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Feeling your baby move is a sign that they are well. Most women and birthing people usually begin to feel their baby move between 16 and 24 weeks of pregnancy. Contact your community midwife or maternity assessment unit if you have not felt your baby move by 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Your baby should move more and more until you are 32 weeks pregnant. After 32 weeks, the movements will stay roughly the same.

You should continue to feel your baby move right up until the time you go into labour. Your baby should move during labour too.

How much should my baby move?

There’s no set number of normal movements you should be feeling – every baby is different. You do not need to count a specific number of kicks. The important thing is to get to know your baby’s usual movements from day to day.

If something doesn’t feel right, call the maternity assessment unit (MAU) and discuss your concerns with a midwife.

What does it mean if my baby isn’t moving as much as usual?

Regular, strong fetal movements are the best indicator of your baby’s wellbeing. Sometimes, a drop in movements can indicate that your baby is not coping as well as we would like. There are lots of possible reasons for this, and not all are bad.

Reduced movements do not cause stillbirth but they are one of the signs that something is wrong. This sounds scary. But it does not mean that reduced movements will lead to a baby’s death. Do not wait until the next day to get checked if you think your baby is moving less than normal, their movements feel weaker, or the movements have stopped. There are staff in the hospital 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Should I try to make my baby move?

No, you should not try to make your baby move. If you think your baby is moving less, their movements are weaker, or they have stopped moving, contact your maternity assessment unit immediately.

Is there anything that can affect being able to feel my baby move?

You may be less likely to be aware of your baby’s movements when you are active or busy. If your baby’s back is lying at the front of your womb, you may feel fewer movements than if their back is lying alongside your own back. If your placenta is at the front of your womb, it may not be easy to feel your baby’s movements. This is called an anterior placenta. You should still feel regular movement. What is normal for your baby will just be different for those with the placenta in a different place. If you think your baby is moving less, their movements are weaker, or they have stopped moving, contact your maternity assessment unit immediately.

Can I listen to my baby’s heartbeat with a home doppler (home listening kit)?

Do not use any handheld monitors, dopplers, or phone apps to check your baby’s heartbeat. This is not a reliable way to check your baby’s health. Even if you hear a heartbeat, this does not mean your baby is well. Listening to your baby’s heartbeat should only ever be done by a trained professional. Any care or treatment that could save a baby needs to be done when the baby has a heartbeat.

Do babies move less towards the end of pregnancy?

There is no set number of normal movements you should be feeling. It is not true that babies move less towards the end of pregnancy. They do not slow down or run out of space. Reduced movements in late pregnancy are a concern. Call the maternity assessment unit for advice if you experience this at any point in your pregnancy. Every baby is different. You should feel your baby move right up to the time you go into labour. Your baby should move during labour too.

My baby moves a lot – is this normal?

There is no link between feeling your baby move more and having an unwell baby or a stillbirth. Continue to monitor your baby’s movements. If your baby moves a lot and then stops moving, you should contact the maternity assessment unit.

What if my baby is moving less after I have been checked?

If your baby is moving less, movements feel weaker, or they have stopped moving, contact your maternity assessment unit straight away, even if everything was OK last time. Never hesitate to contact us for advice, no matter how many times this happens.