Foetal movements

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

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Normal pregnancy > Foetal movements

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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.