The first kick is the biggest moment after finding out you’re preggers; and it can feel like forever for those little flutters to brush your fingertips—so when, when does it happen?
Actually, your little one is wiggling around long before you even notice it—from as soon after conception as eight weeks. As baby grows, her stretches, hiccups and Kung-Fu feels a bit like gas bubbles, but pretty soon, you’ll learn to identify the unique moves of your precious: this generally happens between 16 and 24 weeks’ gestation—a little earlier if you’ve had a baby before and know what kicks feel like.
If you don’t notice movement within this time frame, it’s possible that—
- You have an anterior placenta, meaning the placenta has formed in front of the womb, thus ‘cushioning’ the movements.
- Your baby could be facing towards your back, with her kicks directed away from your belly.
- Extra weight could prevent you from feeling your baby move.
If you have felt nothing by 24 weeks, notify your midwife so that she can check foetal heartbeat and movement via scan.
And if your baby has been moving, but suddenly breaks from her normal pattern of wriggles, tell your midwife straightaway. Explains the NHS: “There’s no set number of movements you should feel each day – every baby is different. The important thing is to get to know your baby’s usual movements from day to day.”
For more information on how to count count your baby’s kicks, see here.