Movements

[Rainbow1234]

Is it normal for there to be 'quiet' days? Baby hasn't moved as much since yesterday afternoon, I have felt the odd kick or roll but nothing major. It's been like this from When I started feeling kicks ...some days she's really quiet and others it's constant hard kicks so I can't really see a pattern. I panicked about it on Thursday and did the drinking Orange juice and lying on my side and felt 10 kicks in under 10 minutes. I feel like I'll be at triage every week if this is something I should be worrying about. I don't know if I'm getting too hung up on it or not. What do you guys think? X

Also after feeling very little since yesterday ive had 6 or 7 hard kicks whilst ive been typing that x

 

[Rainbow1234]

Well I phoned triage and she made me feel like a total idiot. She said 30 weeks is too early on to feel much movement anyway?!?! Ive been feeling baby for weeks. Then said its only half 7 so you won't even have been up long. I'm in floods of tears now. Anyone else ive spoken to has said better safe than sorry

 

[El1en]

That's rubbish 30 weeks is not too early! If you're worried you should go in a be put on a trace. It's disgusting when women are made to feel like idiots it's their job to look after us!

 

[Rainbow1234]

She said 'we get these calls all the time' as if she just wasn't interested. She was the sister on duty too. That's the first time in this pregnancy ive felt like ive just wasted someones time. I was really upset after coming off that call. My midwife told me to never just ignore it cos it's better to be checked x

 

[Lolie14]

My baby has quiet days, its usually on a Wednesday or a Thursday and then the following day it goes mnad so I'm guessing it's having a weekly growth spurt!

I had a midwife appt on Thursday and she couldn't emphasise enough the importance of phoning the maternity unit if I have any concerns re baby's movement. She asked if movements were good and in a pattern which I confirmed they are. She talked me through a section of my notes which tells me what to do if concerned and again said don't be afraid to call, even if its midnight.

So sorry you have been spoken to like that, but do call if you're concerned.

I'm 30+4

 

[kumber]

That's absolutely disgraceful behaviour of the ward sister you spoke to. Movement can be felt from as early as 16 weeks and any reduction should ALWAYS be checked. I would call again and ask to speak to someone else, or call your community mw and ask how to proceed. I'm appalled at how you've been treated and strongly recommend you put in a complaint!!! That's made me so angry on your behalf, how dare she brush you off like that!

In terms of quiet days, it all depends on what's normal for your baby. Big ds, for example, never had a quiet time and I only got about 2 hours peace as he would fidget in his sleep as well as when awake. He still does too! This ds, however, is far more laid back and, whilst he has very active moments and is continuing to get more active as the days go on (32+1), he still has huge chunks of the day where he's very quiet.

Go on your instinct hun, if you're concerned then call and keep calling until they get you in. Ask to speak to different people if you're not being heard, sometimes you have to be extremely pushy with them. Ludicrous but there it is.

 

[summer15]

Exactly what Lolie said - my baby has 1 day a week when he just is a little quieter. I hate it and my husband tells me I'm mean because I poke him and drink ice cold water just get him to respond and put my mind at rest. I have now come to accept that this 1 day a week is part of his pattern (I too choose to think of it as a growth day where he's using all his energy on getting chubby ). That said, if you are at all worried or instinctually feel that the lack of movement is not normal for baby then call triage back and ask to speak to someone else or politely insist that you are checked.
I get a bit annoyed with my midwife - she's quite dismissive of a lot of things, made errors on my notes (even when I pointed them out) she failed to correct them and meant I missed out on a 16wk scan the hospital told me I should have had. I felt movement really early (about 15 weeks) my husband had even felt it - she told me at my 16wk appointment that was 'impossible' and wrote 'no fetal movement' on my notes! as first time parents we felt a bit silly, low and behold a week later the movements were defined enough for us to film them from the outside! I had a cover midwife when mine was on holiday and I much preferred her - I never even mentioned movement to her but she said if ever I felt his movements were lacking then to call triage, in her words: 'I'd rather you were calling triage every 24hrs and we made sure baby was fine than be that 1 person who is worried to call and something goes wrong.'
This is the advice EVERY pregnant woman should get in my opinion. 99% of the time it will be absolutely fine - but they have a duty to ensure you are not that 1%.
So sorry you were made to feel silly and upset.
Xxx

