When Can I Feel Baby Move?

When you’re having your first baby, there is so much excitement around achieving all those little pregnancy milestones. Like the first ultrasound, the first visit with your healthcare provider, and then experiencing all the little (and big) changes pregnancy brings to your body.

One thing all new mothers highly anticipate is the first fetal movement or the first time they feel their baby kick. It’s naturally a very exciting moment for parents-to-be to feel their baby while they wait for it to come into this world.

If you’re wondering when you’ll experience this little miracle, let’s answer your questions!

When Will I Feel Baby Move?

Most mothers begin feeling their baby kick from 18-24 weeks. For first-time mothers, the experience may come around 20 weeks. If this is your second child, you might be able to feel these movements as early as 16 weeks of pregnancy.

What Will It Feel Like?

It feels different for every mother, but most mothers describe this feeling like butterflies, or as if something is twitching or tumbling inside your tummy. It might be a little difficult to recognize initially, and you might just confuse the movement as gas or hunger pangs.

But as your pregnancy progresses, the strength of these movements becomes stronger and you’ll be able to recognize it more easily. Sometimes you can even feel it when you place your hand on your tummy.

How Often Should My Baby Move?

Initially, you’ll only be able to recognize a few movements here and there throughout the day. Sometimes you can even miss them if you’re not paying attention.

But as your pregnancy progresses, the frequency of these movements will probably increase. It is important to note that there is not a set number of times you should feel a baby move each day. Every baby is different, and the amount they move or the space they have to move around in can affect this. It is better to start to understand the normal amount for your little one and base it off of that.

What If I Don’t Feel Anything?

If you haven’t felt anything by the 25th week or aren’t sure about what you’re feeling, it might be a good idea to visit your healthcare provider. They’ll assess the baby’s heartbeat and growth through a doppler or an ultrasound to make sure everything is okay.

Sometimes there could be a lack of movements due to certain harmless reasons that your healthcare provider can help recognize. They’ll also help in case you don’t know if what you’re feeling is a fetal movement.

Just know that every pregnancy is different, and you might experience things a little differently, which is completely okay. To learn more about pregnancy and childbirth, check out some of our childbirth classes we offer here at Birth Center Stone Oak!