Most people first feel their baby move between 16 and 24 weeks of pregnancy, and often after 20 weeks if it's a first baby. Movements usually become regular by about 28 weeks. From then on, what matters is your own baby's pattern: there's no set number of kicks to reach, and healthy babies don't move less towards the end of pregnancy.
If your baby's movements slow down, stop or change, call your midwife or maternity unit straight away, whatever the time. The NHS guide to your baby's movements puts it plainly: "Do not wait until the next day – call immediately, even if it's the middle of the night." Don't use a home doppler to reassure yourself first.
When will I first feel my baby move?
| Source | When movements are usually first felt |
|---|---|
| NHS (UK) | 16 to 24 weeks; a first baby may not be felt until after 20 weeks |
| RCOG (UK) | Most at 18 to 20 weeks; from around 16 weeks if you've been pregnant before |
| Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australia) | By about 20 weeks, earlier in a second or later pregnancy |
| Safer Baby Bundle (Australia) | 16 to 24 weeks, wherever your placenta lies |
Australia's Pregnancy, Birth and Baby page on baby movements says movements should become regular by about 28 weeks. Where your placenta sits can change what you feel: with an anterior placenta (at the front of the womb), movements tend to be felt at around 20 weeks and may feel less strong.
If you haven't felt your baby move by 24 weeks, the NHS says to tell your midwife so they can check your baby's heartbeat.
What do baby movements feel like?
Early movements are easy to miss. The NHS describes them as a gentle swirling or fluttering, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby lists bubbling, swishing, rolling, tumbling or tiny kicks. This early stage is sometimes called quickening.
As your baby grows, you'll feel clearer kicks, jabs, stretches and rolls. The RCOG's leaflet on your baby's movements counts any kick, flutter, swish or roll as a movement.
What is a normal pattern of movements?
There's no single normal. The NHS says there's no set number of movements you should feel each day, because every baby is different. Instead, you get to know your own baby's pattern over the weeks: when they tend to be busy, and how strong their movements usually feel.
Things that are useful to know as you learn the pattern:
- Babies sleep in short cycles. The RCOG says sleep periods mostly last 20 to 40 minutes and are rarely longer than 90 minutes, and babies usually don't move while asleep.
- Afternoons and evenings are often busier. The RCOG says these are usually times of peak activity, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby notes babies may be more active while you sleep.
- Quiet moments help. The Safer Baby Bundle says movements are easier to feel when you're sitting quietly or lying on your side, especially in the evening.
- Busy days can hide movements. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby suggests making time each day to notice your baby moving, and setting a reminder if you're at work or caught up in other things.
- Position can matter. The RCOG says that when a baby's back lies against the front of the womb, you may feel fewer movements.
Should I count my baby's kicks?
Advice on kick counting differs by country, and has changed over time.
- Australia. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says that because there's no set number of movements, counting kicks or recording them on a chart is no longer recommended. The Safer Baby Bundle, developed by Australia's Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence and endorsed by RANZCOG, asks you to know your baby's pattern and act on any change.
- UK. The NHS says to focus on your baby's usual pattern rather than counting. The RCOG says there isn't enough evidence to recommend routine movement charts, and there's no specific number of movements that is considered normal.
- US. The CDC's urgent maternal warning signs also say there's no specific number of movements that is normal, and list a baby's movement stopping or slowing as a warning sign. ACOG's page on tests of fetal well-being says that if you've felt your baby move less often than you think is normal, your provider may ask you to keep track with kick counts, and will tell you how often and when to call.
Some US hospitals still teach a count. Cleveland Clinic's kick-count guide, for example, describes 10 movements in 1 or 2 hours as typical. If you've been asked to count, do it the way your provider explained. But no count should stop you acting on what you've noticed: if your baby is moving less than usual, call now rather than waiting to try again later.
Do babies move less towards the end of pregnancy?
No. The Safer Baby Bundle lists this among the common myths about movements, and believing it can delay getting help. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby and the Safer Baby Bundle both say healthy babies keep moving every day right up until they're born. The RCOG says the number of movements tends to increase until 32 weeks and then stay about the same.
What can change is the type of movement. As space gets tighter, you may feel more rolls and pushes than sharp kicks. The Safer Baby Bundle says healthy babies may have longer rests between active times at the end of pregnancy, but they should still move every day. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says you should keep feeling movements during labour too.
So if your baby is moving less, don't put it down to running out of room. Call your maternity unit.
What should I do if my baby is moving less?
- Call your midwife, maternity unit or birth suite straight away. The NHS, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby and the Safer Baby Bundle all say not to wait until the next day or your next appointment.
- Don't try to get your baby moving first. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby and the Safer Baby Bundle say eating or drinking something doesn't make a baby move.
- Don't rely on a home doppler or app. The NHS says that even if you hear a heartbeat, it doesn't mean your baby is well. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says these devices aren't accurate or reliable and can give false reassurance.
- If you can't get through, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says to go to your nearest hospital birthing unit or A&E.
- Call again every time. If movements slow again after a normal check, the RCOG says never to hesitate to contact your unit, however many times it happens. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby adds that you're not wasting anyone's time.
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby explains why this matters: a slowing of movements can be a sign that a baby is unwell, and while it's uncommon, reduced movements are linked to a higher risk of stillbirth. A check that finds all is well is a good outcome, not a wasted trip.
What happens when I go in to be checked?
The RCOG describes the checks after 28 weeks:
- questions about your baby's movements and your pregnancy
- a full antenatal check
- monitoring of your baby's heart rate (often called a CTG), usually for at least 20 minutes
- an ultrasound scan in some cases, for example if your bump measures small, you have risk factors, or movements still feel reduced. The RCOG says this is normally done within 24 hours of being requested.
The Safer Baby Bundle says staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and checks may also include a blood test. You can usually go home once you and your baby are reassured. Between 24 and 28 weeks, the RCOG says the midwife will listen to your baby's heartbeat and do a full antenatal check, including your blood pressure and urine.
Why sleep on your side from 28 weeks?
The Safer Baby Bundle's side-sleeping flyer says that after 28 weeks, lying on your back presses on major blood vessels, which can reduce blood flow to your womb and the oxygen supply to your baby. It says research shows that going to sleep on your side from 28 weeks halves the risk of stillbirth compared with going to sleep on your back. It puts stillbirth after 28 weeks at about 1 in every 500 babies.
- Either side is fine. The Safer Baby Bundle says left or right both work.
- Every sleep counts. Red Nose in Australia says to sleep on your side for all sleeps, including naps and when you go back to sleep after waking.
- Waking on your back is common. Both say not to worry; just roll onto your side.
Many people find a pillow behind the back, or between the knees, makes side-sleeping more comfortable.
When to get help
Call your maternity unit, birth suite or midwife now, day or night, if:
- your baby's movements have slowed down, stopped or changed from their usual pattern
- you're unsure whether your baby is moving as much as usual
- movements slow again after you've already been checked.
Call 999 now if you have heavy bleeding from your vagina, a seizure (fit), collapse, or severe pain that doesn't go away. See signs of labour for the other signs that need a call straight away in late pregnancy.
Contact your midwife soon if you haven't felt your baby move at all by 24 weeks, as the NHS and RCOG advise, so they can check your baby's heartbeat.
What's useful to note down?
A few words in a pregnancy diary can help you learn the pattern: the times of day your baby is usually busy, what the movements feel like, and anything that seems different. If you call about movements, the time you last felt your baby move is useful to have ready. Notes are for spotting a change, not for reaching a target, so never wait to finish them before calling. When you're ready to plan the birth itself, see the birth plan and hospital bag guides.
