What is meant by quickening ?

Quickening is the first fetal movements felt in  utero. It may be difficult to distinguish this from gas but eventually you will notice a pattern. There is  a broad range  of  period when quickening is first determined (13 to 25 weeks ). Some people may feel  fetal movement around pregnancy weeks 13 to 16 . Some other women especially first time moms my feel this movement around 18-20 weeks.

Why does my baby move ?

As your baby continues to develop, he may stretch  and flex his limbs. As pregnancy progresses , you may feel more obvious movements like punching , rolling and quickening. Your baby may also move if he finds  a position you are in to be uncomfortable. He will also move in response to noise or emotions. Certain foods may cause your baby to be active. You may even notice his sleeping and waking cycle.

How often does my baby move ?

The baby’s movement are more frequent  and of a regular pattern sometime in the third trimester. Movement may however decrease  around pregnancy week 32 due to increasing size of your baby and  more restriction in the uterus.

It is essential to track how much your baby moves as pregnancy progresses. It is good to start using a kick counting chart around pregnancy week 28 to start tracking your baby’s movement. This will help you identify a potential problem. Start by choosing the same time each day  and record how long it takes to feel 10  fetal movement. It may be easier  to do this while lying on your left side.

What should I do if I don’t feel any fetal movement ?

Contact your healthcare provider right away if you see a significant deviation in the pattern of your fetal movement chart. If you don’t feel 10 movements in 2 hours, try again later that same day. If you still don’t feel 10 fetal movement in 2 hours, call your health are provider immediately.