Essential Ways of Monitoring your Baby Movements

Popping bubbles, butterflies and gas in the tummy? These are the common terms used in describing what mothers feel on their baby’s first movements. These feelings are also known as quickening. Quickening generally arises during central months of pregnancy. It is commonly between 14-22 weeks of pregnancy. Once it occurs, majority of the women feels so excited and nervous. Quickening, on the hand, doesn’t occur at 22 weeks of pregnancy. There are several reasons why women don’t feel their baby’s movement during this week. The location of your baby, body weight and placenta’s location are some of its main reasons.

If you don’t feel the movement of your baby, you may ask assistance from your caregiver. You will soon feel the rolls, hiccups and kicks of your baby. It is found out through medical studies that baby monitoring movements after 28 weeks of pregnancy can prepared you to any impending complications. If you observe lack of baby’s movement, you better contact your own healthcare provider. You will soon have a kick count chart in monitoring the movements of your baby.

Concepts of Kick Count Chart

Kick count chart is a type of grid or graph printed on paper with various spaces. It is one way of measuring your baby’s daily movements. Kick count chart reassured every pregnant woman. Majority of the health providers use this type of method as their habitual part of caring for all late pregnant women especially during their late pregnancy.

Counting the Baby’s Movements

All heath providers offer their kick count charts, however, you can also jot down all your baby’s movements on a certain piece of paper. This is commonly known as bit of misnomer. In this chart you can record all the movements of your baby. Aside from kicks, you can also record flutter, roll, elbow, jab, push and stretch of your baby. If the baby continuously kicks three times within a short period of time, this is considered as three movements.

For your guidance, there are two general methods commonly used in monitoring the movements of your baby with the presence of kick count chart.

The Method of Cardiff Count to Ten

This method utilizes 8-12 hours of recording and covers at least 10 movements of your baby. Start charting with regular time and hours every day. The preferred time period greatly depends on your baby’s most active movements. After 12 hours and your baby still covers at least 10 movements, that means your baby is very active. However, if your baby didn’t move within 12 hours, you better consult your own health provider.

The One to Two Hour Method

This method can be done through lying on your left side that may lasts for 30 minutes right after you eat without any interruptions. It is also recommended to acquire this after dinner depending upon the alertness of your baby. Within 60-75 minutes, the baby must have 3-5 times movements.

Baby’s movement must properly be noted. Health providers also recommend having a NST or non-stress test. It monitors the heart rate of your baby using electronic fetal monitor and it may last 20-40 minutes. Sometimes, healthcare providers also use vibrator stimulator. It is commonly placed on woman’s belly near the baby’s head. This can create a loud noise that can wake up the baby and make him moving.