Ep 302: Feeling Your Baby Move – What’s Normal, What’s Not, and When to Call

Nicole Rankins (00:00.354)

Feeling your baby move is a powerful way to connect with your baby and keep an eye on your baby's well-being. But there's a lot of inaccurate advice and a lot of fear out there around this topic. So today, I'm giving you the info you need on understanding your baby's movement so you can feel calm, confident, and empowered through every kick, roll, and twist.

Nicole Rankins (00:31.352)

Welcome to the birth with power podcast where knowledge is power and power transforms birth. I'm Dr. Nicole Callaway-Renkin's mom of two and practicing board certified OB-GYN with over 20 years of experience and nearly 2000 births attended. I've seen firsthand how the hospital system can leave women feeling unheard and uncertain, but that doesn't have to be your story.

Here, you'll get the knowledge, support, and strategies to take charge of your birth experience so you can walk into the hospital feeling calm, confident, and empowered. Note, this podcast is for educational purposes only and it's not a substitute for medical advice. See the full disclaimer at drnaclomeragins.com forward slash disclaimer. Now let's get to it.

Hello there, welcome to another episode of the podcast. This is episode number 302, whether it is your first time listening or you've been here before, I'm so glad you are spending some time with me today. In this episode, you are going to learn about something that is beautiful, powerful, and yes, potentially life-saving, feeling your baby move. Now real talk, feeling my baby move.

was for real the only thing I enjoyed about being pregnant. Everything else, not so much, but those kicks, the rolls, the little flutters, those moments really were magic. They reminded me that there was this little person going inside of me, getting stronger every day. And that's the thing, feeling your baby move isn't just about connection. It's also one of the simplest ways to check in on how your baby is doing. But I also know

that this can be a source of both joy and anxiety during pregnancy. You'll hear so many opinions about kick counts, about what's normal, about when you should call your doctor. It can all feel incredibly confusing. So today I will undo any confusion and give you the info you need to know. By the end of this episode, you'll know when you should start feeling your baby move, what's normal for fetal movement and what's not.

Nicole Rankins (02:46.862)

how to tune into your baby's pattern without stressing yourself out, what the research actually says about tracking fetal movement and preventing stillbirth, and also when you should reach out to your doctor or midwife about concerns regarding fetal movement. My goal with this episode is simple. I want you to feel calm, confident, and empowered about monitoring your baby's movements so you can enjoy it.

trust your instincts and take action if needed. So let's dive in. Feeling your baby move isn't just a sweet moment during pregnancy. It's actually one of the most important signs that your baby is doing well. And here's what I mean. When babies are healthy and well oxygenated, they move in ways that are natural for them. There will be kicks, rolls, stretches, twists, all of that fun good stuff.

but when oxygen levels drop or if the placenta isn't working well, babies will often move less. That's because they start conserving energy to protect their most vital organs. Now, I want to be very clear here. Stillbirth is rare. It happens in about 1 % of pregnancies, but in those rare cases, a decrease in fetal movement

maybe one of the first warning signs we could potentially catch. And here's the empowering part. You, yes, you are your baby's best monitor of movement. No app, no machine, no ultrasound knows your baby's normal pattern like you do. Your awareness, your gut feeling, that is incredible.

incredibly powerful. So understanding a fetal movement isn't about obsessing or trying to control every kick. It's about tuning into what's normal for your baby, trusting that connection and knowing when to speak up if something is off. All right, so let's talk about when you actually start feeling those movements.

Nicole Rankins (05:09.858)

Well, we can see babies moving on ultrasound as early as about eight weeks, but you won't actually feel those movements until much later. Most women start feeling movement somewhere between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. If this is your first baby, it'll likely be closer to 20 weeks, maybe even 21 weeks.

If you've been pregnant before, you may notice those flutters earlier, maybe even as early as 16 weeks, because you know what to look for. And here's something else to know. If you have an anterior placenta, that's when the placenta is attached to the front wall of your uterus, that can act like a little cushion between your baby and your belly. And that may mean you feel movements a little later or they feel softer at first.

Totally normal. So what do those early movements feel like? Most women describe them as flutters, bubbles, or little taps. And at first you may wonder, was that gas or was that my baby? But as your baby grows, the movements will become stronger and more distinct. You'll start feeling kicks, rolls, stretches, even hookups. Now, side note, I have always marveled at those shows where women say,

They didn't know they were pregnant because to me, fetal movement felt so distinct. It didn't feel like anything else. When a baby is moving inside you, at least to me, it feels like something is moving inside you. So I never quite understood those shows and how they happen. And then here's something else that's really interesting. Studies show that we actually don't feel all of our baby's movements. We only perceive about 50 to 80 %

of the big movements that show up on ultrasound. So if your provider sees your baby moving and you're not feeling every little thing, don't stress. Again, totally, totally normal. Now every baby has their own rhythm for how they move. I saw this for sure with my own two daughters, definitely differences between the way they moved. My first daughter, Lord have mercy, she moved like a crazy person all of the time.

