new worry...

[V.]

I'm currently 18w3d, and have been feeling movement since 16 wks. At first,
that was wonderfully reassuring to feel those little butterfly taps when
lying down or curled up on the couch. However, I don't feel movement every
day, and it seems that I'm feeling fewer and fainter movements now than I
did 2 wks ago. In fact, I'm not even sure I've felt a real movement in days
since I've only had a few faint flutters that could easily have been
something else. A week ago it was unmistakable.
Just looking for reassurance that feeling movement can change over pregnancy
and maybe it's normal to feel it less at certain points (maybe the baby
moved higher up where I can't feel it as much?) My other wondering is if
not drinking enough water can effect feeling movement. It's been really hot
here, and although I try to drink more water, I'm not particularly good at
it.
Any thoughts or experiences to calm me down? I do have an ultrasound
Thursday, but I'm terrified of getting bad news during an ultrasound so the
more reassured I feel going to the ultrasound the less anxious I'll be. I
hope.
:)
Thanks,
Amy V.
EDD 11/25/05

[Welches]

"V." > wrote in message
...
> I'm currently 18w3d, and have been feeling movement since 16 wks. At
> first, that was wonderfully reassuring to feel those little butterfly taps
> when lying down or curled up on the couch. However, I don't feel movement
> every day, and it seems that I'm feeling fewer and fainter movements now
> than I did 2 wks ago. In fact, I'm not even sure I've felt a real
> movement in days since I've only had a few faint flutters that could
> easily have been something else. A week ago it was unmistakable.
> Just looking for reassurance that feeling movement can change over
> pregnancy and maybe it's normal to feel it less at certain points (maybe
> the baby moved higher up where I can't feel it as much?) My other
> wondering is if not drinking enough water can effect feeling movement.
> It's been really hot here, and although I try to drink more water, I'm not
> particularly good at it.
> Any thoughts or experiences to calm me down? I do have an ultrasound
> Thursday, but I'm terrified of getting bad news during an ultrasound so
> the more reassured I feel going to the ultrasound the less anxious I'll
> be. I hope.
> :)
Really, they do not move consistantly. They can shift position or you
haven't been still at the right time, or their sleep pattern changes etc.
All of these can make it seem like there's less movement. Also at the
beginning I found every movement I remembered, then later, as I got more
used to it, I remembered them less. I'd say "I haven't felt them for hours"
and dh would say that I'd been complaining about being kicked less than an
hour ago!
#2 used to prod me when she was lieing on the right side. She'd then twist
round and I'd have less movement while she was on the left.
It is usual to have different movement over the pregnancy.
When I was worrying over movement I'd also find that I started discounting
movements that "weren't big enough" that when I wasn't worried were
"definite kicks".
Debbie

[Circe]

"V." > wrote in message
...
> I'm currently 18w3d, and have been feeling movement since 16 wks. At
> first, that was wonderfully reassuring to feel those little butterfly taps
> when lying down or curled up on the couch. However, I don't feel movement
> every day, and it seems that I'm feeling fewer and fainter movements now
> than I did 2 wks ago. In fact, I'm not even sure I've felt a real
> movement in days since I've only had a few faint flutters that could
> easily have been something else. A week ago it was unmistakable.
> Just looking for reassurance that feeling movement can change over
> pregnancy and maybe it's normal to feel it less at certain points (maybe
> the baby moved higher up where I can't feel it as much?)

I never felt my first baby at all before about 20 weeks, so I think the fact
that you were feeling movement at 16 weeks is pretty unusual and I don't
think it's at all peculiar or worrying that you're not feeling movement
regularly yet. Part of what may be happening is that the baby may have
shifted positions and, depending on where your placenta is attached, the
sensation of movement can be dampened by the placenta.

With my third, I felt movement initially very early (around 14 weeks, IIRC),
but after that, I really didn't feel him much at all and certainly not with
any consistency until around 20 weeks. (By contrast, #2 could be felt from
the *outside* at 18 weeks!) Turns out I had an anterior placenta which was
between me and baby #3, and that's why I didn't feel him moving much until
later in the pregnancy.

