By Melissa Meehan
There is no better feeling as a pregnant mum than feeling your baby kick for the first time.
Sure the flutters early on is nice, but once you hit that halfway mark and the kicks start coming – there is something magical happening.
I think it really cements the link between mum and bub.
Sure you’ve had the morning sickness, the scans and the growing belly.
But those movements are, what I think, the best thing about pregnancy.
Pregnant women should start to feel the baby move (also known as quickening) between 16 and 25 weeks.
First time mums might feel it closer to 25 weeks – and even then you’re more likely to notice when you’re having a quiet moment or lying down.
According to The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, normal fetal movements can be defined as 10 or more movements in 2 hours, felt by a woman when she is lying on her side and focusing on the movement.
They also say the more pregnant you are, the more likely you are to notice the movement – with the average number of movements perceived at term (40 weeks) is 31 per hour, ranging from 16-45.
I’m almost 28 weeks pregnant and my unborn baby already likes to party – they have a whopping kick that could see him or her play full forward for the mighty Tigers in the AFL or AFLW.
The baby moves so much, it was even tough for the medical practitioner at my 20 week scan to get everything they needed.
They had to ask me to go for a walk to see if we could get the bub to have a sleep.
I haven’t been very well this pregnancy and this is our last child. So I’m making the most of this feeling.
It is such a special thing that only us mums get to experience and there is nothing else like it.
And just a note for other pregnant mummas out there. Please don’t listen to old wives tales out there that baby movements decrease as you get closer to their due date.
If you notice any change, call your doctor, midwife or nearest hospital.
The Movements Matter website says every pregnancy is different and there is no specifically ‘right’ pattern of movement.
“Your baby’s movements may be different to another woman’s baby or even to a previous baby of your own,” the website says.
“What is more important is getting to know your baby’s pattern and noticing changes in this pattern that concern you.”
For more information go to http://movementsmatter.org.au/
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