When the baby starts to push in the stomach: the development of pregnancy, the timing of fetal movement, the trimester, the importance of the date, the norm, delay and gynecologist

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Many mothers believe that a sign of fetal activity is when the baby begins to push in the stomach. But it is worth dispelling this myth, since it begins to move from the second month of life. As long as there is enough space and amniotic fluid around the baby, he can be active without the mother noticing. This is due to the fact that the baby is still very small, and he does not touch the surrounding placenta with his movements.

First trimester

So, on the calendar are the first months of pregnancy. They are very important, because it is during this period that the likelihood of fetal development in the future is determined. The size of the baby is comparable to a walnut, it is so small. But already now he has defined arms and legs, which he actively moves. While many are wondering whenthe baby starts to push in the stomach, you should be patient and wait until he grows up a little more.

Nerve endings, muscle bundles are actively developing in the fetus for a period of 8-9 weeks. Since this phase is quite long, in the first trimester the movements are chaotic, convulsive, uncoordinated. However, they will improve throughout the fetal development of the baby. By the 11th week, the cerebellum and both hemispheres of the brain are formed in the fetus. During the first screening ultrasound (at 16 weeks), the mother and specialist may notice how the child sucks his thumb or waves his pen. His movements become more coordinated and active.

Due to the fact that there is still enough space inside the placenta and the size of the fetus reaches only 55 mm, and the diameter of the chest is 20 mm (gestation period is 11 weeks), the mother does not yet feel the movement of a small embryo. According to these figures, it is clear how small the baby is, and that you will have to wait a little more for the time when the child begins to push in the stomach. Some mothers claim that they begin to feel the baby already at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. However, experienced gynecologists say that this period is still very small. And, rather, it's all about the woman's suspiciousness.

Second trimester

For a woman who is pregnant for the first time, waiting for the baby to kick in her stomach is the most exciting thing. For the doctor, this is also a sign of the normal course of pregnancy and fetal development. Starting from the second trimester, this moment will be given a separateAttention. At about 16-20 weeks, depending on whether this is the first pregnancy or the second or more, a woman may feel an unusual movement inside the uterus. What does it look like, since what week is the baby pushing in the stomach? In this place, reviews of moms are very different.

The first movements are like air bubbles or a light soft touch, tickling that is felt from the inside. At a period of 17-18 weeks of pregnancy, most women may not attach any importance to this at all, thinking about gas formation in the intestines. But if you listen to your feelings, stop, if at that time the woman was busy with something, then the movements can resume. Since the baby is pushing at the very bottom of the abdomen, pleasant touches are felt by the mother in this area of the body. So far, these movements are rare, as there is still enough space for the baby inside the placenta. The longer the gestational age, the more actively the baby will move, and his tremors will be felt not only in the lower abdomen, but also on the sides, from above.

By the 20th week, the number of fetal movements per day varies from 200 to 250. A woman may note that the activity of the baby depends on the time of day. So in the daytime, especially if the mother is often on the move, the child is less mobile. Doctors comment on this by the fact that while walking, his mother, as it were, "sicks" him, and he sleeps more than he is awake. However, as soon as the mother lies down or falls asleep, the child pushes in the stomach more actively, one might say, wakes up.

It is noticed that at 25-26 weeks of development, the baby sleeps for about 16-20 hours, and the rest of the timeis awake. Over time, the mother will easily be able to determine what her baby is doing now, as well as his reaction to the situation around.

How not to mix it up?

In order to distinguish true movements from other manifestations of the activity of the female body, it is recommended to observe them for several days. It is advisable to monitor your diet and prevent gas formation in the intestines. It is possible that while this is not a child at all pushing in the stomach, but problems with digestion, a feeling of gases inside can be a sign of flatulence.

In order to determine the nature of the movements, you need to listen to your feelings. Many women who encounter pregnancy for the first time often wonder how to understand that the baby is pushing in the stomach? The touches of the baby are at first light, barely perceptible, they are repeated in the lower abdomen. This is because the size of the fetus is still very small, and there is enough space for him inside the womb to move around. It can actively roll over, and then the movements can be felt in the navel area or on the side.

Many people compare the feeling of a baby pushing in the stomach to the touch of a kitten's soft paw. It is indecisive, to catch it, you may have to freeze or stop for a moment. Be that as it may, from day to day the movements will become more and more distinct. Sometimes they can cause discomfort, as the growing uterus will put pressure on nearby internal organs.

Intensity of movement

The longer the termpregnancy, the more intensely the mother feels the movements of her baby. Nature and activity may indicate certain deviations. For example, if a child pushes hard in the stomach, then for one reason he may not have enough oxygen. In this case, it is recommended to change the daily routine of the pregnant woman and include more walks in the fresh air, ventilate the room before going to bed, and leave the window ajar during rest. If the gynecologist recorded signs of hypoxia during the reception, special treatment may be prescribed. As a last resort, doctors recommend hospitalization in a hospital, where droppers are usually placed to improve uteroplacental circulation.

