Not really feeling any movement by 20 weeks???

[BC-Raven74]

The books all say we probably could be feeling movement in the fifth month around weeks 18-20 which sounds so exciting... unfortunately, I couldn't feel much by my 20 week appt. It didn't feel any different from gas. I was really worried! The 20 week ultrasound showed that I have an anterior placenta, meaning that instead of the placenta being aligned more with my spine, it's aligned with my abdominal wall, and acting as a giant cushion for all those flutters and pokes I should be feeling.

Both books I'm reading have a blurb on anterior placentas and how common they can be, but they should consider mentioning this when they tell you WHY you may not feel movement yet in their "Month 5" chapters... I wish I had known that!

[ILoveShoes]

Don't worry, I didn't start feeling consistent movement until around 25-26 weeks due to me having a anterior placenta also.

[Traysee]

Someone should also mention that as your uterus grows the placenta moves and it is very possible to feel them later on!

I am carrying twins and couldn't really feel anything that felt like babies until 23 weeks. I have two anterior placentas and I am overweight. Everything I felt was either uncomfortable (like stretching pains, ligament pains, gas etc.) never the "bubbles" or "butterflies" people describe. People would always ask me if I was feeling them and it made me feel so bad about myself saying no. I always attributed it to being overweight. No one had told me I had anteriors until my 20 week visit even though I get an ultrasound every 2 weeks. I figured that was the price I was paying for being pregnant and overweight.

Then the exact day I turned 23 weeks I was laying on the couch watching TV and I had my hand on my belly and I felt a huge WHOMP of a kick right thru my side into the palm of my hand. It was so awesome. I got all teary eyed and called my husband and then texted my sister. It was pretty awesome. I feel one baby on one side a lot, the baby on the other side I am lucky to feel a few times a week.

[BC-Raven74]

Thanks for your responses! It is good to know others have gone through this as well. DH bought a stethoscope, and we can actually hear the baby's heartbeat along my bikini line. You can also hear A LOT of gas. I'm feeling some pokes from the inside throughout the day, and they're getting stronger.

We go back to the Dr for an ultrasound on Monday 3/7/11 at 23.5 weeks, to complete what they couldn't measure at the 20 week ultrasound... they need heart measurements. I'm relieved that we'll get to see her again so soon!

[jackal]

I am 24 weeks and I did not feel any strong movement until last week. I have some severe ligament pain some times and though maybe it masked the baby moving but now I can tell a difference since the baby is bigger and is moving more. Good luck on your U/S.

[BC-Raven74]

I'll be at 24 weeks tomorrow, and can feel movement now! Whew. Yesterday's ultrasound went well; we saw the heart chambers, kidneys, bladder, bones... all in great detail. The tech apologized for how boring the ultrasound was, since she was honing in on organs and such instead of face, arms, and legs. DH and were VERY happy about the great attention to detail, as a pg friend of mine was not so lucky. Those organs are so incredibly important. Our little beauty is now 1.5 lbs, and measures in the 73rd percentile and we got some cute 4D profile pics!

I hope she kicks and pokes til her heart's content... I can take it!

[Traysee]

Isn't it funny how things that sometimes come easier are take for granted but when you have to wait and worry they seem like the best things in the world. When my babies are born I will have been working for this for almost 3 years. I love my growing belly. I love my stretch marks. I love what every one of those aches and marks on my body means. If I got pregnant right away I think I might have been more self pitying about all the downsides of being pregnant. Now I see them as milestones, so I agree... babies, squish my bladder, kick me in the ribs and do whatever you want to do because I know you are in there and you are growing strong!

[daettc]

Raven-- so glad you are feeling things now and ultrasound went well. With my first child, sometimes I was living dr. appt. to dr. appt. just hoping she was still in there! This time I am pregnant with twins and usually someone is moving in there, but even they sleep or turn and there are lulls in movement that worry me. Just when I think I might call the dr., I feel a nice poke or kick.

Traysee-So well said! Pregnancy doesn't bother me at all after what we had to through for our babes. We must be close--I am 29 weeks today with twin girls--due June 2. I'm on bedrest though, hoping my cervix hangs in there until at least 34.

Best wishes to everyone

[Traysee]

Daettc,

I could have written your entire post!

My whole pregnancy has been about living appt. to appt. I also live for saturdays since that is the first day of the next week. Then I live for wednesdays which is when I have my appointments and also 1/2 way to saturday. Once I hit wednesday I know I just have to hold out 3 more days and it is Saturday again! I have had a bunch of those no movement days...just when you start to really panic you get a couple of good whomps. Someone had mentioned to me that they noticed their babies got quiet before a growth spurt. So I started seeing if my girls had a pattern.. I noticed if they are very active for a day or two the next day they seem to be much more mellow. And if I see they are really mellow I find that the next day they kick stronger or more frequently. I am not sure if that will always be the case but for the last week I have been paying attention. I also notice the more they move the more Braxtons I get that day.

