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Fetal Movements Many first-time moms-to-be often find it difficult to imagine
that they are carrying a baby - that's until they feel the first
flutter. Feeling those first pokes is a time of great joy to the
mother and at a later stage for her partner, who will be able to
share in this joyous occasion by feeling the baby's movement when
placing his hand across your abdomen.
Fetal movement actually happens very early in the development, with
some activity being able to be recorded on a scan as early as the
sixth week of pregnancy, although you will not be able to feel these
first slight movements. Most mothers only experience the sensation
of fetal movement around 18 to
20 weeks, but if this is not your
first pregnancy, you may become aware of the stirrings much sooner,
as you will know what to expect and be able to distinguish actual
activity as opposed to other normal sensations.
It is difficult to describe what those first movements feel like if
you have never had the opportunity to experience them before. Many
women liken them to mild twitches or the popping of bubbles, and as
many would agree, these movements are unlike any other they have
previously experienced, although it may initially be assumed that
these sensations are just gut rumblings. If you experience these
flutters for two or three days in a row, you can be pretty sure that
it is fetal movement. As time passes you will begin to recognise
these regular movements, and should experience them daily by the
time you are between 24 to
28 weeks pregnant.
Differing daily movements Fetal movement has long been considered a symptom of a normal
healthy pregnancy, as it does offer the mother some consolation that
all is well. There will most probably be times when you fail to
notice movement, but before becoming too anxious, it is important to
remember that each baby is different and the number of times he
moves could change from day to day. Because of this variation, it is
difficult to establish what would be normal, although as the
pregnancy progresses, most babies do to tend to settle into a
pattern of regular activity.
After the fifth month, fetal movement will become more noticeable,
and can often be felt from the outer side of your abdomen. These
movements will become more vigorous with time, but as you near
full-term they tend to weaken, probably because there is less room
in the womb for movement as your baby grows bigger.
Night-time manoeuvres Fetal activity usually reaches a peak during the night, with many
mothers reporting that their unborn babies are at their most active
between 10pm and 2am. This rise in movement can probably be
attributed to the evening meal, as glucose can trigger foetal
movement, or the fact that during the day your baby was constantly
rocked by your movement, and at night when you relax he is no longer
lulled to rest.
Decreased movement A marked decrease in foetal activity may indicate a problem, however
it need not always indicate foetal distress. The average foetal sleep cycle can vary from 20 minutes to two
hours, especially after a period of great activity, and a decrease
in movement may just indicate that your baby is having a longer
sleep. A long period of low or no activity could indicate foetal
distress, as your baby will move less in an attempt to conserve
energy, especially if he is receiving a reduced supply of oxygen. During pregnancy you will become aware of your baby's peak and
normal activity levels - and should you notice a marked change in
your baby's movement, it may just be wise to contact your doctor,
who may perform an ultrasound scan to assess whether there is
actually reason for you to be concerned.
In this case an ultrasound scan may be used for several reasons: to
monitor the baby's activity and observe breathing patterns and to
determine whether there is sufficient amniotic fluid. If there are
seen to be complications, and you are nearing your due-date, the
decision to induce labour may become a necessary option. Fortunately
there are ways and means of detecting problems at an early stage, so
it is a good idea to keep tabs on your baby's activity levels, and
report any drastic changes to your doctor. |
