The first fetal movements are an unforgettable experience for every pregnant woman. It is at such moments in a completely new way that she begins to feel that inside her there is a living being, tightly connected with her by a thin thread of the umbilical cord. The first movements of the fetus delight and disturb at the same time.
Why does the baby move?
The embryo begins to move in the uterus quite early. Already at the end of the third week of pregnancy, the first contractions of the heart muscle of the fetus appear. By the end of the eighth week of pregnancy, the baby's nervous system begins to form. Actually, from this moment the first motor reflexes appear. In truth, the first movements of the fetus cannot be called conscious and coordinated. In addition, the size of the embryo is still small compared with the size of the fetal bladder, so the embryo swims completely freely in the amniotic fluid and cannot have the effect that a pregnant woman could feel on the walls of the uterus.
Life in all its manifestations is realized in motion. When a living being moves, it means it is developing. For development, the little man inside the mother needs not only nutrition, but also various incentives. For example, when a woman lies on her back, her large blood vessels are squeezed by a heavy uterus, which causes a decrease in blood flow, and therefore, oxygen. The fetal response to a decrease in oxygen flow is an active movement that has a massaging effect on the placenta. As the fetus grows inside the uterus, this effect becomes more noticeable for a pregnant woman. And now comes the moment when the baby's intense movements inside the uterus force the woman to change her body position, turning from her back to her side. He is still very young, this child, but is already starting to tell his mother what she should do to make his life more comfortable.
When does a woman begin to recognize the first movements of the fetus?
So, we found out that the movement of the embryo is manifested by the end of the eighth week of pregnancy. After the ninth week, the embryo begins to swallow amniotic fluid, after the tenth week it grows to a size that allows it to change the trajectory of movement, starting from the walls of the uterus. After another two or three weeks, the baby is already clenching his fists, he knows how to feel his face. At the 16th week of pregnancy, he begins to respond to sounds. And first of all, the change in intonation in the mother’s voice.
And when does mom begin to hear all these baby signals? There are no single terms for all mothers without exception. One can only note the general average trend. It is believed that the first movements of the fetus primiparous women begin to recognize, starting from the 20th week of pregnancy. Women who become pregnant again - from the 18th week. However, some particularly sensitive mothers begin to recognize the first movements of the fetus, already starting from the 16th week of pregnancy. However, this occurs only in women who are pregnant for the third or more times.
Many ask what the baby's movements look like. Again, each woman perceives these feelings, commensurate with her own experience, or, in the absence thereof, to the best of her imagination. Sometimes the woman describes the first movements of the baby inside the uterus as tickling the wings of a moth or splashing of fish in an aquarium. But quite a lot of pregnant women to the last refuse to perceive the first movements of the fetus, attributing their feelings to the movement of gases in peristalsis.
How intense should the baby move? How to recognize the "language" of its intrauterine movements?
The movements of the fetus are the same language in which the baby, while still in the womb, communicates with her. To listen and try to understand why the baby is moving in this way, and not otherwise, is very important for mom. Not always the vigorous activity of the baby is a sign that he lacks oxygen or other vital substances. Most likely, the baby is simply uncomfortable in the position that he is forced to take, thanks to his mother. It is worth it to change the position of the body, and the child immediately calms down. If the baby’s movements are not uncomfortable for a pregnant woman, then this is a clear sign of the normal state of her child.
The norm for the fetus is 10-15 movements per hour, starting from the 24th week of pregnancy. However, the baby can remain alone for about three hours in a row. Do not worry about this - he is just sleeping. It is worth worrying if the baby's movements are not felt for more than 12 hours. In this case, a pregnant woman should not hesitate to consult a doctor. An unplanned trip to the obstetrician-gynecologist can also be caused by excessively active or too sluggish fetal movements for several days in a row. Any change in the activity of movements can signal that some kind of trouble is happening with the child.
In any case, having learned to understand the language of the baby’s movements, the mother subsequently will easily determine his needs after he is born.