Why babies kick in the womb and when it starts?

Physicians generally recommend beginning daily kick counts at 28 weeks or at the beginning of the third trimester. Read on to know why?

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: November 9, 2020 3:43 pm

Reproductive history: Women having the first pregnancy after age 30, not breastfeeding, and never having a full-term pregnancy have a higher risk of getting breast cancer.

For all parents-to-be, feeling their baby move in the womb for the first time is an emotional experience. Those sweet little fluttery movements assure parents that their baby is doing well, and s/he is arriving soon. But do you know why babies move and kick in utero? When an unborn baby starts moving regularly? Why you should pay attention to a lack of movement? This article is an attempt to answer all your questions about a baby’s movement in the womb. Also Read - Women with a history diabetes during pregnancy more likely to develop heart disease

Movements help shape your baby’s growing bones

You baby is not kicking just because it’s cramped in there, kicking is an important part of fetal development. That twisting, turning, rolling, and somersaulting around in your womb helps shape your baby’s growing bones. A baby’s kicks usually become more vigorous during between 20- and 30-week gestation, which is the middle stages of fetal development when bones and joints has just begun to take shape. The kicks then decline by 35 weeks. Studies have shown link stationary fetuses with bone and joint problems. Also Read - Egg freezing on rise in India: Is it the best choice to make? Know the pros and cons

A few studies suggest that a baby’s kicking also helps in neurological development. Although it is still unclear, the studies linked babies with poor neurological development with less movement in utero. So, dear moms-to-be, if you get kicked a little too hard, there’s nothing to be worried about as it’s actually good for your baby. Also Read - Pregnancy: Placental function can help diagnose diabetes and heart diseases

When can you feel your baby’s kick?

If you’re a first-time expectant mom, your first baby kick can be felt between 16 and 25 weeks of pregnancy (the second trimester). Known as quickening, these movements will initially feel like flutters, or strange sensations in your abdomen. But there may be periods of time when you don’t feel any movement in the second trimester. This is not a huge cause for concern.

But as your pregnancy enters the third trimester, baby movements should be a regular occurrence. They’ll also become much stronger, turning from flutters to actually kicks. Those twitches you feel are baby hiccups. Around week 36, the kicks would slow down slightly as the womb becomes too crowded for vigorous thrashing.

Why you should monitor your baby’s movements?

Physicians generally recommend beginning daily kick counts at 28 weeks or at the beginning of the third trimester. A common way to track your baby’s movement is to see how much time it takes to feel 10 movements. If it is fewer than 10 times in an hour, call her doctor immediately.

Usually, babies are most active in the morning and in the evening. You can feel the kicks best when you are sitting or lying down. But some babies will naturally be more or less active than others. So, it’s important to understand what’s normal for your baby. If your child is always kicking in the morning, even one morning without fetal movement during the third trimester is cause for concern.

If an hour goes by and you haven’t felt the kick, drink juice (or any sugary beverage) or lie down on your side and wait for another hour to see if you can feel the movements. A study found that babies freeze up when moms lie on their back in late pregnancy. This is because oxygen supply to babies decreases when mothers lie on their backs, and the babies stop moving to conserve oxygen.

If, even after one hour, you still don’t feel any movement at all or kick counting score is less than normal, call your doctor ASAP.

Published : November 9, 2020 3:29 pm | Updated:November 9, 2020 3:43 pm

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