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Key takeaways

• You should feel your baby move between 16 and 24 weeks of pregnancy.
• Get to know your baby's usual pattern of movements.
• Always contact your midwife or maternity unit for any changes.
• Do not wait if you are worried; seek help immediately.

Understanding your baby's normal movements

You should start to feel your baby move between 16 and 24 weeks of pregnancy. If this is your first baby, you might not feel movements until after 20 weeks. If you have been pregnant before, you may feel movements as early as 16 weeks.

If you have not felt your baby move by 24 weeks, tell your midwife. They will check your baby's heartbeat and movements.

What movements feel like

Your baby's first movements can feel like a gentle fluttering or bubbling sensation. You may also feel swishes or rolls. As your pregnancy progresses, you may feel kicks and jerky movements.

The number and type of movements will change as your baby grows. Your baby will develop their own activity pattern.

Your baby's movement pattern

There is no set number of movements you should feel each day. Every baby is different. You do not need to count the number of kicks or movements you feel daily.

The important thing is to get to know your baby's usual pattern of movements. This helps you notice if they are not moving as often or as much. Your baby might be most active at night or during the day.

Your baby will have sleep periods that usually last between 20 and 40 minutes. These are rarely longer than 90 minutes. Your baby will usually not move during these sleep periods.

Movements tend to increase until 32 weeks of pregnancy. After 32 weeks, movements should stay about the same until you give birth. Your baby should continue to move right up to and during labour.

How to monitor your baby's movements

The most important thing is to get to know your baby's usual pattern of movements. There is no specific number of movements that is considered normal. Every baby is different.

You do not need to count the number of kicks or movements you feel each day. Instead, focus on understanding your baby's individual pattern. A reduction or a change in your baby's movements is what is important to notice.

Knowing your baby's usual pattern helps you notice early if movements change. If you are busy, you may not notice all of your baby's movements.

When to contact your midwife or maternity unit about changes in movement

Contact your midwife or maternity unit immediately if you notice any changes in your baby's movements. You should call them if:

• Your baby is moving less than usual.
• Movements feel weaker than normal.
• Your baby's movements have stopped.
• There is a change to your baby's usual pattern of movements.

Do not wait until the next day to get checked. The maternity unit is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call immediately, even if it is the middle of the night or the weekend.

Trust your instincts. If you feel that something is wrong, contact your maternity unit. Do this even if you cannot explain exactly why you feel that way. If you are away from home, you can contact any maternity unit.

What not to do

Do not try to make your baby move. Do not use home dopplers, handheld monitors, or phone apps to check your baby's heartbeat. Hearing a heartbeat does not mean your baby is well. If movements reduce again, get another assessment. This should be done no matter how many times it happens.

What to expect: testing and monitoring for reduced movement

If you contact your maternity unit about reduced movements, they will need to check your baby's movements and heartbeat. After 28 weeks, your baby's heart rate will be monitored. This is usually done with an electronic monitor called a cardiotocograph (CTG). It traces your baby's heart rate.

Monitoring with a CTG typically lasts for at least 20 minutes. This monitoring helps to reassure you about your baby's well-being.

You should be able to see your baby's heart rate increase as they move. Monitoring may last longer if the unit is busy.

Further checks

An ultrasound scan might also be offered. This scan is normally performed within 24 hours of being requested. An ultrasound checks your baby's growth and the amount of fluid around your baby (amniotic fluid).

An ultrasound scan may be arranged if:

• Your womb (uterus) measures smaller than expected.
• You have certain risk factors in your pregnancy that your care team will want to monitor closely.
• Heart-rate monitoring is normal, but you still feel your baby's movements are less than usual.

If there are any concerns, your doctor or midwife will discuss what should happen next. This may include more CTG monitoring or talking about your plans for birth. You may also be referred to a centre that specialises in the health of unborn babies (a specialist fetal medicine centre).