They will listen to your baby’s heartbeat and may send you for an ultrasound. Those expecting their second or subsequent baby may feel movements much earlier – often around 16 weeks.Ĭontact your midwife if you haven’t felt your baby move by 24 weeks.
Women expecting their first baby often notice movements by 20 weeks. The majority of pregnant women feel their baby’s distinct movements in the womb by around 18-20 weeks’ gestation however, this can vary between women: It’s easy to miss your baby’s movements in the early weeks of pregnancy and, in first-time pregnancies, can easily be mistaken for wind or indigestion. Devastatingly, in some cases this has resulted in babies dying. There have been cases where women have noticed a change in their babies movements but not contact a midwife because they can ‘hear’ a heartbeat. As mentioned, the NICE guidelines don’t recommend midwives routinely listen to it for this reason.įinally, home dopplers can give people a false sense of security. They could still be unwell, in the same way your heartbeat isn’t affected by every illness you have. The other important thing to consider is that even if it is your baby’s heartbeat you hear, it doesn’t tell you anything other than the fact they have a heartbeat. That’s before you even consider how high quality the product you purchased on the high street is. It could be your own or other noises you can mistake for a heartbeat, such as blood flow into the placenta. These are dangerous claims, as it takes midwives and doctors years of training to recognise what they hear through a doppler! For starters, it may not be your baby’s heartbeat you hear. You can buy many devices that tell you they can measure your baby’s heart rate, from mobile phone apps to home dopplers. Learning to recognise your baby’s typical pattern of movements is a straightforward way for you to assess your baby’s health and wellbeing without training or specialist equipment, including home dopplers! Why are home dopplers not recommended? Then, from 24+0 weeks, the NICE guidelines also recommend your midwife asks about your baby’s movements at each antenatal contact. Your midwife should inform you early on about the importance of feeling for your baby’s movements or kicks. Therefore, assessing your baby’s movements is an essential aspect of your midwife’s regular antenatal care during your pregnancy. Instead, monitoring the baby’s activity and their pattern of movements is better at assessing a baby’s health and wellbeing. Because the presence of the fetal heart rate does not guarantee the baby is healthy. NICE Guidelines advise midwives not to listen for the baby’s heartbeat at routine antenatal appointments. Research shows as many as 55% of women who had a stillbirth noticed their baby’s movements had slowed or stopped the week before. An increased likelihood of preterm birth. Studies show a link between absent or reduced fetal movements and poor health outcomes, such as: 
Your baby’s movements during pregnancy are the best indicator of their health and wellbeing. Why is the pattern of my baby’s movement’s important?
0 kommentar(er)
