Q: Hi Dr. I’m 5months pregnant but my baby is not kicking yet – only moves. Any idea?

A: The first time you feel your baby’s movement is known as quickening and the time women feel it varies person to person. It ranges from 16 to 25 weeks but women who have had babies before may feel this much earlier. Women describe it as different things: a bubbly feeling, butterflies in their tummy, gas etc.

You would have observed that your doctor or midwife has asked you to be aware of your baby’s movement and specifically, make a note to let them know if the movements reduce. This is because reduced baby’s movements may signify baby is in distress or other problems.

It is possible your baby has kicked but perhaps, you are expecting some other kind of sensation, you have not taken note. There are a couple of things you could do to feel your baby’s kick, though J

You may notice that when you drink cold water, that baby moves around. This is, theoretically because the uterus/womb is close to the digestive tract such that the cold water in the digestive tract stimulates the baby to move. Women who feel concerned about their baby’s movements are sometimes asked to do this and check for baby’s movement. Babies also tend to move around a lot after a meal. If you’re struggling to sleep and baby is intent on finding a comfortable position, his/her movements can also get exaggerated 😀

Having said all of these, if you do believe baby’s movements are less frequent or vigorous than they should be, please see your doctor about this. Better safe than sorry.

Have a great weekend! 😀