Hopefully, that eases your concern a little. Really, you're way early in
your pregnancy to be even *thinking* about things like counting kicks to
monitor fetal well-being. The fetus is still so small that it's very likely
that a simple shift in position can account for you're not feeling anything
even though you were before.
--
Be well, Barbara

[J Shrum]

"V." > wrote in message
...
> I'm currently 18w3d, and have been feeling movement since 16 wks. At
> first, that was wonderfully reassuring to feel those little butterfly taps
> when lying down or curled up on the couch. However, I don't feel movement
> every day, and it seems that I'm feeling fewer and fainter movements now
> than I did 2 wks ago. In fact, I'm not even sure I've felt a real
> movement in days since I've only had a few faint flutters that could
> easily have been something else. A week ago it was unmistakable.
> Just looking for reassurance that feeling movement can change over
> pregnancy and maybe it's normal to feel it less at certain points (maybe
> the baby moved higher up where I can't feel it as much?) My other
> wondering is if not drinking enough water can effect feeling movement.
> It's been really hot here, and although I try to drink more water, I'm not
> particularly good at it.
> Any thoughts or experiences to calm me down? I do have an ultrasound
> Thursday, but I'm terrified of getting bad news during an ultrasound so
> the more reassured I feel going to the ultrasound the less anxious I'll
> be. I hope.
> :)
> Thanks,
> Amy V.
> EDD 11/25/05
I'm sure everything is fine. You're not at the stage where you have to
count so many moves in a certain amount of time a few times a day. Also,
the baby has up and down days too. Theres no set periods of awake and
asleep yet. When you get further along you'll probably see a pattern
develope as to when its active. Mine is always very active at 4-5am and
then again at 9am. Also, theres still plenty of room for your baby to move
around. When the baby gets bigger and runs out of space, you'll really be
able to feel it move. Try drinking some cold juice or ice water. That
tends to get them moving.

J

[Mum of Two]

Don't get hung up on feeling consistent movement at this stage. The baby is
still small enough that a change in position can stop you feeling movement
altogether. At 19 weeks with DD, I didn't feel movement for several days,
and I panicked after about the first day being sure that something had
happened to her, and took myself up to the emergency department. They
listened for her heartbeat and she was just fine, kicking away constantly
too - but I still couldn't feel it.

--
Amy
Mum to Carlos born sleeping 20/11/02,
& Ana born screaming 30/06/04
barton . souto @ clear . net . nz
http://www.freewebs.com/carlos2002/
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/ana%5Fj%5F2004/


"V." > wrote in message
...
> I'm currently 18w3d, and have been feeling movement since 16 wks. At
> first, that was wonderfully reassuring to feel those little butterfly taps
> when lying down or curled up on the couch. However, I don't feel movement
> every day, and it seems that I'm feeling fewer and fainter movements now
> than I did 2 wks ago. In fact, I'm not even sure I've felt a real
> movement in days since I've only had a few faint flutters that could
> easily have been something else. A week ago it was unmistakable.
> Just looking for reassurance that feeling movement can change over
> pregnancy and maybe it's normal to feel it less at certain points (maybe
> the baby moved higher up where I can't feel it as much?) My other
> wondering is if not drinking enough water can effect feeling movement.
> It's been really hot here, and although I try to drink more water, I'm not
> particularly good at it.
> Any thoughts or experiences to calm me down? I do have an ultrasound
> Thursday, but I'm terrified of getting bad news during an ultrasound so
> the more reassured I feel going to the ultrasound the less anxious I'll
> be. I hope.
> :)
> Thanks,
> Amy V.
> EDD 11/25/05
>

[J Shrum]

"J Shrum" > wrote in message
...
>
> "V." > wrote in message
> ...
>> I'm currently 18w3d, and have been feeling movement since 16 wks. At
>> first, that was wonderfully reassuring to feel those little butterfly
>> taps when lying down or curled up on the couch. However, I don't feel
>> movement every day, and it seems that I'm feeling fewer and fainter
>> movements now than I did 2 wks ago. In fact, I'm not even sure I've felt
>> a real movement in days since I've only had a few faint flutters that
>> could easily have been something else. A week ago it was unmistakable.
>> Just looking for reassurance that feeling movement can change over
>> pregnancy and maybe it's normal to feel it less at certain points (maybe
>> the baby moved higher up where I can't feel it as much?) My other
>> wondering is if not drinking enough water can effect feeling movement.
>> It's been really hot here, and although I try to drink more water, I'm
>> not particularly good at it.
>> Any thoughts or experiences to calm me down? I do have an ultrasound
>> Thursday, but I'm terrified of getting bad news during an ultrasound so
>> the more reassured I feel going to the ultrasound the less anxious I'll
>> be. I hope.
>> :)
>> Thanks,
>> Amy V.
>> EDD 11/25/05
> I'm sure everything is fine. You're not at the stage where you have to
> count so many moves in a certain amount of time a few times a day. Also,
> the baby has up and down days too. Theres no set periods of awake and
> asleep yet. When you get further along you'll probably see a pattern
> develope as to when its active. Mine is always very active at 4-5am and
> then again at 9am. Also, theres still plenty of room for your baby to
> move around. When the baby gets bigger and runs out of space, you'll
> really be able to feel it move. Try drinking some cold juice or ice
> water. That tends to get them moving.
>
> J
Around 18-20wks, I'd feel mine sometimes constantly for a few days at a
time. Then, I wouldn't feel anything for days.

