Babies' Movements
From 16–24 weeks on you should feel your baby move more and more up until 32 weeks. From then, movements should stay roughly the same until you give birth and during labour too. There is no set number of normal movements as every baby is different.
Call your maternity unit and go to get checked straight away if:
• you think your baby is moving less than normal
• movements feel weaker than normal
• movements have stopped
Do not wait until the next day to get checked. The maternity unit is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Even at night. If you are away from home, you can contact any maternity unit. Do not do anything to try to make your baby move. Do not use home dopplers, handheld monitors or phone apps to check your baby’s heartbeat. Even if you hear a heartbeat, this does not mean your baby is well.
Why is this important?
Sometimes, a baby who moves less is not getting enough oxygen. A small number of babies who move less are stillborn (die before they are born).
It is important you get checked straight away, even if your pregnancy has been straightforward or you have not had any problems before.
What if my baby is moving less after I have been checked?
Contact your maternity unit straight away. Do this even if you have been seen before or were recently told your baby was well.
Always get checked, no matter how many times this happens.
I am not sure about movements, but I just feel that something is wrong.
You know your body and your pregnancy best. If you feel that something is wrong, contact your maternity unit and tell them you are coming
in. You should do this even if you can’t explain exactly why you feel that something is wrong.
Increased fetal movement – what if my baby is moving more?
Studies have looked at what happens in a pregnancy after a mum or birthing person felt their baby moving more than usual but did not feel them move less or stop moving. These studies found that there was no link between feeling your baby moving more and having an unwell baby or a stillbirth.
If you baby moves a lot and then stops moving at all, you should contact your midwife or maternity unit. It is important to do this any time you think your baby has stopped moving or is moving less than usual.
What Should Happen
If you do not get these checks and tests, you should ask for them. Show your midwife or doctor the leaflet below. If your doctor or midwife wants to do different checks, they should explain the medical reason why. You can still ask for the checks and tests in the below leaflet too.
24 – 26 weeks pregnant
A midwife or doctor will:
- listen to your baby’s heartbeat
- ask about your baby’s movements
- check your blood pressure
- check your urine
- check the size of your bump
26 weeks onwards
A midwife or doctor will also:
Monitor your baby’s heartrate and movements using a CTG monitor that is strapped to your stomach and shows your baby’s heartbeat.
What will happen next?
If your doctor or midwife has any concerns, they will talk to you about what should happen next.
You should not be sent home until:
- your baby’s movements are reassuring you
- any tests show that you and your baby are well at that time
If the tests show any problems, you should not be sent home without a clear plan.
Be Empowered
Please contact your maternity team for advice if you are carrying multiples, have an anterior placenta or if you have any concerns about your baby’s movement pattern.
You can also print this NHS leaflet “Feeling Your Baby Move” which we helped to develop.