However, it should be borne in mind that strong tremors are not always a cause for concern. It is possible that your baby has simply grown so much that he has little space, and his every movement (especially if the mother is very sensitive) is perceived with a feeling of discomfort. By the end of the second trimester, the baby kicks hard in the stomach when the mother walks a lot and gets very tired. It is worth taking breaks during a long walk, wearing comfortable shoes, wearing a bandage and special underwear to ease the load on the legs.

At about week 24, the number of pushes and movements per hour can be about 10-15. The interval between them reaches up to 3 hours. By this gestational age, the baby is already actively beginning to explore the space around him, fingering the umbilical cord, rubbing his eyes, and can cover his face with his hands when he hears sharp and unpleasant loud sounds.

At this stage, not all movements of the baby's mother canfeel it to the fullest. Doctors recommend to be wary if the interval between movements is more than 12 hours. In this case, it is worth trying to stir the baby, and if the attempts are unsuccessful, then seek the advice of a doctor.

First and second pregnancies: the beginning of movements

If a woman is expected to replenish the family for the first time, then the question often arises of how to understand that it is the baby in the stomach that is pushing, at how many months of pregnancy can one begin to expect their clear sensation? Doctors and experienced mothers can safely say that, firstly, the threshold of sensitivity and the complete set of the figure are different for everyone, and secondly, it all depends on what the pregnancy is and what is the interval between them.

In practice, it has been observed that if a woman is expecting her first child, then she will feel the baby's clear movements no earlier than 5-5, 5 months of gestation. For multiparous, moreover, if the interval between babies is about a year, then it is possible that already at 4.5 months (or 17-18 weeks) it will be possible to determine the movements of the child.

In both cases, every woman wonders when the baby kicks in the stomach for the first time. These sensations turn the second trimester into a real pleasure. Moreover, all the unpleasant symptoms of the first trimester are already behind. Many women, starting from the 24th week of pregnancy, use a prenatal bandage, which allows you to reduce the load on the spine and not feel the heaviness of a growing tummy.

Don't worry if the movements don't feel the way everyone else does. Doctors believe that before 20 weeks of baby movementreflex and may be irregular. Starting from the 24th week of pregnancy, when the spinal cord and brain of the child are sufficiently formed, the movements become more constant, conscious. Until the end of the second trimester, it is considered normal if the mother feels that the baby pushes a little in the stomach. Perhaps there is enough space for him, and therefore some movements go unnoticed. By the end of the second trimester, the growth of the fetus is 30-34 cm.

Multiple pregnancy

In multiple pregnancies, the onset of movement can also be felt between 17 and 20 weeks. However, their nature is somewhat different. The thing is that inside the mother's womb for one baby there may be more space than for the second. Or you should pay attention to the nature of the attachment of the placenta. If it is located in front, then, most likely, the woman will feel active stirring.

An interesting fact is that even experienced mothers, when carrying a multiple pregnancy, wonder what time the baby starts to push in the stomach? Doctors usually say that the difference between a singleton pregnancy and twins is usually 1-2 weeks. It is also necessary to pay attention to how the baby is located inside. For example, if he is with his back to his stomach, then the movements will be less intense.

On the Internet, you can find a lot of questions that a mother feels the activity of one child during the day, but the second one sits very quietly and hardly moves. To calm down, you can goultrasound and dopplerography. These studies will show how things are with uteroplacental blood flow, whether the baby who is less active is experiencing oxygen starvation.

Also, the doctor may recommend a CTG. In the absence of any signs of hypoxia or developmental delay, you should not worry. Mothers of twins or triplets note that after birth, children behave in the same way as during intrauterine development. Whoever was more active will continue to be the most mobile and restless.

Since labor activity occurs earlier in multiple pregnancies, the activity of babies by 34-35 weeks will be less intense than before. This is due to the fact that there is very little space left for babies inside the womb. As a rule, childbirth can begin in a couple of weeks, so it is necessary to respond in time to any sensations that cause discomfort. This also includes insufficient baby movement.

Measuring the intensity of movements

At 28 weeks of gestation, the observing gynecologist may recommend that the expectant mother monitor the intensity of fetal movements (in medical terminology, the Pearson test). This is done for one purpose: to determine the presence or absence of oxygen starvation in the baby. The time interval from 9-00 am to 21-00 pm is taken as a measurement. It is very important to capture the data correctly. As a rule, the doctor issues a special table where marks are made; it can also be found on the Internet. Anymovements, even light touches, including coups, pushes. The countdown starts from the specified time - as soon as the pregnant woman felt the first activity. Then, after counting ten movements, she marks the end of the measurement.

Sufficient activity is indicated by a time interval of 20 minutes between movements. If it stretches to an hour, it is recommended to eat something, for example, sweet, but not heavy food. With the regular appearance of movements, it can be assumed that the intensity of the movements of the fetus is normal and most likely it is not as active as other children. For long time intervals, it is recommended to consult a doctor for advice. You may need to do cardiotocography (CTG) to determine the fetal heartbeat and rule out hypoxia.