I am also on bed rest. My cervix was 2.5 with funneling at 22 weeks. At 22 weeks all I wanted to do was get to 24 weeks. Then 27 weeks then 30 weeks. On Sat I will be 28 weeks and only 2 short weeks from there will get me to 30. From 30 I will just take it week by week. My C section is scheduled for 38w 2d. I doubt that will really happen but who knows. If I got to 36 weeks I would be ecstatic. Anything over 34 weeks would be great. In my mind, my aim is for 37 weeks since I know that is the most common.

After my cervix shortened to 2.5cm I shut one of my businesses down and the other I can do from the couch with a laptop. Once I quit the first business which had me moving around, walking and driving for 6-8 hours a day, my cervix went up to about 3.6 without funneling (at it's best). I also do that positive thinking thing. Especially when it was really short. I visualize my cervix and then think about it closing, hardening and lengthening. I don' t know if that helps, but it can't hurt. I tell them they have to stay in. I ask the powers that be to keep them in. Last week and then again yesterday it was 3.2 without funneling. I have a lot of contractions, mostly braxton hicks (but a lot of them) and a few stronger contractions as well. At 22w my Dr. had put me on "restriction" which I took to mean moderate bed rest. Being paranoid I took it more seriously. I shower every other day. Do as little as I can all day or save one short activity for each day when absolutely necessary. I do cook but try to limit my kitchen time to less than 20 minutes. I don't drive unless it is to a Dr appointment and I just can't get a ride. Luckily that has only happened once in the last 5 weeks.

Have you given them names yet? I was afraid to commit to names because so many issues came up in the first 14 weeks I thought I might lose them and lose the names I wanted. Now they are 100% real people to me and I gave them their names. They are Morgan and Amelia ) I still need middle names, which has been a struggle to come up with.

Hugs!

[Traysee]

Daettc,

I could have written your entire post!

My whole pregnancy has been about living appt. to appt. I also live for saturdays since that is the first day of the next week. Then I live for wednesdays which is when I have my appointments and also 1/2 way to saturday. Once I hit wednesday I know I just have to hold out 3 more days and it is Saturday again! I have had a bunch of those no movement days...just when you start to really panic you get a couple of good whomps. Someone had mentioned to me that they noticed their babies got quiet before a growth spurt. So I started seeing if my girls had a pattern.. I noticed if they are very active for a day or two the next day they seem to be much more mellow. And if I see they are really mellow I find that the next day they kick stronger or more frequently. I am not sure if that will always be the case but for the last week I have been paying attention. I also notice the more they move the more Braxtons I get that day.

I am also on bed rest. My cervix was 2.5 with funneling at 22 weeks. At 22 weeks all I wanted to do was get to 24 weeks. Then 27 weeks then 30 weeks. On Sat I will be 28 weeks and only 2 short weeks from there will get me to 30. From 30 I will just take it week by week. My C section is scheduled for 38w 2d. I doubt that will really happen but who knows. If I got to 36 weeks I would be ecstatic. Anything over 34 weeks would be great. In my mind, my aim is for 37 weeks since I know that is the most common.

After my cervix shortened to 2.5cm I shut one of my businesses down and the other I can do from the couch with a laptop. Once I quit the first business which had me moving around, walking and driving for 6-8 hours a day, my cervix went up to about 3.6 without funneling (at it's best). I also do that positive thinking thing. Especially when it was really short. I visualize my cervix and then think about it closing, hardening and lengthening. I don' t know if that helps, but it can't hurt. I tell them they have to stay in. I ask the powers that be to keep them in. Last week and then again yesterday it was 3.2 without funneling. I have a lot of contractions, mostly braxton hicks (but a lot of them) and a few stronger contractions as well. At 22w my Dr. had put me on "restriction" which I took to mean moderate bed rest. Being paranoid I took it more seriously. I shower every other day. Do as little as I can all day or save one short activity for each day when absolutely necessary. I do cook but try to limit my kitchen time to less than 20 minutes. I don't drive unless it is to a Dr appointment and I just can't get a ride. Luckily that has only happened once in the last 5 weeks.

Have you given them names yet? I was afraid to commit to names because so many issues came up in the first 14 weeks I thought I might lose them and lose the names I wanted. Now they are 100% real people to me and I gave them their names. They are Morgan and Amelia ) I still need middle names, which has been a struggle to come up with.

Hugs!