How often does the baby push. The first movements during pregnancy: how long, how often, how much? When to Worry
Pregnancy is a wonderful time in a woman's life. The time when she blossoms becomes truly beautiful, because she carries under her heart the most precious thing in her life - her child. After these expected two strips on the test, perhaps the most long-awaited is the first movement of the fetus during pregnancy. Probably, just when a pregnant woman feels her baby for the first time, she already truly believes and is imbued with the fact that life lives inside her. It's like a small miracle ... Of particular importance are still quite timid, the first tremors of the crumbs.
The beginning of the movements
The beginning of fetal movement during pregnancy does not have a strictly defined time. Every woman is different and every pregnancy is different. The first movements depend on several factors:
From what the pregnancy is.
Features of the attachment of the placenta.
Fetal position.
The constitution of a pregnant woman.
Features of individual sensitivity.
The lifestyle and physical activity of a pregnant woman (those women who are active during pregnancy and move a lot during the day often simply do not notice the very slight movements and movements of the child).
Emotional and moral state.
Of course, there are certain limits, and usually the movement of the fetus during pregnancy begins to be noticeable from about 19-20 weeks if a woman is expecting her first child. Multiparous women begin to feel the first tremors from 17-18 weeks. However, it has long been noted that these limits set by medicine do not always correspond to reality. Some women, regardless of the pregnancy, may begin to feel the first movements as early as 15 weeks. And this fact only proves that each person is individual. Despite the sensations of the woman, the child begins to move from 12 weeks intrauterine life when it develops arms and legs. But he is still quite tiny, so his movements are still invisible. The baby is constantly growing, getting bigger, and his movements are becoming more tangible.
Fetal movement during pregnancy: sensations and signs
It seems that these feelings can not be compared with anything. But in fact, recognizing the first movement of the fetus during pregnancy is not so easy, because they are easy to confuse with intestinal motility or fermentation of gases. That is why many future mothers often cannot name the first date when they began to feel the movements of their child inside them. This is not critical, but gynecologists strictly monitor the development of the fetus, including its physical activity. In a special exchange card there are tables where the beginning of movements and the further activity of the child should be recorded. Even a special formula has been developed by which you can roughly calculate the date of birth, focusing on the date of the first movements, but it does not always give the correct result.
The movement of the fetus, especially during the first pregnancy, is one of the most long-awaited manifestations of the activity of the child, and all women describe the sensations arising from this in different ways. One describes her feelings as if she is being stroked from the inside, the other compares with tickling, and the third can feel already active pokes and pushes. If you listen to your body, then in the feeling of rolling, transfusion inside, you can clearly recognize the movements of the baby. Some expectant mothers often do not even know the delights of feeling the first pushes of their child, because they think that it is the intestines that have played out.
Feelings largely depend on the structural features of the woman's body. The constitution of the expectant mother plays big role. Skinny women begin to feel the movements of the child much earlier than those that are prone to fullness. Very early fetal movement during pregnancy may indicate a high sensitivity of the expectant mother.
Why are fetal movements felt?
Any expectant mother is interested in the question of what sensations are considered physiological. There is no single answer, since much depends on individual physical characteristics.
During pregnancy, the fetus performs swimming movements in the amniotic fluid. The child gradually grows, his limbs begin to develop, with which he moves, which the expectant mother feels. Movements - sure sign the fact that the baby is alive and developing, which means that the pregnancy is progressing.
Fetal movement during pregnancy: reviews
Probably, almost any pregnant woman wants to hear what other women feel. Some of the stories are simply amazing.
It happens that women confuse the first movements with the feeling of vibration of the phone in their pocket. At the same time, when they see that no one is calling them, they do not immediately guess what caused their delusion.
Others say they felt as if someone was running a finger over them from the inside, as if through a soft blanket. Even expectant mothers compare themselves to an aquarium, noticing as if fish are swimming inside them.
And not without, of course, butterflies in the stomach. They say that it is the feeling of their fluttering that can be the baby moving.
