Wnen Did You Feel Your Baby Move?

Updated on November 22, 2010
C.J. asks from Sewell, NJ
14 answers

I'm 17.5 weeks pregnant with my 4th child. My youngest is 2 1/2 and I just don't remember when I felt him move. I don't think I have felt this one yet and I'm starting to get paranoid about it. I know some people don't feel until 20 weeks or so, but I thought that was first timers. I do also have a bit more belly flab than I did before. I have 2 1/2 weeks until my 20 week ultrasound and am very anxious to see the bugger so I know it's ok.
Has anyone not felt the baby this long in subsequent pregnancies? I've been thinking of paying to get an u/s at a 3D/4D place, but they recommend the gender only package this early. I just dont' want to shell out $100 without all the perks of the better package.

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So What Happened?

Well, I went to the dr just for some piece of mind. The heartbeat was there and sounded good. The dr reassured me that it is fine that I might not be feeling it yet. Now I'm just waiting for my 20 week ultrasound to hopefully find out what exactly is in there. The suspense is killing me.
Thank you for all of your input.

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J.N.

answers from Salt Lake City on

For my first, I think it was more like 24 weeks. For later ones, probably around 20. And positioning and insulation can affect that. I certainly wouldn't shell out $100 at this point.

Have you heard the heartbeat? If so, things are probably ok. If you're really worried, you can call the OB office. They probably get calls like this all the time. (If they are rude or belittling about it, it is time to find a new doctor!)

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S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

I didn't feel my daughter move until 21 weeks. The placenta was in the front, so it took longer than unsual for me to feel her. I was glad my midwife told me about the placement of the placenta and to not worry that I wouldn't feel movement until later. I felt her plenty after that!

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B.B.

answers from Dallas on

I started feeling my son, at 15 weeks and I am very thin. My Dr. told me, the thinner you are, the earlier you tend to feel the baby. She also said a lot of woman feel their baby later with the following pregnancies, because of weight they didn't have before. As long as the heartbeat is strong, I wouldn't worry about it. You could call your Dr in the mean time, just to be sure.

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D.C.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I felt my 1st one at about 19 weeks, and my 2nd one not really until about 21 weeks! I was anxious because I had always heard the same thing you have - you feel it earlier with the 2nd. But for me, the 2nd one wasn't much of a mover and shaker on the inside - he sent me into panic all through my pregnancy because even later (30+ weeks) I would sometimes go hours without feeling him move. I'd get monitored, and he would be fine. And believe me, his activity level on the inside has no reflection on his activity level as a baby!

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T.P.

answers from Parkersburg on

With my first I was 15 weeks, it felt like a little flutter at first. With my second, I was about 16 weeks..When I noticed there wasnt a lot of movement, I put some sugar in orange juice and it made her move a lot.

M.S.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I would definitely call your OB, no matter how embarrassed/silly you may feel. I spent a small fortune on extra copays just for peace of mind :) My son was my 6th pregnancy (first one past 14wks) and I felt him at 16wks - I was told this was early, and also that the more pregnancies you have, the more likely to feel them much earlier. I also learned that feeling the baby has to do with where they've implanted (my son was way at the top) (some friends who's babies implanted near the bottom weren't felt until after 26wks). After feeling him for a week, he'd seemed to disappear for 3wks so they had me in to listen for the heartbeat - it took the OB just over 10mins, but the baby had hunkered down as far below and towards my back as possible, so that's why I'd stopped feeling him for a while.

Good luck!
P.S. I ended up having a high risk pregnancy and had to switch from my OB to AGH - they don't recommend the 3D/4D for many reasons, but mostly because you need a calm/still baby and mine was nicknamed "Spazz" by the docs, never being still for more than a second. So, just a warning that getting those u/s may not be a fit for your pregnancy.

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B.W.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I was probably around 20 weeks with my first and 18 with my second. Both of them had the placenta in the front which cushioned their movements until they were alot stronger. I remember at my ultrasound for my first at 19 weeks we saw her kick on the screen and the doctor asked if i felt it and i didnt. I know how easy it is to worry about your baby when you are pregnant and cant' see what's going on in there. But I am sure everything is fine. it's still early.

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K.U.

answers from Detroit on

I felt my baby move for the first time at 18 weeks - I remember because that's when we had our first ultrasound and it was, like, 2 days before. She was quite active throughout the whole pregnancy - now she is 3 years old and she still has not stopped moving! :)

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D.S.

answers from Tulsa on

5-6 months and man when my youngest did at 6 months I wished he hadnt started. he was moving before then I knew by ultra sound but never felt it and as much as he moved I was glad I didnt feel it before then

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K.J.

answers from Chicago on

I am 20 weeks along with baby #3, and I started to worry about a month ago too, as I couldn't feel any movement. In the past 1.5 weeks I have felt quite a bit, but I really have to sit down and relax in a quiet room in order to be conscious of it. I also couldn't recall how far along I was with my other kids, but something makes me think it was closer to 12 wks.

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K.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I felt my daughter move pretty early cause she loved to kick my bladder but with my son (who was my second), it was much later and I think that was due to the fact that I was indeed a little heavier. I am sure your baby is fine. Don't get worked up because the extra stress is not good for you or the baby.
Hope this helps.

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J.B.

answers from Philadelphia on

I felt my first at 18 weeks one day and my 2nd at 20 weeks 1 day. I was worried too about the 2nd one but they say it's normal. Don't worry. They said it could have been due to placenta previa which went away a few months later. Good luck!

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S.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

I didn't feel my daughter until 23 weeks. I was worried and told my doctor and they brought me in for an ultrasound and showed me she was fine. Call your doctor and good luck!

B.C.

answers from Dallas on

With #1, I think I was about 18 weeks and with #2, I was 14 weeks. I am really thin though.

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