Nicole Rankins (07:27.178)

especially at night. My husband is actually like one night, is she okay? Cause she was just moving all over the place. I actually joked that that's why she was born eight weeks early because she was just moving so much and she hit the labor button too soon. But my second daughter, she was much more laid back. She didn't really get going until later in the morning. And then I feel her move off and on throughout the day. So trust me, I know there's no one right pattern.

What matters is learning your baby's pattern and tuning into what's normal for them. I promise you, you'll start to know this is when my baby is usually active or this is what feels normal to me. And that connection, that's what you'll rely on as you move through the rest of your pregnancy.

Now, before we go any further, I want to clear up a few myths I've heard, especially in the social media streets about fetal movement, because listen, there's a lot of noise out there about this topic and some of it is just straight up trash. So myth number one, you shouldn't count kicks because it just causes anxiety. Awareness is not obsession, it's empowerment. Tuning into your baby's movement helps you feel connected.

and gives you one more way to check in on your baby's well-being. Now, I saying you need to sit down and count kicks every single day. We'll talk about that in a minute. But having a sense of your baby's normal pattern is a good thing. It is not something to fear. Myth number two, babies move less near the end of pregnancy. And also false. Yes.

Movements may very well feel different later in pregnancy because your baby has less room to do those big flips and twists, so the movements may feel less intense, but the number of movements should not decrease. You should still feel regular movements all the way up to birth. Different? Yes. Less? No.

Nicole Rankins (09:41.762)

And then myth number three, just one kick is enough. Nope, nope-de-nope, nope, nope. One kick is not enough reassurance if you're concerned. You want to know your baby's usual pattern. I'm going to say this a lot in the episode. When they tend to be active, how that activity normally feels. If that pattern changes, and trust me, you'll pick it up. That's when you need to pay attention and possibly act. So.

If you've heard any of these myths, let them go right now. Ain't none of them true. Okay. Again, this is about helping you feel calm, feel confident and feel connected, not stressed, not obsessing. And obviously we're not going to be misinformed around here. Now let's talk about something that trips a lot of folks up. Do you need to sit down and count your baby's kicks every single day?

Well, the short answer is no, not really. You don't have to do that every single day like a thing on your checklist. The most important thing again is knowing your baby's normal pattern, when they tend to move and how those movements usually feel. Most professional organizations, including ACOG, that's the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, they set standards for OB-GYNs in the US. ACOG does not recommend all women

do structured kick counts every single day. What they do recommend is exactly what I'm telling you here. Be aware of your baby's normal pattern, pay attention to it. If that pattern changes, that is when you should take action. But no, the kick counts are a very helpful tool in certain situations. So when you're not sure if the movement feels normal, kick counts are great.

If you've been busy or distracted and just want to check in, counts are great. If you're feeling concerned or anxious about your baby's movements, kick counts are great. And then in those moments, let me tell you, here's how to actually do a kick count, all right? So you want to find a quiet spot where you can focus, sit down, lay down, drink something cold, sweet, eat something sweet. It might help wake your baby up a little bit.

Nicole Rankins (12:07.158)

and then pay attention and count any distinct body movement. That may be kicks, rolls, twists, stretches, jabs, any shifts in movement. You do not count hiccups. Hiccups are a good sign that your baby is practicing breathing, but they aren't counted towards those 10 movements. And what you're looking for are 10 movements and two

hours. If you get to 10 before two hours, you're done. You can stop. Okay. And I want to reiterate again, movement is movement. It's not just kicks, the stretches, the rolls, they absolutely count. Now, again, you don't need to do this every single day if you're already aware of your baby's usual pattern. But if you ever feel uncertain or something feels off, kick counts are an easy, low tech way to check in.

Bottom line, awareness first, kick counts when needed. Both are valuable and both are there to help you stay connected and empowered. And I'll tell you what's gonna happen in just a minute if you don't get to those 10 movements in two hours. But first, I'm gonna take a moment and be real with you about what the research says about tracking fetal movement and its relation to preventing stillbirth. Because you might be wondering,

If tuning into movement is so important, why is it important? What does it do? Does it actually lower the risk of stillbirth? And the answer is it's complicated. Several large studies, including one called the Affirm trial and another called My Babies Movements have looked at whether having all women do structured daily kit counts leads to fewer stillbirths and well,

Quite honestly, the results were mixed. Some studies have shown no clear reduction in stillbirth rates. There have been other studies that have shown a reduction in stillbirth rates or have shown when women look back that maybe there was some decreased movement before a stillbirth. That's gonna have some bias to it because when you're looking back, you may be looking back for things that you didn't notice before. So that's difficult to tell whether or not that...