[xkatx]

"V." > wrote in message
...
> I'm currently 18w3d, and have been feeling movement since 16 wks. At
> first, that was wonderfully reassuring to feel those little butterfly taps
> when lying down or curled up on the couch. However, I don't feel movement
> every day, and it seems that I'm feeling fewer and fainter movements now
> than I did 2 wks ago. In fact, I'm not even sure I've felt a real
> movement in days since I've only had a few faint flutters that could
> easily have been something else. A week ago it was unmistakable.
> Just looking for reassurance that feeling movement can change over
> pregnancy and maybe it's normal to feel it less at certain points (maybe
> the baby moved higher up where I can't feel it as much?) My other
> wondering is if not drinking enough water can effect feeling movement.
> It's been really hot here, and although I try to drink more water, I'm not
> particularly good at it.
> Any thoughts or experiences to calm me down? I do have an ultrasound
> Thursday, but I'm terrified of getting bad news during an ultrasound so
> the more reassured I feel going to the ultrasound the less anxious I'll
> be. I hope.
> :)
> Thanks,
> Amy V.
> EDD 11/25/05

I wouldn't worry too much! The baby's still small at this stage and yes, it
probably can shift to a different spot and you might think you haven't felt
anything for a long time. I felt this one move early, although I can't
recall how early, since she's #3. I was also told that at my point (only 4
more weeks to go!!) that movement should start slowing down because of the
cramped space. I actually think I feel more movement now than I ever had,
and this thing just won't stop moving. It's moving more now than ever
before, and I do recall times where I didn't think I felt anything for a
while. Now I have fun poking and all that just to get a reaction.
If your baby's not moving so much now, I don't think it's such a big deal,
since there could be so many other reasons... You could be busier in your
day and not have time to notice, it can move, it could have adapted to a
totally different sleep pattern, anything. Take it easy and don't worry.

[Mary M]

I have been experiencing the same thing. I am 21 weeks now and the movement I feel is very irregular sometimes going a whole day without feeling much at all, then quite a bit the next day. I was worried about it, but at my 20 week ultrasound last week, the baby was moving around like crazy and I couldn't feel it at all, so I think that they are too tiny still to feel all the movement all the time. It should be reassuring for you to have your ultrasound too. Best wishes.

I'm currently 18w3d, and have been feeling movement since 16 wks. At first,
that was wonderfully reassuring to feel those little butterfly taps when
lying down or curled up on the couch. However, I don't feel movement every
day, and it seems that I'm feeling fewer and fainter movements now than I
did 2 wks ago. In fact, I'm not even sure I've felt a real movement in days
since I've only had a few faint flutters that could easily have been
something else. A week ago it was unmistakable.
Just looking for reassurance that feeling movement can change over pregnancy
and maybe it's normal to feel it less at certain points (maybe the baby
moved higher up where I can't feel it as much?) My other wondering is if
not drinking enough water can effect feeling movement. It's been really hot
here, and although I try to drink more water, I'm not particularly good at
it.
Any thoughts or experiences to calm me down? I do have an ultrasound
Thursday, but I'm terrified of getting bad news during an ultrasound so the
more reassured I feel going to the ultrasound the less anxious I'll be. I
hope.
:)
Thanks,
Amy V.
EDD 11/25/05

[V.]

Thanks everybody for your responses. It is reassuring to know that I'm
not the only one with these paranoid feelings! Logically, I knew there
could be a harmless explanation, but it helps to know that others have
felt (or not felt) the same things and the baby was fine.

Thanks again!
Amy