Decreased Fetal Movement

[Anonymous]

Hi all...so how exactly do we tell if we are experiencing a decrease in fetal movement? And at what point in your pregnancy is this most a concern? I'm 20 weeks and there are some days where the baby is kicking lightly all day and then I won't hear from her for a couple of days...Normal?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

At 20 weeks, some people don't feel the baby move at all yet, so I'm sure you are fine. It's not until a lot later that you should feel movement really often and consistently.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks. It helps to have some reassurance.

[Anonymous]

I also wouldn't worry much at 20 weeks. I'm at 26, and have been on fetal monitors quite a lot lately (4 hospital visits in 2 weeks) due to pre-term labor complications. There are so many times when I can't FEEL her move, yet according to the monitor microphone she's actually going nuts in there!

Also, if it helps, yesterday a nurse at Sibley finally gave me a good explanation of how to keep an eye on fetal movement. You're supposed to compare "apples to apples" -- in other words, if your baby is reliably active at certain times of day or in certain situations, THAT is when you should make sure to keep an eye out for regular movement. The rest of the time, s/he could just be asleep.