or punching. If they are rarer, it may be due to gas or bloating. Digestive disorders can indeed be part of the inconveniences related to pregnancy symptoms.

How the fetus moves in the mother’s womb depends on the stage of pregnancy. “As long as he is not yet too big at the level of the uterus and the bag of waters, he will be able to do all the loopings possible! Put the head up, the head down… Then, around 7 months of pregnancy, it will run out of space, he will therefore adopt a more vertical position with either the buttocks down or the head down, and he will stay in this position, in which he will undertake 360° rotations around his head. There are movements that the mother will perceive and others not.“, explains the midwife.

Where can you feel baby move?

“The mother will be able to feel her baby move within the limits of her home: the uterus. If she expects movements where the uterus is not yet developed, i.e. where the baby cannot go yet, she will not feel anything“, indicates the specialist. In the first trimester of pregnancy, the movements will occur more in the part below the umbilicus or around it.

Thereafter, the movements can be felt across the belly since the uterus will occupy the entire belly going up to under the ribs. “It also depends on the position of the fetus: if it has its back forward and its limbs backward, it will give blows towards the back of the uterus therefore towards the back of the pregnant woman which will have less sensations. Conversely, when he has his back backwards and his limbs forward, she will feel the abdominal movements“she continues.

“The mother will be able to feel her baby move within the limits of her home: the uterus.”

Does the baby feel when you put a hand on the belly?

Even in its cocoon, in its amniotic sac, baby feels when you touch your belly, and this from the first months of pregnancy. Baby is just as sensitive to the caresses that you give him through your belly. The pressure of your hands allows you to create a first contact with him and gradually create a real bond. It can also be a reassuring feeling for the unborn child.

Why does baby move less on certain days?

Some days baby may move less. However, this is not necessarily a worrying sign. Generally, over the weeks of pregnancy, the growing baby has less space in the amniotic sac. Result ? Her movements and blows have less impact and are less felt by the future mother.

Another scenario: baby may, like us adults, simply be less active on certain days, or he may have rest phases during which he sleeps. This is completely normal. The most important thing is that you can feel it moving every day, several times a day.

Does the belly harden when baby moves?

When baby moves, it may lodge on one side of the abdomen and it may become hard, not over its entire surface but on one side only. The skin of the belly is stretched and the hard aspect is more felt. This is how we also differentiate baby movements with pregnancy contractions, because when these occur, it is the whole uterus that contracts and becomes hard, not just one part.

When to worry if baby does not move?

“What pregnant women should keep in mind is that the baby must move every day, and several times a day. When you have the impression that he has not moved for several hours, it is recommended to rest, in a semi-sitting position, so that the abdominals are more relaxed and you can be more at ease. listening to movements or even lying on the left side to promote oxygenation of the baby“, explains Marie-Laure Deneffe Dobrzynski. Within two to three hours, the mother must be able to perceive the small strokes of her baby and if this is not the case, it is best to consult to assess the vitality of the baby. A decrease in fetal active movements can be a sign of fetal health problem.

Who moves more, girl or boy?

The fact that it is a girl or a boy means absolutely nothing about the movements of the baby. It is a popular belief, such as the shape of the belly more or less rounded, skin problems and the brown line of pregnancy that goes beyond the navel or not. “As I always say, we have a 50% chance of being right!”reacts the midwife.

Thanks to Marie-Laure Deneffe Dobrzynski, haptonome midwife.