7 Ways To Encourage Your Baby To Move During Pregnancy

Feeling your baby move is an exciting part of pregnancy. These movements often start as subtle flutters and eventually progress into full-blown kicks. Once you're in your third trimester, you should regularly feel these sensations—and you might even encourage your baby to move in the womb.

Fetal movements help expectant parents bond with their babies, but they also serve an essential function. “They give us insight into how a baby is doing between appointments,” says Ashley Parr, DO, a California-based OB-GYN with MemorialCare Medical Group in Irvine, California. “Good fetal movements help us to feel reassured, while decreased fetal movement may tip us off that evaluation is needed.”

If you experience a sudden decrease in movements, particularly once you are in the third trimester, it's important to let your doctor know. Sometimes decreased fetal movement is due to the baby-to-be’s sleep cycle, says Dr. Parr, but it can also be a red flag.

Here's what to know about fetal movement patterns in each trimester, what affects them, and how to get your baby to move in the womb.

When Can You Start Feeling Fetal Movement?

People typically begin feeling fetal movements sometime between weeks 20 and 22, especially during a first pregnancy. In subsequent pregnancies, you might notice these movements earlier. Some second-time (or more) pregnant people feel quickening as early as 16 weeks.

“Early movements can mimic gas or other sensations and may be difficult to detect the first time around," says Karla Robinson, MD, a board-certified family physician and medical editor at GoodRx. "With each pregnancy thereafter, you may feel your baby moving by your 16th week of pregnancy because you’re more familiar with the patterns and sensations of early movement.”

The placenta placement also affects when you feel fetal movement. “If you have an anterior placenta, [which means it's] attached to the front of the uterus, it can be harder to feel your baby’s early movements because the placenta becomes an extra layer between your baby and abdominal wall,” says Dr. Robinson. People with a posterior placenta—or one behind the uterus and closer to the spine—don’t have this layer and may feel movement earlier.

Common Fetal Movement Patterns by Trimester

As long as you've been attending your prenatal medical appointments, then your physician has been monitoring the development of your pregnancy, and they should be able to give you some reassurance that your baby is growing properly. Here's what to expect during each trimester.

First trimester fetal movement

Though pregnant people don’t typically feel flutters or kicks until their second trimester—somewhere between 16 to 22 weeks—the developing baby is actually on the move much sooner.

The fetus starts to move around 7 weeks, "but they are much too small for you to feel,” says Dr. Parr. “At this point, there might be small limb, head, or mouth movements.”

Parents-to-be and their providers will notice these movements on first-trimester ultrasounds, usually around 8 and 12 weeks. 

Second trimester fetal movement

You may notice movements early in the second trimester, but it won’t feel like the hallmark kicks yet.

“At times from 16 weeks on, you may feel faint flutters that almost feel like gas bubbles in your pelvis,” says Ellen Smead, CNM, a certified nurse-midwife at Pediatrix Medical Group in Atlanta. The kicks will become stronger later in the second trimester and early in the third trimester.

Third trimester fetal movement

“Throughout the third trimester, you will feel a combination of kicks, punches, stretching, and rolling sensations,” says Dr. Parr.

Though the kicks become stronger, you may begin to notice your baby isn’t moving the same way as you near your calculated due date. Typically, that’s not cause for concern—and there’s a good reason for it: The baby-to-be is growing as expected.

“The movements decrease late in the third trimester as space becomes compromised,” says Kecia Gaither, MD, MPH, MS, MBA, FACOG, a double board-certified practitioner in OB-GYN and maternal-fetal medicine.

Keep in mind that movement changes don't mean the frequency and intensity decrease. If you’re concerned about decreased fetal movement, calling your provider is never a bad idea.

How To Increase Fetal Movement 

If you're concerned about fetal movements, you might want to encourage them. Read our tips and learn how to get your baby to move.

Focus

Eventually, the novelty of fetal movement may wear off, or you may simply get used to being karate-chopped multiple times per hour. “The longer you're pregnant, the more you get used to the feeling, and you might tune out kicks and nudges without even realizing it,” says Dr. Parr.

Tuning into your developing fetus and body can help. “If you are not feeling your baby move or are feeling less movement than you're used to, the first thing I recommend is to sit down in a quiet place and focus on the movement,” says Dr. Parr. “Once you're in a nice, quiet, calm place, take some deep breaths and focus on your baby.”