First pregnancy
The first movement of the fetus during the first pregnancy, according to statistics, is felt on average at 20 weeks. The later sensitivity in primiparous women is due to the fact that the uterus experiences such loads for the first time, its muscles are not prepared for them and are less sensitive than those of women who have already gone through the path of pregnancy and childbirth.
Second and subsequent pregnancies
Multiparous women usually begin to feel the first movements of their baby a little earlier than ladies who are pregnant for the first time. As mentioned earlier, this is due to the fact that the muscles of the uterus after the first pregnancy and childbirth become more sensitive from an anatomical point of view. From the point of view of the sensations of the woman herself, her sensitivity is due to the fact that, having once experienced the feeling of the first movements, she already knows what to prepare for and what these sensations are. That is why multiparous women most often do not confuse the first movements with intestinal motility. Terms vary, but on average it is about 16-17 weeks. There is some strength in the assertion that with each subsequent pregnancy you begin to feel tremors earlier. For example, some expectant mothers claimed to have felt the first fetal movement during their third pregnancy as early as 13 weeks!
What determines the activity of perturbations
A growing fetus during wakefulness moves almost constantly. Up to 200 or more movements at the moment when the expectant mother begins to feel the first tremors. From about the middle of the second trimester, the child moves more and more intensively. But the more it grows, the less space remains for it, therefore, the ability to actively move is minimized, and by the end of the gestation period, the baby usually completely calms down.
The highest peak of activity is reached in the evening and at night, when the pregnant woman is at rest. Children are very sensitive to the emotional and physical state of the mother, and if she is frightened, worried or stressed, then the child may also be restless, which will be expressed in strong shocks, or, conversely, may completely calm down. What should be the movement of the fetus during pregnancy? The norm is that the movements of the crumbs should not cause the mother pain even with the strongest shocks. Otherwise, you should contact the doctor observing the pregnancy.
Hunger can also force a child to move strongly. If suddenly the expectant mother decided to keep her figure and thus not give the child enough to eat, this can cause a whole riot inside her. Given that children already hear everything perfectly in the womb, too loud music or other sounds can make them move. It is important here that the expectant mother monitor the baby's reaction to certain stimuli, situations and the atmosphere surrounding her as a whole. Normally, the child should move about ten times an hour.
The movement of the fetus during pregnancy is very important to calculate and enter in a special table in the exchange card, since these data can tell a lot about the condition of the child and its development. Doctors are guided not only by the growing uterus and stomach. First of all, the motor activity of the fetus indicates that he is alive, which, you see, is the most important thing. Several methods of calculation have been developed.
Cardiff Method
A pregnant woman should count movements for 12 hours. It doesn't matter what time of day you start counting. The norm is 10 movements or more in one hour. If their number does not reach the norm, then expectant mother urgently need to contact your doctor, as the weakened motor activity of the child or its absence may indicate serious problems in its development or even be a threat of miscarriage.
Pearson's technique
More complex with respect to the Cardiff technique. The tracking period starts strictly at 9 am and continues for 12 hours. In this case, it is forbidden to transfer any loads. The pregnant woman should be at rest. Be sure to record every movement and record the exact time of the 10th push. If the movements of the child are low-intensity, then the pregnant woman should provoke them herself (you can eat something sweet or climb the stairs). After that, you need to see if the activity of the fetus increases. If activity does not increase, then you should consult a doctor.
Sadowski's technique
It is necessary to track and record movements in the period from 19 to 23 hours, strictly after eating. A prerequisite is the position of a woman. The pregnant woman should lie exactly on the right side. If there are no more than 10 movements in two hours, it is considered that this is a very low fetal activity, it is also recommended to immediately consult a doctor.
Fetal movements according to the strength of activity
Every pregnant woman must strictly monitor her condition and her child. Usually, by about 25-28 weeks, the expectant mother can already navigate her baby's routine, so a sharp change in his activity should be alarming. The movement of the fetus during the first pregnancy should be especially carefully monitored, because the primiparous woman is still new to the sensations of the child's motor activity.
