Self Care Articles

Is this your symptom?

• Concerns that the baby is moving less
• Questions about how to do a kick count
• Pregnant and patient is not in labor and does not have vaginal bleeding

Key Points

• Quickening is when a woman first feels her baby move. This usually occurs between the 18th and 20th week of pregnancy.
• Thin women feel the baby move sooner than overweight women.

Women use many different words to describe their babies' movements:

• Early in pregnancy women may describe a "fluttering," a "nudge," a "butterfly," or a slight "twitch."
• Later in pregnancy the baby's movements are more forceful. Women may then describe "hard kicking," "punching," or "rolling."

Baby Movement and Pregnancy Dates:

• 1-15 Weeks: baby is too small for mother to feel the baby move.
• 16-18 Weeks: some women begin to feel the baby move, especially if they had a baby before.
• 18-20 Weeks: many women begin to feel the baby move around this time.
• 20-23 Weeks: most women begin to feel the baby move around this time.
• 24 Weeks: all women should feel the baby move by this time.
• Over 28 Weeks: some doctors advise that women check kick counts each day.

Performing Daily Kick Counts:

• Doing a daily "kick count" or using a "kick chart" is one way to track your baby's movement.
• Some doctors recommend kick counts and some doctors do not.
• In some cases (such as a high-risk pregnancy), it may be more important to check daily kick counts.

Kick Count Instructions

• Pick the time of the day that your baby is most active.
• Sit back in a comfortable chair or lie down on your left side in bed.
• Do this in a quiet room (no TV, cell phone, computer, or children).
• Count any baby movement (kicks, rolls, flutters). Count up to 10.
• Normal Kick Count: 5 or more in one hour, or 10 or more in 2 hours.
• Low Kick Count: Less than 5 in one hour, or less than 10 in 2 hours.