It’s an important milestone and one you’ll start counting down to almost the second you find out your pregnant – feeling the first flutters of your baby’s first kick. This movement is called quickening.
When you will feel your baby kick for the first time will depend on whether or not you’re a first-time mum or not.
If it’s your first pregnancy, you should start to feel your baby kick between 14-22 weeks, says midwife Anna Nella.
Pregnant women describe their baby’s movements as butterflies, nervous twitches, or a tumbling motion. At first, it may be hard to tell whether your baby has moved.
As pregnancy progresses, your baby’s movements will become more pronounced.
Pregnant women describe their baby’s movements as butterflies, nervous twitches, or a tumbling motion.
(Getty Images)Here’s a guide of what movements to expect and when:
14-24 WEEKS
Most women feel baby’s first movement between 14 and 22 weeks, but it will be faint at first. If you haven’t felt your baby kick by 24 weeks, tell your midwife or doctor.
28 WEEKS
Your baby now reacts to touch, and his heart rate increases whenever he hears a noise.
29 WEEKS
You’ll start to see his limbs from the outside – perhaps a heel or foot pushing up on your belly. This helps you and your partner bond with him.
32 WEEKS
His movements will have been increasing up until this stage, but from now they’ll stay at the same level. Contrary to what you may have heard they won’t reduce from now on.
36 WEEKS
Space is getting limited but you’ll feel just as many kicks. “If he’s breech with his bottom in your pelvis, you might feel sharp head butts rather than kicks,” says Anna.
40 WEEKS
Your baby will continue to move and kick while you are in labour.