You should immediately consult a doctor if there is no movement for ten hours in a row. The absence of tremors or weak activity may indicate that the child is developing oxygen starvation. The most common reason for this is the squeezing of the umbilical cord, in which the baby could get confused while actively moving. Anomalies of the placenta and umbilical cord, as well as hemolytic disease, may develop. The exact reasons for the lull will be determined only by a specialist.
Too frequent fetal movement during pregnancy can also be a signal that the baby is developing oxygen deficiency. Here it is worth noting that the trite uncomfortable posture of the mother can cause active movements of the baby. In order to make sure that everything is in order with the child, if his physical activity differs sharply from the usual, in any case, you need to contact the doctor observing the pregnancy.
It is very important for the expectant mother to realize and understand that during pregnancy she becomes one with her child, so it is imperative to establish contact and in no case lose it, always listening to your child. This will allow a pregnant woman to control the condition of her child and the course of pregnancy in general.
Active movements of the fetus begin at about 7 weeks of gestation. Most likely (and this happens more often), the mother will be able to feel the movements a little later (17-20 weeks), when the child grows up a little, gets stronger and is already able to create perceptible, impressive shocks in the walls of the uterus. But how often should a child move?
Why does the fetus move?
In principle, the movement of the fetus is a sign of its vital activity. Periodically committed active movements of the child throughout the day signal us that everything is in order. If there are no movements for more than twelve hours, this is a bad sign that serves as an alarm signal.
How often does the child move: norms
For a period of 16-18 weeks, the mother may not feel the baby's tremors daily. After the 30-week period, the baby should show signs of activity daily and repeatedly. Moreover, movements (shocks, movements) necessarily alternate with periods of calm. To explain this is simple: the child needs rest after vigorous activity.
After 32 weeks, the baby will no longer move often, this is normal. Smaller but stronger! Yes, the tremors from now until the birth will be especially strong. In general, in the last trimester of pregnancy, you should have at least a dozen periods of active movement per day.
The fetus moves often, is it bad?
There is an opinion that excessively frequent movements are a sign of hypoxia, however, some experts and doctors deny the connection with this deviation. On the contrary, you should be afraid of too rare and weak movements of the fetus, less than ten times a day, and barely felt. If you have any doubts about this, consult your doctor immediately.
When the baby's movements begin: terms
It is impossible to say more precisely, we confine ourselves to the fact that if the pregnancy is the first, then at a period of about 20 weeks you should feel the baby's tremors. If repeated, most likely, the movements will be felt earlier, at 17-18 weeks.
Of course, a lot also depends on your sensitivity and physique. Fat women may feel the first movements after 20 weeks, but this does not indicate their absence. While thin ones, already for a period of 14 weeks, are able to feel how the baby is moving.
If the child does not move well
In order to draw conclusions about the life of the child, the doctor will use a non-stress test and BFP (fetal biophysical profile). The test is a recording of the fetal heart rate using a special sensor. They attach it to the woman's stomach, the measurement is made within thirty (30) minutes, the results are recorded on a chart on paper - something like the familiar ECG. By examining the diagram, amplitude and frequency of the resulting curve, conclusions are drawn about the condition of the fetus.
A bad sign is a decrease in the frequency at the moments of the child's motor activity (movements) and, in general, when the heart rate drops below 110 beats per minute. It is also abnormal if the rhythm is monotonous, everything is just the opposite of the “adult” requirements for the heart.
If such details are found out, then BFP can be applied. They analyze cardiac activity, the amount of water (amniotic fluid), muscle tone. If a state of severe hypoxia is detected (hypoxia is a lack of oxygen for the fetus), an emergency caesarean section will be applied.
Let's not talk about sad things. Now we know how often the child should move, and most importantly, do not be nervous, but report all deviations to the doctor.
A woman feels the movements of her baby around the second half of pregnancy, although the seventh week of the fetus's life is characterized by its activity. The first shocks occur when the fetus becomes quite strong and, when moving with arms and legs, "knocks" on the walls of the uterus. Feeling the first blows, the expectant mother begins to worry about how often the child should move, and whether there is a need to consult a gynecologist if the tremors have stopped.