 

[Rainbow1234]

Thanks everyone. Good to know im not as daft as I was made to feel. Ive had something to eat and been concentrating on it for 35 minutes now and there's been very little. Morning and night is usually when she's most active. I wouldn't be as worried if it wasn't like this since yesterday afternoon. I was convinced Id wake up today and shed be kicking away as normal but it's thrown me that she's not x

 

[kumber]

I would give your community mws a call hun, tell them what happened this morning and ask how to proceed. Hopefully they'll call on your behalf.

 

[Browneyed Girl]

My baby has a quiet day every couple of weeks or so and it makes me worry especially if it takes a while the next day for movements to pick up. From 28 weeks movements should be monitored and if there's any change and you're not happy the hospital should bring you in and put you on the trace. I've been on it a couple of times. When I ring up they always say to eat and drink something (ice cold), go to the toilet and lie down on your side in a quiet room for at least an hour. If I'm still not happy after that I can go in.

I totally agree with all the other ladies, the person you spoke to was out of order and irresponsible in my opinion to say what she did. I've always been told it's best to ring with any concerns than ignore them. If it was me, I would try the above and then if it doesn't pick up I'd get my oh to ring back and say you're not happy. Let us know how you get on xx

 

[Lulu90]

I think it's pretty normal for our little ones to have quiet days. 2 weeks ago I got really stressed out because Henry hadn't moved in the morning, which is usually his most active time and when I went to triage and they monitored him, he was asleep the whole time. Only you know what you should do. When I was concerned everyone was saying oh no he will be fine but I just needed to know for sure. Now when he has a quiet day I don't panic xx

 

[Rainbow1234]

Thanks everyone. Kumber stupid question but what is community midwife? Is that the one I see for my appointments? For me she's only Monday to friday and it's triage outwith that. I phoned back and spoke to someone else who was much nicer, she said to monitor it over a 24hr period and I should feel roughly 10 episodes of movement and to phone them back if I had any concerns at all. I feel a bit better now, as the phone was ringing she done a mighty kick that shook my whole tummy. I feel nervous about phoning in future now but just need to remind myself that everyone ive spoken to have been lovely...apart from one. Thanks again. Xx

 

[kumber]

Yeah, your mw is your community mw but they usually give you a number to ring for the daytime to get over the phone advice.

The 10 movements advice is also incorrect hun, here are no set amount of movements that you should be feeling. Have a look at Count the Kicks, their explanation is much clearer than my haphazard one.

 

[heatheror12]

I agree any change in movement should always be checked. They say to monitor movements from 28 weeks. Maybe they get them calls all the time but it's obv mums that are concerned! If u are worried make sure they see you. I went in loads with my son because I needed that peace of mind. Was eventually induced due to reduced movement. Your mum and you know best so dont let them put you off going in! X

 

[JJ Mum]

Agree with the others, and 30 weeks is proper lots of movement! Mine does have really quiet periods tho, but you should always feel you can ring for reassurance or checking xx

 

[ShowingPromise]

The attitude of that nurse was terrible! I called hospital at 30+1 as baby's movements had changed and they didn't even hesitate in getting me straight in and onto a monitor. Thankfully all was fine, but they said to come back as often as I felt I needed to, that they would always rather be safe than sorry.
Any change in movements that you are worried about should be checked, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Rainbow1234]

Thanks everyone, she's back kicking loads now so the worry has eased off. Don't think it would have been too much for them to get me in and just reassure me earlier though but it's done now. Hopefully won't need to phone them again x

 

[ShowingPromise]

If you do feel the need to you can also just turn up, they should always take your concerns seriously so please don't let that one person put you off calling or going down. I get that they are busy but it is their job and far better to check you out and either send you home reassured or catch a problem before it becomes an emergency.