Need Advice for a Pregnant Friend

At 12 weeks, she is very early to feel baby move consistantly. I'm 12 weeks also and I've been feeling my baby move but sometimes I don't feel it for days. She's moving though because on the ultrasounds she never stopped moving but I never felt anything. When she is farther along the doctor will have her monitor the baby's movements. Only when she's much farther along will she need to worry if she doesn't feel movement.

12 weeks is VERY early--not saying impossible but extremely early. I didnt feel mine until 21 weeks. So, go to the doctor to check because women have great intuition when something is wrong but I'm sure she's fine.

Tell your friend to calm down. During my first pregnancy I felt my daughter move at 14 weeks. My dr said that was quite early itself. It was very inconsistant and only happened when I was doing yoga. I didn't feel her on a regular basis until around 20 weeks. That's a full two months of just here and theres. When I had gone in at 18 weeks for my ultrasound I was shocked to see her sqiggle around the screen and I had to admit that I felt none of it! Then in the middle of the viewing, she did a full somersault and I felt that. So what I was getting on my end was just the BIG movements. If she's making herself sick with worry, she could call her doctors office and maybe do a nurse line call. Or go check out the book, What to Expect When You're Expecting. It's a big help with all those kind of questions.

Tell her not to worry!! I have never heard of someone feeling the baby move at 12 weeks. Most likely what she felt was gas bubbles or something similiar. I am 15 weeks and 2 days pregnant with my 3rd child and I still haven't felt him/her move. It usually happens between weeks 16 and 18. Tell her to relax and enjoy the pregnancy! :)

I would tell her to at least call her doctor. It never hurts to just check! Good luck to her!

I think a lot of it depends on if this is her first child or not. It's pretty hard to feel those first movements during your first pregnancy...every little gas bubble or internal movement feels like it's the baby! I was exactly 14 weeks along when I was positive I was feeling the baby move (it felt like little fingers tickling the inside of my stomach). There's no reason for her not to call her Dr though. They'll either tell her not to worry about it or to come in...nothing to really lose either way. I had a hard time accepting that everything was okay so I rented a fetal doppler to reassure myself. If your friend tends to be the type that worries a lot, maybe she should look into doing that. The only warning I give is to make sure she knows that sometimes the baby moves into positions where you don't hear the heartbeat...you just need to drink something like juice and wait a few hours for the baby to move to a new position...that happened once and I freaked out! Anyway, best of luck to your friend...the most important lesson I have learned about pregnancy and motherhood is to trust your instincts.

12 weeks is very early to feel the baby move. Women normally do not feel fetal movement until about 19 weeks on average. It is very possible that she was feeling gas or something else gastrointestinal related. If she is concerned have her call her OB and speak with a nurse. She does not need to go to the emergency department unless she is having severe abdominal pain and/or bleeding.

A., RN.

I never felt my daughter move before 16 weeks. But at that point it was hit or miss for even a couple of days at a time. She won't feel movement everyday until at least 20+ weeks so no need to worry!! The baby at 12 weeks is like 3 inches long so not big enough yet to make enough movement to be felt every time.

I would tell your friend not to worry. It is VERY unlikely to be able to feel the baby moving inside until around week 16. I asked my doctor about this at my 12 week appointment since I thought I was feeling baby movement, but she said that it's what she calls phantom kicks where it's really the intestines, not the baby. I still questioned it because I'm pretty thin and this is my 2nd, but she said also that the baby is so small still (about 2 inches) that it's again very unlikely! Good luck to your friend!

I went through the same thing with my last pregnancy. I could feel baby move early on, but it was not consistent - I'd feel something and then nothing for a week or two. It doesn't get consistent until later - perhaps around 18 to 20 weeks.

If she is concerned, tell her to call her doctor's office and if the doctor is busy ask the nurse. I am sure they get calls all the time with these kind of issues. If it has only been a day since she felt the baby move I wouldn't worry too much.

I would tell her to call if she needs to..but 12 weeks is really early. I just had my third and it was 17 weeks before I felt him. I dont want to say that she shouldnt worry..but this early the movements will be very random and not consistent yet.

if there is something that has triggered the baby moving before (for me it was exercise) have her try doing that and see if the baby reacts as normal. If not or even if she is still concerned she should call her doctor who would have more suggestions or may want to see her just to check things out.

I've had people tell me that they could feel their babies move that early, but the baby is still so tiny. If she did feel it move, then the baby was in the PERFECT postition that day. It's common for a mommy to feel movement one day and not the next at 16 weeks, so at 12...I'm sure she is ok. I do agree that nothing will soothe her more than a talk or appt. with her OB. Most offices have a "nurse line". That nurse will let her know if she should be seen.

She probably fine, but I'll say a little prayer for her anyway!