At what time does a woman feel movement?
With the first pregnancy, a woman feels tremors at the 20th week, with the next pregnancy - at the 18th. These are average data, for example, thin women can feel movement even at the 13th week, while owners magnificent forms feel the activity of the baby at the 21st week.
Newly born mothers do not know how often the child should move, and they may even miss the first movement. The sensations are similar to gurgling in the stomach or intestines. Realizing what it is, a woman begins to listen to herself.
Do not be afraid that the fetus suddenly froze: he just sleeps. For complacency, you can contact the midwife with a question about how often the child should move, and do an anti-stress test. In addition, the baby is very sensitive state of mind your mom. If the mother is well, then the child calms down.
After 30-31 weeks, the pregnant woman feels active tremors every day. The fruit is getting bigger, and the blows are more persistent. Some women after the thirtieth week feel a decrease in fetal activity, but their intensity increases. It is advisable to record the number of shocks during this period. You need to know how often you should, since experts believe that movements should not be less than ten per day. On recent weeks a pregnant woman not only feels the activity of the child, but also sees fragments of his activity on her tummy.
What is an ultrasound done for?
All pregnant women should undergo the procedure. This process is pleasant for the future mother, because for the first time she sees her baby on the monitor. Previously, a pregnant woman was examined with a special sensor (otherwise, a probe). For modern women everything is much more interesting, since ultrasound for pregnant women is performed using the latest equipment. A special probe is inserted into the vagina of a woman who is in addition to a two-dimensional ultrasound, which shows on the monitor black and white photography outlines of the fetus, there is a three- or four-dimensional ultrasound. The latter (4D) gives a clear color image of each organ of the child (even in the early stages).
When should an ultrasound be done?
- The first is at 10-12 weeks to accurately determine the date of future birth and find out how the pregnancy is proceeding, incl. listen
- The second - from 20 to 24 weeks; if a three-dimensional ultrasound, then the sex of the baby will be determined for the mother, the arms and legs will be enlarged, and the specialists will look at the development of all organs. The second ultrasound makes it possible to detect malformations in time.
- For the third time, ultrasound is done from 32 to 34 weeks in order to find out the presentation of the child and other features that specialists take into account for future births.
We hope you now know how often the baby should move! So let your pregnancy proceed calmly and joyfully, and the birth will be safe!
Pregnant women are waiting for fetal movements with particular impatience - after all, this is the first unconditional contact with a child, possible at any time of the day and without the mediation of doctors and equipment.
The fetus begins to move in the uterus quite early, already from 7– 8 weeks pregnant, and from 10 weeks is able to change the trajectory of its movement, bumping into the walls of the fetal bladder, and perform swallowing movements. However, it is still too small: it swims freely in amniotic fluid oh and rarely touches the walls of the uterus so that mom can feel it.
At 16 weeks, a motor reaction to sounds appears, at 17 weeks the fetus knows how to squint, at 18 it sorts the umbilical cord with its hands, clenching and unclenching its fingers, touching its face with its hands. The moment when a mother can feel for the first time fetal movements, depends on the duration of pregnancy, whether it is the first or repeated, on the time of day, lifestyle and body build of the woman.
It is believed that distinct fetal movements first felt between 16 and 24 weeks of pregnancy. If first pregnancy- you can experience this joy at 18-20 weeks (on average at 20 weeks); during repeated pregnancies, women feel fetal movements at about 16 - 18 weeks (on average at 18 weeks - 2 weeks earlier than at the first). This difference is mainly due to the fact that the mother has already become acquainted with this sensation during a previous pregnancy.
Many women say they have begun to notice fetal movements from 15 weeks - this is not excluded, since it all depends on individual sensitivity and susceptibility to stimuli.
Most often, mothers catch the first movements of the fetus before going to bed in the evenings.
Moreover, slender women, as a rule, feel them earlier than full ones, and pregnant women who lead an active lifestyle and work a lot later, because during the day they simply have no time to listen to their feelings.
