Feeling your baby move for the first time is a moment most mothers remember. As the weeks pass, those flutters become kicks, rolls and stretches that follow their own daily rhythm. Those movements are more than reassuring - they are one of the most useful signs of how the baby is coping inside the uterus. A baby who is unwell often moves less, and a reduction in movements can come days before other signs. Knowing what is normal for your baby, and acting quickly when it changes, is something every pregnant woman can do.
When will I first feel the baby move?
- Most women first notice movements between 16 and 24 weeks
- In a second or later pregnancy, movements are often felt earlier, around 16 to 18 weeks
- In a first pregnancy, it may be closer to 20 to 24 weeks
- An anterior placenta (one at the front of the uterus) can cushion movements and delay when you notice them
- Early movements feel like flutters, bubbles, a swishing feeling, or gentle taps
If you have not felt any movements by 24 weeks, tell your doctor. A scan is usually arranged to check on the baby.
Between about 24 and 28 weeks, movements can still be irregular, and you may go through quieter days. Mention any concern at your visit. From 28 weeks onwards, movements become regular enough that a change in the pattern is meaningful, and that is when tracking them each day becomes most useful.
What a normal pattern looks like
There is no single number of movements that is right for every baby. What matters is your own baby’s pattern. Babies have sleep cycles of 20 to 40 minutes, rarely longer than 90 minutes, during which they move little. Many babies are more active in the evening and at night, after meals, and when the mother lies down.
- Movements increase steadily until about 32 weeks and then stay at a similar level until delivery
- In the last weeks the type of movement changes - fewer sharp kicks and more rolls, squirms and pushes - because there is less room
- The number of movements should not reduce towards the end of pregnancy
- Hiccups are rhythmic jerks and are normal, but they do not count as movements
It is a myth that babies move less just before labour. A reduction in movements at any stage, including the last weeks, needs to be checked the same day.
How to do a kick count
From about 28 weeks, many doctors in India suggest a daily kick count, which helps you become familiar with your baby’s pattern. International guidance from RCOG emphasises knowing your baby’s usual pattern rather than reaching a fixed number. A simple way to combine both:
- Choose a time when your baby is usually active, often after dinner
- Lie on your left side or sit comfortably with your feet up
- Count every distinct kick, roll, swish or flutter; a burst of movements counts as one
- Note how long it takes to feel 10 movements - most babies reach 10 well within two hours, often in under 30 minutes
- Write the time down each day, in a notebook or an app, so you notice if it is taking longer than usual
If you do not feel 10 movements within two hours, or if it is taking much longer than your baby usually takes, contact the hospital.
Things that do not reassure
Some common responses to reduced movements are not reliable and can cause harmful delay:
- Drinking something cold or sweet and waiting - if movements are reduced, call rather than trying to stimulate the baby at home
- Using a home Doppler or a phone app to listen for the heartbeat - hearing a heartbeat does not mean the baby is well, and it may give false reassurance
- Waiting until the next morning or the next appointment
- Being told by a relative that it is normal for babies to slow down near the due date
What happens when you come in
When you report reduced movements, you are seen promptly. The assessment usually includes:
- Listening to the baby’s heartbeat
- A cardiotocograph (CTG or NST), which records the baby’s heart rate and your uterus for 20 to 40 minutes
- Checking your blood pressure and urine
- An ultrasound to check the baby’s growth, the amount of fluid, and blood flow (Doppler), if indicated
If the tests show a problem, such as a slowing of the baby’s growth, reduced fluid, or an abnormal heart rate pattern, the team will discuss the next steps with you. These may include closer monitoring, steroid injections to mature the baby’s lungs, or, near term, planning delivery. Acting early gives more options. Most women who come in with reduced movements go home with a healthy baby and a normal trace. That is a good outcome, not a wasted visit. If you feel reduced movements again on another day, come back again - every episode deserves its own check.
Who should be especially alert
- Women with high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, or diabetes
- A baby measuring small for dates, or with reduced fluid
- A previous stillbirth or a baby with growth restriction
- Pregnancy beyond 40 weeks
- Smokers or women exposed to tobacco
When to see a doctor
Contact the hospital immediately if your baby is moving less than usual, if the pattern has changed, if you cannot feel 10 movements in two hours, or if you have not felt movements by 24 weeks. Do not wait for your next appointment and do not wait until morning. Divine Women’s Hospital, Gota provides labour and emergency obstetric care 24 × 7, and Dr. Devang Patel’s team can arrange a CTG and, where needed, a growth and Doppler scan the same day.
Related care: Pregnancy care and delivery
More patient guides
- The NT scan at 11–14 weeks: what it checks and how to prepare
- High blood pressure in pregnancy: the warning signs you should not wait on
- Expecting twins? Why “do they share a placenta?” is the first question
- NIPT or NT scan: which test do you need, and can one replace the other?
- Pregnancy after 35: fertility, risks and how to plan a healthy pregnancy
This guide is general information for patients and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor.