Feeling baby move for the first time: when and how?

The first movements of your baby in the womb are generally felt during the second trimester, between weeks 18 and 20 of pregnancy. You may not feel them until week 20, or even week 24, particularly if this is your first baby, as you may not yet be aware of these movements. Those first little kicks can feel like flutters. If this is not your first pregnancy and you have been pregnant before, you may be able to feel your baby move as early as week 16[1]! 

In general, expectant mothers experience sensations in these 3 categories [3]: 

• Gentle: light, faint, difficult to notice, like a feather.
• Gas: sensation of bubbles, wind, gas, stomach rumbling, gurgling, heartburn.
• Flutter: heartbeat, butterfly wing, wave, tingling, buzzing, breath, itching, stomach spasm.

Your baby has sleep periods of 20 to 40 minutes, and sometimes up to 90 minutes, which means they won't be moving during those times. Additionally, when you are busy, you probably won't feel these movements [4]. 

On the other hand, if the placenta is located at the front of your uterus, you may find it harder to feel your baby's movements. If your baby's back is at the front of your uterus, you may feel fewer movements than if their back is alongside yours.

The type of movement you feel depends on what your baby is doing and their stage of growth and development. The first kicks you feel may resemble gas, bubbles, etc., but gas is short and intense, whereas movements are more regular and localised. 

Generally, the afternoon and evening are the periods of maximum activity for your baby. 

The number of movements tends to increase up to 32 weeks of pregnancy, then remains roughly the same, although the type of movement may change as you get closer to your due date. There is also less room to move, but you should continue to feel your baby move in the womb right up until you begin labour. Your baby should also move during labour [2].

If you are stressed, your baby will be more active

Greater motor activity was observed in the foetuses of pregnant women with higher levels of anxiety and stress during pregnancy [5].

It is best to try to be as stress-free as possible during pregnancy. To do so, make sure to monitor your intake of magnesium and do not hesitate to take a supplement magnesium pregnancy as needed. 

If you have low blood sugar (before eating), your baby will move even more

Researchers assessed foetal activity levels in utero in relation to maternal blood glucose in diabetic pregnant women between 36 and 40 weeks of pregnancy [6]. They noted a statistically significant increase in foetal activity during episodes of low blood sugar. 

Conversely, another group studied the effects of hyperglycaemia on the child and noted a significant decrease in foetal movements in cases of sustained maternal hyperglycaemia [7]. Similarly, a study of foetal motor activity in relation to blood glucose levels in mothers with gestational diabetes showed that foetal motor activity was faster when the mother's blood glucose level decreased and slower when it increased [8]. The fact that studies have reported foetal inactivity in the context of the maternal postprandial state (after a meal) raises the possibility that an increased glucose intake may have a suppressive effect on foetal activity [9]. 

Consequently, according to studies, you are more likely to feel your baby move when you are experiencing low blood sugar (before eating, for example) than when your blood sugar rises (after a meal). 

Our tips for feeling your baby move: lie down, in a quiet place, in the afternoon before eating a pregnancy snack. 

There may be links between a baby's activity in the womb and their development. Feeling your baby move is a sign of foetal wellbeing. 

Please note that not feeling your baby move, or noticing fewer movements, does not necessarily mean your baby is in danger. 

Every pregnancy is different; what matters is learning to recognise your baby's usual movements day by day.

If you notice that your baby is moving less than usual, do not hesitate to consult your healthcare professional (midwife, gynaecologist, GP, etc.).