If 22 weeks have already passed, and fetal movements no - you need to consult a doctor, he can prescribe additional studies, primarily ultrasound, on the basis of which he will draw conclusions regarding the condition and fetal development. If the baby is in order, the pregnancy is proceeding safely, then there is nothing to worry about. Moreover, very little time will pass and the sensations will become regular and understandable for the expectant mother, usually after 23-24 weeks they can no longer be confused with anything and all pregnant women feel them. Most often, by the 24th week, the tremors become so strong that they can be felt by relatives and friends, putting their hand on the belly of the expectant mother.
Each woman in her own way perceives and describes the first fetal movements. Some mothers compare them with intestinal motility - a kind of "gurgling" in the stomach. Others describe them as gentle stroking from the inside, fluttering butterflies or splashing fish in the water. For some, the movements of a child resemble tickling inside.
First fetal movements usually weak and inconspicuous for a woman, since the baby is not yet so big. Over time, they become stronger, more persistent, more and more reminiscent of pushes and kicks. Sometimes the baby “masters” some new movement, as if he “works out” it, repeating it many times at certain intervals. At the end of the 2nd trimester of pregnancy, you can even “catch” the baby’s heel or “stroke” his back.
Day first stirrings is used to calculate the estimated due date (ED), however, the accuracy of this criterion is not at all significant. If the pregnancy is the first, then to calculate the EDD, 20 weeks must be added to the date of the first movement, and if it is repeated, 22 weeks.
Fetal movements: how often
The baby in the uterus is constantly moving. Scientists have calculated that at week 20 the fetus makes about 200 movements per day, and between 28 and 32 weeks their number reaches 600. A woman feels only a fraction of this energetic activity of the baby.
After 32 weeks activity unborn child gradually decreases, which is associated with a reduction in free space in the uterus due to the rapid growth of the fetus.
So, usually after 28 weeks, mom feels 8-10 fetal movements per hour, with the exception of the baby's sleep periods (when he does not move for 3-4 hours in a row). In the third trimester, a pregnant woman may notice that the baby has certain sleep-wake cycles. Children are usually most active from 19:00 to 4:00 in the morning, and the period of "rest" occurs from 4 to 9:00 in the morning.
How to count movements
It is necessary to listen to the movements of the child. Fetal movements- this is the language in which the future baby "speaks" with his mother. If the fetus began to toss and turn rather painfully and violently, it means that it is uncomfortable for him, the woman should change her position, perhaps she has been sitting in an uncomfortable position for the baby for a very long time or is too carried away by work.
Too rare, weak fetal movements may indicate fetal distress. Now methods based on the principle of "count to 10" are used. These tests involve recording the time during which the fetus makes 10 movements.
Pearson method. The movements of the fetus are recorded on a special sheet by the woman herself every day from 28 weeks of pregnancy until childbirth. Counting starts at 9.00 and ends at 21.00. The time of the first stirring is recorded in the “beginning” column, the time of the tenth is entered in the table in the “end” column or marked on the graph.
If the child has not made 10 movements before 21.00, you need to inform your doctor about this - an additional examination may be required: a CTG recording (estimation of the frequency fetal heart rate and uterine tone) and dopplerometry (study of blood flow velocity in the vessels of the uterus, fetus and placenta).
One of the reasons a mother-to-be can fix the amount fetal movements less than ten is her exercise stress. Even light exercise leads to a decrease in fetal motor activity by 25?% due to a temporary decrease in uterine blood supply, which is not associated with a risk to the fetus.
Cardiff method. This method for determining motor fetal activity based on the principle of "count to 10" is somewhat different from the previous one. The time interval during which the fetus made 10 movements is recorded. The length of time is chosen arbitrarily, and the period during which the baby moved 10 times is recorded in the table. Normally, the number of shocks is 8-10 per hour, if the child is awake. If within 3 hours the expectant mother does not feel the movements of the fetus, you should not worry, most likely, the baby is just sleeping. In this case, repeat the test after 3 hours. Absence fetal movements and this time - a reason to go to the doctor and find out the reason for the "calm".
