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When Would One Feel Baby Movements During Pregnancy?
Question: I am 6 months pregnant today and have yet to feel my baby kick or really move at all. Is something seriously wrong?
Brief Answer:
Many women do not feel fetal movements until later in the third trimester
Detailed Answer:
Hello, and I would be happy to answer your question today.
Human fetuses begin to move as early as eight or nine weeks gestation, however, due to their small size and lack of physical strength many women do not feel "kicking" until the baby is much larger, when it has reached two or 3 pounds. How much movement you feel can depend on how much water is around the baby, the size of the baby, and also the size and body shape of the mother (women who are more obese tend to feel fetal movements later).
When you say you are "six months" pregnant I am assuming that you mean that you are about 24 weeks pregnant. At that gestational age, many women still do not feel fetal movement consistently, or rather, many times they do not know what exactly to look for. At 24 weeks, the baby's limbs have about the strength of your fingers in their arms and legs, so movement may just feel like something passing by and bumping you inside, rather than what we would think of as a kick.
As long as your prenatal checkups show that the baby is normal and healthy, there is really no reason to be concerned at this stage that you do not feel fetal movement. Later in the third trimester when the baby gets bigger it may be easier, but at this point there is no reason to worry as long as your prenatal provider says that everything is fine.
I hope that I was able to adequately answer your question today, and that my advice was helpful. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Best wishes,
Dr. Brown
Many women do not feel fetal movements until later in the third trimester
Detailed Answer:
Hello, and I would be happy to answer your question today.
Human fetuses begin to move as early as eight or nine weeks gestation, however, due to their small size and lack of physical strength many women do not feel "kicking" until the baby is much larger, when it has reached two or 3 pounds. How much movement you feel can depend on how much water is around the baby, the size of the baby, and also the size and body shape of the mother (women who are more obese tend to feel fetal movements later).
When you say you are "six months" pregnant I am assuming that you mean that you are about 24 weeks pregnant. At that gestational age, many women still do not feel fetal movement consistently, or rather, many times they do not know what exactly to look for. At 24 weeks, the baby's limbs have about the strength of your fingers in their arms and legs, so movement may just feel like something passing by and bumping you inside, rather than what we would think of as a kick.
As long as your prenatal checkups show that the baby is normal and healthy, there is really no reason to be concerned at this stage that you do not feel fetal movement. Later in the third trimester when the baby gets bigger it may be easier, but at this point there is no reason to worry as long as your prenatal provider says that everything is fine.
I hope that I was able to adequately answer your question today, and that my advice was helpful. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Best wishes,
Dr. Brown
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Answered by
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