Around mid pregnancy, expectant mothers will feel their baby's fetal movement. I believe friends have watched many videos online about fetal movement, but they don't know what it feels like. Next, the editor will take you to understand what fetal movement feels like. The feeling of fetal movement varies at different stages, so friends should watch carefully.
What does fetal movement feel like
The initial feeling of fetal movement: If the pregnant mother is pregnant for the first time, it is very likely that she will feel fetal movement for the first time at 18-20 weeks of pregnancy. Due to the small size and lack of strength of the fetus at this time, the sensation of fetal movement is vague, as light as a butterfly flapping its wings. As the gestational age progresses, expectant mothers will gradually feel that the baby is becoming more and more energetic, the feeling of fetal movement becomes stronger and more regular.
The feeling of fetal movement between 20-24 weeks of pregnancy: Starting from this period, the frequency of fetal movement will gradually increase. Mid pregnancy is a period of very active fetal movement, where the fetus constantly kicks and somersaults in the pregnant mother's belly. The mother can feel that the strength of the fetus's movement is increasing.
The feeling of fetal movement at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy: At this time, the pregnant mother may feel the baby's stomach jumping intermittently, which is due to hiccups. Now the amniotic sac of the pregnant mother has sufficient amniotic fluid, and the fetus can move freely in the uterus. Generally, starting from 28 weeks of pregnancy, the fetus can develop a relatively regular rhythm of life, with cycles of sleep and wakefulness. When the fetus is awake, expectant mothers will notice that the number and amplitude of fetal movements are high. When the fetus is sleeping, the number of fetal movements is significantly reduced, and even if there is fetal movement, it is very small.
The feeling of fetal movement at 29-32 weeks of pregnancy: Nowadays, expectant mothers can feel fetal movement very clearly, but they will find that the amplitude of fetal movement has decreased. This is because as the fetus continues to grow, the space in the mother's uterus becomes narrower, which limits the movement of the fetus. At around 32 weeks of pregnancy, fetal movement will reach its peak. The frequency of fetal movement has significantly increased, and the ways of fetal movement have become more diverse.
The feeling of fetal movement at 33-36 weeks of pregnancy: At this point, the fetus may have already formed a head down curled up position. Pregnant mothers can feel the baby poking themselves in the stomach with their little arms and calves. Sometimes, this little one may even kick the pregnant mother's ribs and cause pain.
The feeling of fetal movement at 36-40 weeks of pregnancy: The baby grows bigger and bigger, but the range of movement in the uterus is limited, so expectant mothers may find that the baby's large turning movements are no longer as frequent. During the last two weeks of pregnancy, fetal movement may slow down slightly and the baby's growth rate may also decrease slightly.
What are the patterns of fetal movement
Whole body movement: The movement of the entire torso of the fetus, such as turning over. This type of exercise has strong strength and each movement lasts for a relatively long time, usually 3-30 seconds.
Chest wall movement: relatively short and weak, generally not easily felt.
Physical movements: The fetus extends its arms, twists its body, etc. in the pregnant mother's uterus, with each movement lasting generally 1-15 seconds.
Lower limb movements: kicking exercises for fetal babies. This movement is fast, with relatively weak force, and the duration of each fetal movement is generally within 1 second.
What does fetal movement feel like? The feeling of fetal movement varies in different stages of pregnancy, and as the baby grows, expectant mothers will increasingly feel that fetal movement is a bit painful, but these are all normal phenomena. When the baby is moving, expectant mothers can gently stroke the belly and talk to the baby, or listen to music for prenatal education, which are all great.