Sadowski method. It is recommended that a pregnant woman daily after dinner from 19.00 to 23.00 in the supine position on the left side register the period of time during which the fetus made 10 movements. If a woman does not feel child's movements, she should touch her stomach with her palms so that the sensations become clearer. The start time must be recorded. At every baby's movement is marked on paper.
If within an hour the expectant mother has counted 10 movements, she can stop recording. If the child moved less than 8-10 times per hour, counting continues for another hour. Evening time in this method is not chosen by chance. The greatest motor activity in the fetus celebrated in the evening. An increase in the number of movements after dinner may be due to an increase in blood glucose levels.
The position of the pregnant woman on the left side was also not chosen by chance: so the fetus moves more active, because it is in this mother's position that the best blood supply to the uterus is observed (usually the uterus is slightly turned to the right).
Less than 10 movements in 2 hours on this test should be considered as a sign of a disorder. fetal condition. In this case, you need to consult a doctor and conduct additional studies.
Methods for self-assessment by a woman fetal movements are quite simple. When using them, no special equipment or medical intervention is required; they can be used by all pregnant women.
If the test results are within the normal range, then the pregnant woman can be sure that everything is in order with her fetus.
The frequency of fetal movements depends on many factors. Women who carried several babies will definitely tell you that each of their children differed in “manner” and frequency of movements.
It is important to understand what kind of physical activity is typical for normal fetal condition, and which one is evidence of his unusual well-being. One of the tests for counting movements helps to navigate with the "norm" for this baby. Much depends not only on the unborn child, but also on the lifestyle of his mother.
When a woman is resting fetal movements become more pronounced, at rest the pregnant woman listens to herself more and notices movements more often, but during an active working day she is distracted by a lot of things, and it may seem to the expectant mother that the baby did not move at all. In this case, she is advised to spend some time in a quiet place and listen to her inner feelings.
The opinion that certain foods can “wake up” a silent child is most likely erroneous - the activity of the fetus does not depend on the type of food consumed by the mother, but on the level of glucose in the blood. Within a short time after eating, it rises in the blood of the mother and fetus, due to which the number of movements of the child increases.
Often the fetus begins to move violently and painfully if pregnant woman is in a stuffy, smoky room, feels nausea and dizziness. Such movements occur in response to a temporary violation of the flow of oxygen to the fetus - this is how he signals to his mother about his trouble.
If future mom located in an uncomfortable position for the child, he will also definitely let you know about it with violent, intense movements. So if pregnant woman lies on his back, then there is a mechanical compression of the inferior vena cava (a large venous vessel through which blood from the lower half of the body returns to the heart). Compression of this vessel leads to a decrease in venous outflow of blood, blood flow through the uterus worsens, the fetus begins to experience a slight lack of oxygen (hypoxia), to which it reacts with violent movements.
In addition, children respond differently to loud sounds: some calm down, others, on the contrary, are actively "outraged".
As a rule, strong, long and painful movements indicate the discomfort of the child, while smooth and rhythmic - that the baby feels good.
Increased motor activity can be observed with a threat premature birth
, polyhydramnios. When the future baby moves, blood pressure rises, the heart rate increases, which means that blood flow accelerates, which leads to an increase in oxygen and nutrients in the blood. So, with your energy the child may ask the mother eat or go outside.
If simple methods(changing body position, eating, going to Fresh air) can not cope with the stormy fetal movements within 1 hour, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
In the last weeks of pregnancy, the activity of the fetus decreases sharply. However, with the help of ultrasound, it was found that the number of movements remains almost unchanged, but their character changes: the fetus makes turns and jerks less often, but moves the arms and legs with the same frequency. A woman feels them weakly or does not notice at all. It is with this fact that the erroneous idea is connected that supposedly “the fetus freezes” before childbirth.
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Pain from fetal movements
Sometimes fetal movements hurt the mother-to-be. It can appear if a woman lies on her back or sits with a straight back, especially in a cross-legged position. In this case, increased motor fetal activity is not a pathology and, as a rule, is associated with the fact that in this mother's position, less oxygen is temporarily supplied to the baby due to a decrease in blood flow to the uterus.
