In the early part of pregnancy the idea that a small little person is growing inside of you can be difficult to imagine.  The baby inside is still very surreal.  You can’t see him or her (unless you have an ultrasound, of course), you can’t touch him or her and you can’t yet feel him or her moving inside of you.  Hearing the baby’s heartbeat at a prenatal visit or seeing his or her fuzzy image on an ultrasound monitor are your only real glimpses of the life being created.  Feeling your baby move for the first time is such a magical time of pregnancy.  It is those first faint kicks, those little flutters that tell you someone is in there.  Those little flutters that will become large, sometimes uncomfortable kicks, are your connection to the baby.

When you feel those first faint movements will vary widely from woman to woman and even from pregnancy to pregnancy.  Often times women will be able to recognize the faint flutters of movement earlier in second and subsequent pregnancies since they already know what to look for.  On average a pregnant woman can expect to feel her baby moving sometime around the 15 to 20 weeks of pregnancy.  The baby begins moving as early as 7-8 weeks but since it is still so tiny at that point you won’t yet be able to feel the movements.  Your size can also impact when you feel the first movements.  Larger women often don’t feel the first movements until closer to the 20th week of pregnancy or later.  While petite women may feel the baby move earlier.  When I was pregnant with Maya I felt her move for the first time during my 14th week of pregnancy.  It felt like tiny little flutters, sort of like popcorn popping inside my tummy.  It is definitely a very cool feeling.

As the baby continues to grow and take up more space inside your abdomen you will begin to feel stronger more regular kicks.  You’ll begin to recognize your baby’s cycles.  There will be certain times of the day when the baby is very active, like just after you’ve eaten or when you are relaxing or trying to sleep.  Other times of the day the baby will be very still.  Recognizing these patterns will help you identify if something is wrong.  If you haven’t felt the baby move at his or her regular times you’ll know to call your doctor.   A general role of thumb for fetal movements is at least 10 distinct movements in no more than 2 hours.  You don’t need to constantly count the movements but occasionally, during a regular active time for your baby, sit quietly or lay on your side and time how long it takes to feel 10 movements.   Call your doctor if you do not feel 10 movements in 2 hours.

Feeling those movements, even though they can sometimes be uncomfortable or keep you awake at night, is the best feeling.  Those little hands and feet moving away inside giving you a glimpse of the person you will meet on delivery day.  Enjoy those kicks, they are definitely one of the things you will miss about being pregnant.

Be sure to talk to your doctor if you are at all concerned about your baby’s movements.