Is this your symptom?
- Concerns that the baby is moving less
- Questions about how to do a kick count
- Pregnant and patient is not in labor and does not have vaginal bleeding
Key Points
- Quickening is when a woman first feels her baby move. This usually occurs between the 18th and 20th week of pregnancy.
- Thin women feel the baby move sooner than overweight women.
Women use many different words to describe their babies' movements:
- Early in pregnancy women may describe a "fluttering," a "nudge," a "butterfly," or a slight "twitch."
- Later in pregnancy the baby's movements are more forceful. Women may then describe "hard kicking," "punching," or "rolling."
Baby Movement and Pregnancy Dates:
- 1-15 Weeks: baby is too small for mother to feel the baby move.
- 16-18 Weeks: some women begin to feel the baby move, especially if they had a baby before.
- 18-20 Weeks: many women begin to feel the baby move around this time.
- 20-23 Weeks: most women begin to feel the baby move around this time.
- 24 Weeks: all women should feel the baby move by this time.
- Over 28 Weeks: some doctors advise that women check kick counts each day.
Performing Daily Kick Counts:
- Doing a daily "kick count" or using a "kick chart" is one way to track your baby's movement.
- Some doctors recommend kick counts and some doctors do not.
- In some cases (such as a high-risk pregnancy), it may be more important to check daily kick counts.
Kick Count Instructions
- Pick the time of the day that your baby is most active.
- Sit back in a comfortable chair or lie down on your left side in bed.
- Do this in a quiet room (no TV, cell phone, computer, or children).
- Count any baby movement (kicks, rolls, flutters). Count up to 10.
- Normal Kick Count: 5 or more in one hour, or 10 or more in 2 hours.
- Low Kick Count: Less than 5 in one hour, or less than 10 in 2 hours.
When to Call for Pregnancy - Baby Moving Less
Call 911 Now
Go to ER Now
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
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Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
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Self Care at Home
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Call 911 Now
- You think you have a life-threatening emergency
Go to ER Now
- Severe headache
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
- Baby is moving less or seem different than usual
- You have not felt your baby move in the past 2 hours
- Trouble breathing, but not severe
- New swelling of hands or face
- Blood pressure is greater than 140/90
- Vaginal bleeding, but not severe
- Abdominal pain, but not severe
- Sudden onset of itching all over
- Fever or chills; feeling hot or shivery
- Repeated vomiting and can't keep fluids down
- You feel weak or very sick
- You think you need to be seen, and the problem is urgent
Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
- Pain or burning when passing urine
- You think you need to be seen, but the problem is not urgent
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
- You are 20 or more weeks pregnant and have not felt the baby move yet
- You have other questions or concerns
Self Care at Home
- Baby moving normally OR normal kick count
Care Advice for Stomach Pain
What You Should Know About Stomach Pain:
- Mild stomach pain can be caused by something simple. It could be from gas pains or eating too much.
- Sometimes, stomach pain signals the start of a viral infection. This will lead to vomiting or loose stools.
- Watching your child for 2 hours will help tell you the cause.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Lie Down:
- Have your child lie down and rest until feeling better.
Clear Fluids:
- Offer clear fluids only (such as water, flat soft drinks or half-strength Gatorade).
- For mild pain, offer a regular diet.
Prepare for Vomiting:
- Keep a vomiting pan handy.
- Younger children often talk about stomach pain when they have nausea. Nausea is the sick stomach feeling that comes before they throw up.
Pass a Stool:
- Have your child sit on the toilet and try to pass a stool.
- This may help if the pain is from constipation or diarrhea.
- Note: for constipation, moving a warm wet cotton ball on the anus may help.
Do Not Give Medicines:
- Any drug (like ibuprofen) could upset the stomach and make the pain worse.
- Do not give any pain medicines or laxatives for stomach cramps.
- For fever higher than 102° F (39° C), acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can be given.
What to Expect:
- With harmless causes, the pain is most often better or gone in 2 hours.
- With stomach flu, belly cramps may happen before each bout of vomiting or diarrhea. These cramps may come and go for a few days.
- With serious causes (such as appendicitis), the pain worsens and becomes constant.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Pain becomes severe
- Constant pain lasts more than 2 hours
- Mild pain that comes and goes lasts more than 24 hours
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Extra Help - Worried Stomach:
- Help your child talk about events that trigger the stomach pain. Talk to your child about how to cope with these the next time around.
- Help your child worry less about things she can't control.
- To treat the pain, help your child get very relaxed. Lying down in a quiet place and taking slow deep breaths may help. Make the belly go up and down with each breath. Then try to relax all the muscles in the body. Think about something pleasant. Listening to audios that teach how to relax might also help.
- Make sure your child gets enough sleep.
- Make sure that your child doesn't miss any school because of stomach pains. Stressed children tend to want to stay home when the going gets rough.
- Caution: your child should see her doctor for an exam. Do this before concluding frequent stomach pains are from worrying too much.