When pain occurs pregnant woman it is necessary to change the position of the body: lean forward, stand up, lie down on your side. You need to calm down, relax, take a few deep breaths, stroke your stomach, talk to your baby. Usually these simple tricks are enough to change the behavior of the fetus.
If baby movements respond with pain in the right hypochondrium - be sure to inform the doctor about this. Maternal gallbladder disease (eg, gallstones) must be ruled out.
Pain under the breastbone fetal movements may indicate the presence of a diaphragmatic hernia. If a pregnant woman has a scar on the uterus after caesarean section and she feels pain in the area of the scar when the child moves, then this should also be reported obstetrician-gynecologist. Pain of such localization can be one of the signs of inferiority of the scar, which indicates the likelihood of divergence of the seam.
It can also be painful fetal pressure per area Bladder. Such pain is possible with inflammation of the bladder (cystitis). A general urinalysis will help to exclude this disease. If it's normal, don't worry.
Sometimes pregnant women feel a pulsation in the abdomen. It is the pulsing of blood in the umbilical cord. If this phenomenon is not permanent, then there is no reason to worry.
Normal fetal movements
Sometimes a pregnant woman catches herself thinking that she does not feel fetal movements several hours. This is normal: the child can just sleep up to 3-4 hours in a row. If it seems that this period of time has long passed, the expectant mother can apply stimulation methods fetal activity. To do this, you can do several physical or breathing exercises, pour cold water on your stomach. The easiest way is to hold your breath, and the child will begin to worry and move in response to oxygen deficiency.
If the breath hold test doesn't work, you can try the following: walk or go up and down the stairs, then eat something sweet, and then lie down quietly for 2 hours. As a rule, these activities help to activate the fetus due to the glucose and physical activity of the mother, and fetal movements will resume. If this does not happen, you should consult a doctor within the next 2-3 hours (maximum after 6 hours of no movement).
Also, if the situation is repeated too often, when baby movements are not felt during the day, it is necessary to inform the doctor observing you about this.
Fetal movements and diagnosis of pathologies
Fetal movements- his the only way"complain" about suffering. Close attention should be paid to a sudden and inexplicable change in the nature of the movements of the baby.
Attention! Termination fetal movements more than 6 hours - this is a reason for urgent medical attention!
Most often, fetal suffering is caused by hypoxia (oxygen starvation), which can be detected by cardiotocography (CTG) and Doppler ultrasound. Starting from the 28th week of pregnancy, one of the leading methods for assessing fetal condition a cardiotocogram is recorded. Modern CTG recording devices automatically read the fetal heart rate, its motor activity and uterine tone and record the data obtained on a graph in the form of a curve. The recording is made as follows: pregnant woman in the prone or sitting position, two sensors are attached to the stomach, one of which registers the tone of the uterus, and the other - the heart rate of the fetus.
The recording is carried out for 20-60 minutes, the mother should note during the study baby stirring pressing a special button.
Cardiac activity is the most accurate and objective indicator fetal condition. By studying the fluctuations of this indicator depending on baby movements or contractions of the uterus, the doctor may suspect oxygen deficiency (hypoxia) or other diseases, which will require additional examination.
To clarify the nature of the changes, dopplerometry is prescribed, with the help of which the doctor evaluates the blood flow velocity in the uterine arteries, umbilical cord vessels, cerebral arteries and the fetal aorta. Changes are recorded in the form of curves of blood flow velocities (BSC). When evaluating the obtained indicators, the doctor can make a conclusion about their pathological nature or norm.
In a large number of cases, this data helps to choose the right tactics. management of pregnancy, prescribe the necessary treatment and outline a plan for the management of childbirth. In some cases, a biophysical test may be necessary.
With the help of ultrasound within 20-30 minutes, the presence of fetal movements, his heart rate, amount of amniotic fluid, muscle tone.
Normally, the arms and legs of the child are in a bent position, which indicates a normal muscle tone. Extended limbs indicate low muscle tone and are a sign of insufficient oxygen supply (hypoxia) and that the child is trying to make respiratory movements. This study is similar to a conventional ultrasound.