Infrequent movements can be caused by insufficient activity of a pregnant woman, so doctors strongly recommend taking outdoor walks more often. A sufficient supply of oxygen to the blood contributes to the normal development of the fetus.

You may get the feeling that if the baby is constantly pushing in the stomach, then this is good. However, this is not quite true. Excessive activity can also indicate a lack of oxygen or discomfort that the child experiences when the mother is in the same position. Also, while sleeping on the back, the baby can begin to actively push. This is due to the fact that the abdomen puts pressure on the inferior vena cava, which runs along the entire spine. If you sleep on your back, then it overlaps and blood circulation is disturbed. Hence the child may develophypoxia, which affects the nature of the movements.

How to get your baby moving

During a scheduled cardiotocography or ultrasound visit, the doctor may ask the mother to make the fetus move. This is done to change the position and study the position of the baby or determine the cause of rare movements. If the baby reacts to the actions of the mother, then you should not worry. It is possible that a small phlegmatic or melancholic grows inside. It is known that the behavior inside the womb can tell about the character of the baby. That is why the baby thrusts in the stomach with the intensity that is characteristic of his future manners.

Eating candy is enough to feel the kicks. Carbohydrates immediately enter the bloodstream and stimulate the activity of the fetus. This is noticed not only by experienced doctors, but also by a large number of women. Another popular way is to go to bed, as many mothers notice that the baby in the stomach pushes hard at night, and during the day, on the contrary, sleeps more. Perhaps the secret here lies in the fact that in the daytime a woman leads an active lifestyle, works, is distracted from observing her baby. When it comes to rest, the lack of movement, which causes motion sickness, on the contrary, stimulates the activity of the fetus.

Light touches and stroking of your tummy can also provoke baby pushes from the inside. The child feels any touch, reacts to the soft and gentle voice of the mother. On the contrary, when it is very noisy around or someone nearby swears, speaks in raised tones, the baby can quiet down andstop pushing. Therefore, it is very important to speak with a child in a calm tone, he gets used to the mother's voice, can respond to her questions with light, and sometimes even quite tangible movements.

Third trimester

The most interesting and difficult time begins with the onset of the last cycle of pregnancy. The third trimester is the period when the belly gets bigger every week. There is less and less room for the free movement of the fetus, and now the woman feels almost every movement and push with all her insides. The baby's height is about 35 cm. If at this stage the mother feels that her child is pushing at the very bottom of the abdomen, then most likely he is located on the priest, doctors call this "breech presentation". There is still a good chance that he will roll over and lie head down.

Pregnancy is also developing intensively, and every week the baby goes through an important stage on the way to his birth. During the third trimester, a woman usually already knows why the baby is pushing in the lower abdomen or in another part of the uterus. This speaks to his current position. Doctors recommend, if possible, to stand on all fours several times a day. This allows you to unload the spine, and the baby at this time gets more space for comfortable movement. It is believed that if before that he lay head up, then in this position it will be easier for him to roll over.

According to medical practice and observations of women, the number of movements in the third trimester becomes much more,about 600 episodes per day. Not always the activity of the child indicates that he experiences discomfort inside the mother's womb. Experts say that at a time when a woman feels tremors, the child learns the world around him. He can touch the umbilical cord, squeeze and unclench his fists, suck his thumb. During a scheduled ultrasound, you can personally observe the baby's tremors, and if possible, record it on video.

When to See a Doctor

As the third trimester completes the stage of pregnancy, labor can start suddenly and visits to the gynecologist become more frequent. He monitors the he alth of the mother and child, listens to the heartbeat, takes control measurements, gives recommendations and advises the mother to listen to her feelings. Any discomfort should make you alert and seek medical advice.

The gynecologist observing the pregnancy recommends that the woman mark and control during the day when the baby pushes in the stomach. The timing of when the first movements begin is somewhat blurred and largely depends on the individual characteristics of the woman. However, there are criteria under which the absence of signs of the first movement after the 24th week indicates an alarm signal. Other symptoms may also be present, such as cessation of abdominal growth, nagging pain, or brownish discharge. That is, everything that directly indicates the presence of pathology and a threat to further pregnancy.

Norm by the number of movementsbaby in the third trimester (this applies to the period starting from the 32nd week of pregnancy) - about 15 episodes per hour. By this time, a woman can already determine the periods of sleep and wakefulness of the baby. The reason for concern is the lack of movements during the day, if previously they were regular and active. In this case, you should not wait for a planned visit to the doctor and go for a consultation as soon as possible. The last resort is to seek emergency help.

Toward the end of the gestation period, after the 37th week, the movements of the baby become less intense, and at the time of delivery, they can even become extremely rare. Perhaps a woman will completely stop feeling them. However, even during contractions, the child, moving through the birth canal, remains active. In this way he helps himself to be born into the world more quickly. Doctors measure the number and intensity of contractions using CTG. It allows not only to track the heartbeat of the child, but also what his activity is. This measurement is very important, as it can indicate signs of hypoxia and a decrease in the activity of labor in time.