Have a snack. Babies respond to those blood sugar boosts of yours much like you do. Next time you're trying to do a kick count or just want reassurance that your little one is okay, try eating a healthy snack like cheese and crackers, peanut butter toast, Greek yogurt or fruit and nuts.
Babies are most active after you've eaten a meal, and with a full stomach, mothers are more likely to feel the movements of the baby, as there is less overall room for the baby to move. For new mothers, they'll often begin to notice movement around 22 weeks.
Babies often kick in reaction to foods you've eaten. Spicy foods get many babies up and kicking. Sugary foods can deliver a sugar-high to your baby that induces lots of movement and restlessness.
Mothers can feel a fetus kick as early as 15 weeks. As the brain develops, the fetus kicks and responds to their own brain activity, as well as to changes in maternal movement, sound, temperature, and other stimuli.
Drink something.
Chug a glass of cold OJ or milk; the natural sugars and the chilly temperature of the drink are usually enough to spur movement in your baby.
Note the norm for this pregnancy and report to your health care provider immediately if you notice reduced or no movements. Some experts consider ten kicks in two hours to be the minimum number of movements you should feel. If you feel less than that, you should see your obstetrician.
Fetal movements typically increase when the mother is hungry, reflecting lowered blood sugar levels in the mother and fetus. This is similar to the increased activity of most animals when they are seeking food, followed by a period of quietness when they are fed.
Your baby's growth might have slowed down. Or there could be a problem with your baby's placenta or with your uterus. It's also possible that your baby's umbilical cord could have gotten wrapped around their neck, a condition that doctors call nuchal cord.
Babies are most active after meals or if you've just had some caffeine or sugar. You can help nudge baby into wiggling with a glass of cold milk (or anything else chilly and sweet) and lying on your side to increase blood flow to baby. Or try one of our favorite pastimes: The remote control trick.
Baby's Palate, Food Memories Shaped Before Birth Amniotic fluid and breast milk can be flavored by the food a mother eats. And memories of these flavors are formed before birth. That could result in preferences for these foods or odors for a lifetime.
Babies tend to move more at certain times of the day as they alternate between alertness and sleep. They are usually most active between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m., right as you're trying to get to sleep. This surge in activity is due to your changing blood sugar levels.
Ideally, you want to feel at least 10 movements within 2 hours. You will likely feel 10 movements in less time than that.
Depending on your stage of pregnancy, your body type, and even the time of day, sometimes your belly will feel soft and other times it will feel tight and hard. The reality is, there's no normal to compare yourself with. Pregnant bellies come in all shapes, sizes, and firmness.
If you count less than than 10 kicks in one hour or 20 kicks in 2 hours, call your healthcare provider with your concerns. They may ask you to come in for prenatal testing to check the health of you and your baby.
If you don't reach 10 kicks within one hour, have a snack and try again. And if you don't count 10 kicks in two hours, call your practitioner.
You should start to feel your baby move between around 16 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. If this is your first baby, you might not feel movements until after 20 weeks. If you have not felt your baby move by 24 weeks, tell your midwife.
A baby may be more active about an hour after the mother eats. This is because of the increase in sugar (glucose) in the mother's blood. Fetal movement normally increases during the day with peak activity late at night.
In eight cases however participants explicitly recounted increased fetal movements interpreted by the mother as a response to hunger or eating. Of these eight, seven women (36.8% 7/19) described increased fetal activity in association with maternal hunger or the period prior to meals.
The takeaway
While it's true your baby can cry in the womb, it doesn't make a sound, and it's not something to worry about. The baby's practice cries include imitating the breathing pattern, facial expression, and mouth movements of a baby crying outside of the womb. You shouldn't worry that your baby is in pain.
If you haven't felt any movement from your baby by 24 weeks, see your doctor or midwife. At any stage of your pregnancy, if you are concerned about your baby's movements, contact your midwife or doctor immediately. Do not wait until the next day. A slowing down of movement may be a sign that your baby is unwell.
So most fetal movement (kicks, etc.) is felt in the lower part of the belly. As both the uterus and fetus grow, a fetus' movements can be felt all over the belly, including the upper part of the abdomen. So it is completely normal to feel fetal kicks in the lower part of your abdomen prior to 20 weeks.