Pregnancy guide > Your baby in pregnancy > Foetal movements

Foetal movements

Advice on counting and charting your baby's movements and kicks during the latter stages of pregnancy.

Your baby's movements can be quite variable. Babies have both sleeping and waking cycles.

After about 28 weeks it is important to check that your baby is moving regularly, particularly in the last few weeks. There are many methods to count and chart foetal movements and your doctor or midwife could provide you with a technique do this.

Most techniques involve counting any foetal flutter or movement for a period of several hours. For example, start counting when you get up in the morning. You should feel at least 10 foetal movements by noon (or in about 4 hours). If you do not reach this, drink some juice and count for another hour, then you should reach 10.

Another method is to lie down for an hour after dinner or sometime when your baby is most active. You should feel 10 foetal movements in 2 hours. If you do not, call your midwife or doctor who can monitor the heart rate in response to foetal movement if he or she feels the baby is not active enough or to reassure you.

A healthy baby is an active baby. Babies are not supposed to 'slow down' as term approaches, although the character of the movements does change.

Chat or Ask a Question:

If you have a question about this article or something else, visit our friendly forums & ask the AskBaby community.

Chat about foetal movements with our friendly community...

Your Comments:

We'd love to hear your comments on this article...

Is there a such thing as a baby moving to much, this is my second child an im 34 weeks pregnant the baby actually wakes me p at about 6 in the morning and i would be lucky to get a full hour during the day without being kicked, it kicks that much now that it can be sore.
by sheba129	13th Jun 2011, 9:00am

I am six months pregnant but do not feel any movement in my uterus. What should I do?
by sweetybano	15th Sep 2010, 9:23am

im 19 weeks and i feel movements but not alll the time , its my first baby : D but i phone my midwife and she said its perfectly fine , and everyones different i can feel my baby kick a lot 1 day and then 3 or 4 times the next if ur worried (tig) contact your midwife and she will reassure youu x
by 091210	12th Aug 2010, 10:23am

i felt my 1st movement at 16 weeks and 4days, well a flutter like pins n needles and this was all i felt until i was 20weeks n 2days. he started moving properly on the day of my 20 week scan. im now 29 weeks and stil have days were i dont feel lots of movement and days were i feel loads like he wont stop!!! i think its amazing and cnt w8 to meet him until then i must cherish the beatings xx
by tex86	11th Aug 2010, 5:32pm

is there any one out there 19 weeks and not feeling movement
by tig	7th Sep 2009, 11:09am

i.am 17 weeks with my 4th i dont feel movement at this time as i did with my 2rd and 3rd.Can this be bacause i was a size 12 to 14 and with my others i was only in a 8.Is being bigger making it harder for me to feel it
by kelly34	4th Aug 2009, 12:56pm

hi all! i tend to feel flutters around 11wks and im on my 5th pregnancy so i would like to reassure anyone having doubts as you know ya own body better than anyone! x
by crystalnpete	26th May 2009, 12:37pm

I felt movements in my body at about 14 weeks, i was just sitting in my house and i felt this really wierd feeling in my tummy, like butterflys and at first i wasnt sure what it was but then i read about it online and it said when u first feel ur baby move its like having butterfly's in ur tummy.. i am now 21 weeks pregnant and i feel my baby moving all the time, she is very active usually after i eat.. and in the mornings and late at night.. good luck with your pregnancy and i hope everything works out fine, and im sure u will feel your baby sooner or later :)

by Gemsy2009

13th May 2009, 9:38am

Hi i am 11weeks 4 days this is my first pregnancy and i am very excited. as it is said that you can feel the baby moves at 16th week but i can feel some fluttering going on in my abdnomen. Is it normal or should i contact my doc. anyone please help me.
by Bullu	20th Mar 2009, 9:12am

hi everyone!!! just wanted to know how early in your pregnancy did you feel movments from the baby? im 12 weeks and i can already feel fluttering in my abdomon, i just read about this and they said around 16 weeks u should start to feel the fluttering... i know every pregnancy is different. but could i be further gone than i thougt.or could there be more than one baby, my friends and family are teasing me saying im having twins, i wouldnt mind at all if i was... just wanted to know how early u felt movements... Thanks xxx

by babycakes03

12th Mar 2009, 9:06am

Due date calendar
Calculate your baby's due date and follow its growth and development using the pregnancy calendar

Foetal growth and development
Foetal growth and development in pregnancy explained, plus information on the main developmental stages during the 40 weeks of pregnancy.

Baby names
Advice on choosing names for your baby boy or baby girl plus unusual and top baby names and their meanings

Pregnancy health
Information on a wide range of pregnancy related health topics including caffeine, smoking, medical queries and alcohol.

Your baby's development
Watch your baby's growth and development through each of the weeks of your pregnancy - We can show you day by day how your baby is developing!

Talking to your bump
Why you don't have to wait until your baby's born to start communicating - the benefits of baby talk in pregnancy explained.