Nicole Rankins (14:33.016)

connection really means anything. Now, the reason some studies show no clear reduction in stillbirth rates is because in some cases, by the time a baby's movement decreases enough to be noticed, it may already be too late to prevent that unfortunate outcome. Now, thankfully, stillbirth is rare. However, because it's rare, it also makes it difficult to study

the relationship between kick counts and stillbirth on a large scale. So this isn't something that we'll probably maybe even ever have a solid, straightforward answer to because it's a really difficult thing to study because stillbirth is rare. But it still matters. And here's why it still matters, because there are absolutely stories. I've seen this myself in my 20 plus years of practice where a mother noticed a change in the baby's movement.

she trusted her gut came in and we were able to intervene in time to protect that baby. That does happen. Now, I'm going to tell you a minute about what typically happens when folks come in and they have decreased fetal movement. But I want to say that while the evidence doesn't say that structured kit counts for every single person will magically prevent all bad outcomes, again, awareness absolutely can make a difference in some

cases and that's why it's recommended, why I recommend, why ACOG recommends. Be aware of your baby's usual pattern and then contact your doctor or midwife if that pattern changes. You're going to use kick counts as a tool when you're unsure. Again, that's something to obsess over, but something that's there when you need it. So no, the truth is that tracking fetal movements is not a guarantee to prevent

every complication. But tuning into your baby's movements is one more important tool in your hands. And when something feels off, you act, you call, you get checked. That is smart. That is empowered. And of course, that's exactly what I want for you to feel empowered during your pregnancy. Now let's get practical about this. When should you take action about your baby's movements?

Nicole Rankins (16:54.86)

When should you call your doctor? Here's a simple guide I want you to remember. If your baby's movement patterns feel off compared to what's normal for that baby, call. If you do a focused kick count and don't feel 10 movements in two hours, call. If your gut says something just does not feel right, please trust your gut and

now, just to decrease the worry a little bit, let me tell you what can cause temporary changes in how you feel movement. These are situations that might explain why you feel less movement sometimes. Babies do have something called sleep cycles where they sleep and these can last up to about 40 minutes. So that's why we say stretch it out for over two hours to do the kick counts. Also, your baby's position might make movements harder to feel.

For example, if they're facing towards your back, it may be harder to feel movements. Also, if you're distracted, you're busy, you're moving around, you might not notice movements as much. And then an anterior placenta, as I mentioned earlier, can also cushion the movements and make them feel softer. So again, if you think, haven't noticed baby move as much, sit or lie down, drink something cold or sweet, eat something sweet, it may wake the baby up a little bit.

Focus on fully feeling any movement except hiccups. Hiccups don't count. And if you feel 10 movements in two hours, you're good. If not, then call. Now, when you call, most likely your doctor will have you come in for a non-stress test. You can also just go in, but I recommend calling because we like to be prepared ahead of time before you come. But if you come in, obviously we'll see you. But if you call, we're going to say, hey.

You know what, come on in for a non-stress test. That's a simple way to check on your baby's heart rate and see how they're doing. We connect you to monitors, monitor the heart rate for at least 20 minutes or longer if needed. And here's the good news. In over 95 % of cases, everything looks great. Your baby starts moving once you're being monitored. That is exactly what we want to see. And please do not ever feel silly.

Nicole Rankins (19:16.81)

If you go in for decreased fetal movement and everything turns out fine, that is a good outcome. We want you to come in. We want you to trust yourself. Don't ever feel bad. I see this a lot where people come in and are like, I feel stupid. Now the baby's moving. Don't, don't, don't, don't, don't always trust your instinct and come in and get checked out if need be. Now, if the non-stress test,

is concerning, we may also do an ultrasound to check on your baby's wellbeing. That's something called a biophysical profile where we look at the baby's movement, breathing, tone, and check the baby out that way. Look at the fluid around the baby. And if you're full term, that is 37 weeks or more, and we have any concerns, we may actually recommend going ahead with delivery if decreased fetal movement remains persistent. At that point,

the risk of continuing the pregnancy and potentially having a stillbirth, that risk outweighs the risk of being born a little bit early. And we want to keep everyone safe. So again, bottom line, if something feels off, act, call, come in. You will never regret trusting your gut about your baby.

All right, now as we wrap up, here's what I want to leave you with. Again, there's no perfect way to monitor your baby's movement. And this is not about doing it perfectly or, you know, checking some imaginary box every day. It's really about staying tuned in, about learning your baby's normal pattern and paying attention to it. And most of all, it's about knowing that if something feels off, act. You are your baby's best.

Monitor. No app, no machine, not even your doctor. You know your baby's movement pattern better than anyone else. And that connection, it is powerful. I want you to trust it. Trust your awareness, trust your gut, and trust that asking for help is never wrong. So enjoy those kicks, those rolls, those hiccups.

Nicole Rankins (21:36.2)

every last one of them. Celebrate that connection and know that you are doing exactly what you need to do to help keep your baby safe. You've got this. Okay, that's it for this episode. If this show has helped you feel more calm, confident, or empowered, the best way to show your love is to subscribe.

leave a review in Apple podcast and share with a friend. It may not seem like a big deal, but those simple acts, especially leaving that review in Apple podcast, make a huge impact, help more moms to be, find birth with power, get the support they deserve. And then are we connected on the gram yet? If not, come join me on Instagram at Dr. Nicole Rankins. You'll find more tips, encouragement, and real talk about navigating birth with power. And listen, DM me your craziest stories about feeling your baby move. I wanna hear it.

There may be some crazy stories out there, like my daughter used to move at night like a wild woman. You could just see her going crazy. I truly love hearing and reading all of your stories. And then do me that one last favor. Come on back next week. And remember, trust your power. Take charge of your birth.