Should you need urgent health advice please contact your GP or call NHS 111. In an emergency please visit A&E or call 999
Fetal movements, your baby’s movements, can be defined as any kick, flutter, swish or roll.
You may start to feel your baby move from about 16 weeks or possibly even later than 20 weeks.
If you have not felt movements by 24 weeks, please discuss this with your community midwife.
From 16-24 weeks onwards you should feel the baby move more and more, up until 32 weeks when they will stay roughly the same until you give birth.
Please be aware of your baby’s normal pattern as early as you can. Formal counting of movements is not recommended – it is more important that you recognise what is a normal pattern for your baby.
It is important that you report any significant reduction or sudden alteration in your baby’s movement immediately:
- Under 26 weeks, please inform your midwife via the Community Office on 0116 258 4834
- From 26 weeks, please contact your Maternity Assessment Unit (MAU) you are booked at on 0116 258 4808 (Leicester General Hospital) or 0116 258 6312 (Leicester Royal Infirmary) . You will be asked to visit hospital for this to be investigated.
Please do not wait until the next day.
Reduced or absent movements can sometimes be a warning sign of your baby experiencing problems, and in some cases babies have sadly been found to have died following such an episode.
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