If the test results show severe fetal condition, then a decision on emergency delivery may be made.
If there are violations, but they are not so pronounced, then the doctor will conclude that hospitalization is necessary pregnant woman to the pathology department of the maternity hospital and prescribe treatment aimed at improving the function of the fetal-placental blood flow.
If, according to the survey, everything is fine, then the pregnant woman is allowed to go home, advising her to continue counting fetal movements.
CTG, ultrasound and dopplerometry during pregnancy are absolutely harmless and painless procedures for the woman and the fetus. There are many cases when, thanks to timely diagnosis, it was possible to establish violations in the condition of the fetus in time, choose the appropriate treatment or urgently carry out childbirth, thereby preventing trouble.
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A truly pregnant woman, often, begins to perceive herself only when she feels the first movements of the unborn baby.
Fetal movements begin much earlier than is commonly thought. Even at the end of the eighth week of its intrauterine development, the first unconscious and uncoordinated movements of the embryo begin. The muscles around the mouth and cheeks begin to move first, probably because the sucking reflex is the main one in a newborn baby. Gradually, movements cover all muscle groups and movements become more conscious.
By about the twentieth week of its intrauterine development, it is no longer the embryo, but the fetus, that begins to move so actively that the expectant mother already notices its movements. It happens that already twenty weeks, and the fetus does not move yet. There are several explanations for this:
- perhaps it idiosyncrasy the fetus, and therefore it is considered normal if the movements begin at 22–23 weeks;
- if the placenta of the expectant mother is located on the front wall, this may be the reason that even weak movements are simply not felt until they become more active;
- it happens that the mother herself has reduced sensitivity due to the peculiar structure of the nerve endings.
If you felt movements much earlier - at 15-17 weeks, this is also a variant of the norm. It is generally accepted that in multiparous perturbations begin a little earlier with each subsequent pregnancy. This is not entirely true. Since even mothers with many children it happens that the first-born began to move earlier than, for example, the last child.
But now the time for the first movements has come, and you don’t know how to understand that it is the fetus that is moving, and not to be confused with the motor activity of the intestine. The movements of a child in someone look like bursting bubbles, it seems to someone that a fish swims inside and touches the walls of the uterus, it happens differently for everyone.
It is believed that if the mother feels the first movements on the right, then there will be a boy, and if on the left - a girl.
How much and how often should the fetus move?
At first, the movements can be irregular: in a day, or even in two. But over time, the child improves his motor activity more and more, and the baby will move more and more often.
For a period of 28 weeks, according to the standards, there should be at least ten movements per day. The activity of the child becomes the main indicator of his health. If the fetus moves actively and regularly, this is a good sign. And if the movements for no apparent reason suddenly become violent, this is an occasion to consult a doctor, take tests, do a fetal cardiotocography, an unscheduled ultrasound. Very active movements may indicate a lack of oxygen.
If the diagnosis is confirmed, the expectant mother will be prescribed a course of maintenance therapy and more walks in the fresh air.
After the middle of pregnancy, violent movements can be caused by the fact that the pregnant woman, as before, is resting while lying on her back. In this position, the inferior vena cava is squeezed, the blood abruptly stops flowing to the fetus, and it begins to protest.
How long can the fetus not move?
There are situations when, on the contrary, the fetus began to move less or stopped altogether. Think about it, maybe you spent the whole day on your feet, and therefore, with constant movement, you simply did not hear any movements.
There are several ways to make the fetus move. Lie on your side and listen. Within 15 minutes, the fetus will make itself felt. You can drink sweet tea or eat something sweet. The blood glucose level will rise and the baby will respond immediately.
It is considered normal if the fetus does not move for 3-4 hours. But if all your tricks did not lead to anything, and within 12 hours you do not hear any movements, this is an occasion to immediately seek medical help.
By the end of pregnancy, the movements become less active. The baby grew up and it became crowded in his mother's stomach. Before childbirth, he calms down, preparing for the upcoming work - his birth.