Tuesday, 15 July 2008
-
Most Important Question: Is My Baby Moving?
We have had many a good debate on where to deliver your baby, who to assist with the delivery, and what to include on your birth plan. While not to minimize the importance of these topics, I want to address the ONLY question you need answered when you are in your 3rd trimester of pregnancy: Is my baby moving normally?
by Nurse JennaWhile most prenatal providers will discuss the importance of this during your office visits, I cannot reiterate enough that moving babies are happy babies (from an obstetrical sense). I just recently had a patient come to the hospital that was not far from her due date. She had not felt the baby move since the day before. When I went to find the baby’s heart rate on the monitor, it was not there. There is nothing more heartbreaking.
Though there is a laundry-list of questions we will ask you when you call the hospital for an advice-call, the most important will be: Is your baby moving normally? What does this mean? Each doctor, midwife, or facility will give you what they want as their “prescribed” number of movements in a specific time frame. A commonly used protocol is 10 movements in 2 hours. What is more important is if the baby is moving normally for what you are accustomed to.
If you are uncertain of whether or not you have felt your baby move because you have been busy or preoccupied, you should lie on your left-side in a quiet room with your hands on your belly. You should be paying attention to feeling the baby move. Do not watch TV or engage in other distracting activities.
If you do not feel your baby move, or are certain you have not felt the baby move, you need to contact your provider or go to your hospital immediately. Please discuss with your doctor, or midwife at your next appointment what guidelines they would like you to use for assessing normal fetal movement.
Remember, although sometimes it may seem like an important question—What color are we going to paint the baby’s room? The most important question is always—Is my baby moving normally?
What concerns did you have most during your pregnancy?
-
recommend
- recs 0
-
share
-
email
- sent 0
Related Posts
Post a Comment
- Back to momaroo's Momaroo Site!
- Note: your comment will appear in momaroo's local time zone: GMT -05:00 (Eastern Standard - US, Canada)
Comments (7)
That was one of my main concerns during the last few weeks of my pregnancy, when Jeremiah began to chill out a lot. I was also concerned about his size- I am very tall and slender and hid the baby very well. In my opinion on my delivery date I looked like the average 7 month pregnant woman; my freinds were huge compared to me! But because of my height/weight, you couldn't tell that I was about to deliver a 7 pound 12 oz baby boy.
My baby moves constantly! Sometimes I worry that she moves too much, if that is possible. She gets the hiccups a couple of times a day too.
I guess my biggest concern is labor. My mom and my sister both had to have c-sections, and I'm worried I might also have to have one for one reason or another. I'm not against c-sections, and I don't have a birth plan because I don't believe in them. I'm more concerned about if it turns into an emergency, breastfeeding my baby immediately, and how long it will take me to recover.
I am also concerned with becoming active again after the baby is born. I am really motivated to get moving again and eventually running/swimming/biking. I know it sounds over zealous, but I've spent the past 9 months wishing that I had been more active when I had the chance. I took health for granted. I've had a very healthy pregnancy and have gained about 20 pounds total. I just want to have an active lifestyle for my daughter.
I remember laying in bed at night waiting cuz' I couldn't fall asleep until I was sure I felt the baby move. I thought I was just crazy...glad to hear there is a medical reasoning behind my worry.
I did, however, think it was common for the baby to move a bit less during that last couple weeks of pregnancy as it starts to get into position for labor and has less room in there. Guess I was wrong?
I'm in my second trimester, first baby, and I haven't felt movement. Is this normal?? I mean, I listen to the heartbeat almost all the time with a fetal doppler but when will I start feel the baby move? I'm very active, always walking or cleaning or doing something.
@harloesmommy_17@xanga - If I remember correctly, with my first I started feeling movement at about 3 and a half months but it was just little flutters - you could miss them easily and I'm sure I missed alot of them! I think the normal range for first felt movements is 16-20 weeks or so.....but that's an average - could be later for some.....
@harloesmommy_17@xanga - TashaDW is right. You usually begin to feel the baby move sometime around 16-20 weeks gestation, but that is just the average. Also, people often mistake the initial "fluttering" with gas or other stomach rumblings. As you move into your third trimester, you should begin to be able to clearly distinguish the baby's movements and this is what we want to familarize yourself with and what is normal for your baby. Babies do have times of decreased activity, so it is not that you will constantly be feeling your baby move.
@IamKelleyK@xanga - I definately wouldn't worry that your baby is moving too much (except I know that sometimes it keeps you from getting a good night's sleep) and it is also quite normal for babies to get the hiccups.
Just because your mom and sister had a c-section does not mean you are destined for the same fate. Though pelvis shapes and propensity for creating certain size babies does seem to run-in-the-family, there are many factors at play that determine whether you will ultimately need a cesarean or not. I would go in with the attitude that you will do just fine with a vaginal birth, but it is good that you are also keeping an open mind as to what the possiblities may be. No one wants to see an emergency, so if your baby is showing signs of distress in labor, your provider will probaby talk to you about the possibility of a c-section prior to the point of it being a true emergency. Even with a c-section, if everything is fine with you and baby, there is no reason you can't be breastfeeding within the first couple hours of baby's life, as is recommended. The recovery is definately more difficult than a vaginal birth, but you should be up walking around the next day and back to most activities after 2 weeks. But again, think positively! You may have a wonderful, uncomplicated vaginal delivery and none of these things will be an issue.