Try drinking something

Dr. Parr says a cold, sugary beverage like soda can prompt a developing baby to get moving. However, individuals with gestational diabetes will be instructed to limit sugar intake to manage the condition. The good news? The beverage doesn’t have to be sugary. Smead says even cold water has a “surprisingly quick effect.”

Have a snack

If sipping something isn’t doing it—or if you're limiting sugar because of gestational diabetes—a snack may wake a sleeping fetus. “A snack with complex carbs and a protein like nuts can do the trick," says Smead.

Get moving

Want to get your baby-to-be to move energetically? Try some gentle movement yourself. “You can get up and walk around,” says Dr. Robinson. “Your extra movement may help to wake a sleeping baby and increase their movement.”

Change positions

If you're lying down, roll over, and if you're standing, sit down, or vice versa. A position change might be all it takes to get your baby kicking again.

Touch your belly

Play a little game with your developing little one. “Gently nudging your belly can also encourage movement,” says Smead. “Sometimes, you can easily feel a foot pushing out, and giving it a nudge causes a reflex response.”

Play music or talk 

Babies develop the ability to hear sounds inside the womb at around 18 weeks and outside the womb at around 28 weeks gestation. “Early on, the baby can only hear things like your heartbeat or your stomach gurgle, but in the third trimester, they can hear sounds from the outside," says Dr. Parr.

Talking or singing to them could rouse them if they're sleeping. It could also motivate them to wiggle if they're relaxed.

Possible Causes of Decreased Fetal Movement

There are a variety of possible causes for decreased fetal movement, and many of them aren't reason for concern. Always contact your doctor if you notice a sudden reduction in fetal movement.

Benign causes of reduced fetal movement

Here are some benign reasons why you may notice less fetal movement:

• You had sex. Some babies become more active after you've had sex, and others become less active as the rhythmic movements of sex and orgasm lull them to sleep. Both responses are completely normal during the second and third trimesters.
• You've been especially active. Your movement may soothe your baby to sleep (though it can also increase fetal movement).
• Your baby is sleeping. In the womb, babies typically sleep for 20-45 minutes at a time, several times a day. Most people notice less movement during these spurts.
• Your baby is too big to move around very much. This is common as your due date approaches and your baby gets closer to their birth weight and size.
• Your baby is preparing for birth. If your baby's head has dropped down into the pelvis to prepare for delivery, they may be less active.
• Your baby is too small for their movement to be felt regularly. This is common in the second trimester.

Potentially worrisome causes of reduced fetal movement

A decrease in fetal movement usually isn't a sign that anything is wrong, but sometimes, there's a situation that needs monitoring or intervention by your doctor.

The most common is that you have either low or excess amniotic fluid. If there isn't enough amniotic fluid, your baby can't move around as freely. Too much amniotic fluid may cushion their movements, making them harder to perceive. In most cases, having low or excess amniotic fluid won't negatively impact your pregnancy, though your doctor will likely monitor your pregnancy more closely.

The most worrisome cause of reduced fetal movement is fetal distress, which can occur if the baby's oxygen supply is impaired, often because of problems with the umbilical cord or placenta. Extra monitoring or delivery of your baby may be required if your baby is in distress.

How to Monitor Your Baby's Movements

Your provider might advise that you time how long it takes to feel 10 fetal movements. It's often recommended to do this around the same time every day (whenever your baby is most active), starting at 28 weeks (or at 26 weeks if you have a high-risk pregnancy).

Generally referred to as a kick count, this is a tried-and-true way to monitor fetal movement at home. Set a timer and jot down a note every time you feel movement. It's best to sit with your feet up or lie on your left side while performing the kick count. Ideally, you want to track at least 10 movements in two hours.

You may also want to download a fetal monitor app on your phone to track movements. This can be a helpful way to start noticing daily patterns.

When To Call a Provider 

The general goal is to feel a minimum of 10 fetal movements within two hours. If you notice fewer than 10 fetal movements in two hours, despite efforts to encourage your baby's activity (such as relaxing and drinking juice), then call your doctor.

If you're more than 28 weeks pregnant, your doctor may ask you to come in for a non-stress test (NST), which measures fetal heart rate and movement, to ensure that your baby isn't in distress. The results of your test will determine if any further tests or interventions are needed.

Though a decrease in fetal movement may be benign, it can also be cause for concern. Besides space limitations and sleep cycles, Dr. Gaither says some factors affecting fetal movement may include:

• Lack of amniotic fluid
• Drugs
• Placental abnormalities
• Central nervous system abnormalities
• Smoking
• Muscular abnormalities