The feeling of the baby moving for the first time is very exciting, but it can also be a bit confusing. "Is it my stomach growling...or is it the baby?" It's a very common question.
Eventually, there will be no doubt about the baby's movement: the kicks will be so strong that you won't even question it. Later in the pregnancy, the sensation will be so different that you can even do a kick count to monitor the well-being of your baby.
A new mom will initially notice something somewhere around 18 to 25 weeks. If you've been pregnant before, you may feel the baby move sooner. Studies show it could be as early as 16 weeks. Doctors believe that veteran mothers can recognize and identify the baby's movement because they have already experienced it.
It may feel like a flutter-like movement. Babies move around in the womb to stretch and practice their motor skills. They can kick, punch and roll. At some point, you may feel a gentle, rhythmic hiccup.
Some of the most common questions about baby movement are:
When can you feel baby kick?
You may notice that your baby is more likely to move when sitting or lying down, and is quiet. Some pregnant women find that their babies are more active at night and move around more, after eating or drinking a sugary drink. Eventually, you may also notice that your baby responds to sounds or even your emotions with gentle (or not so gentle) kicks.
How does the baby's kicks feel?
Baby kicks feel different throughout pregnancy. The most common descriptions of those first movements of the baby is that they feel like gas or digestion, or like bubbles or butterfly wings.
In mid-pregnancy, kicking will become stronger and more frequent, and will feel more like gentle pushing and shoving. Then, they will become even stronger.
When do you feel the kicks of the baby in pregnancy?
Since the baby is so small at first, her movements are super smooth, like a butterfly. It is likely that you will feel "the flutter" in the range of 16 to 19 weeks. Once the baby grows, the flapping wings will give way to unmistakable kicks and somersaults.
El Dr. Daniel García, gynecologist and obstetrician at Ginefem, tells us when babies start to move.
