You're still glowing from the news that you're pregnant, marveling at the exciting and life-changing miracle that's occurring in your body. Naturally, you've got lots of questions, and one of them is likely to be "When will I feel that first kick from my baby?"
So have you, or did you, find yourself trying to notice any movement in the beginning of your pregnancy? Most mamas do, and that first little flutter is like a crazy feeling and gives a sense of relief, peace, and excitement.
That first faint "kick" from baby may feel a little like a ripple or a butterfly in your burgeoning belly, and you could feel it as early as 13 weeks after the start of your last menstrual period. If this is your first baby, however, it probably won't be until around 18-20 weeks from the start of your last period. So stay patient mama! The movements will come and baby will move when he/she feels like moving. Don't compare yourself to others, but five months is a good average to when you should notice moving.
The medical term for baby's first movement in the womb is called "quickening". It's an exciting moment, and as the movement grows stronger, you'll probably want to grab your husband's hand and place it on your abdomen so that he can share in the experience, too!
As your pregnancy progresses, your baby's kicks will be more obvious, and your tummy will "move" with the baby. There will be some good karate style chops in there! You may even be able to discern the shape of your baby's little heel or adorable baby booty as he kicks and moves around! Why is baby moving? Well, he's stretching and flexing, rolling and maybe even moving in response to sound, food you're eating, or in "protest" of a position you're in that he finds uncomfortable. Don't worry, baby is super cushioned in there in his amniotic sac, so something like bending over won't cause any harm to him.
Bear in mind that the dates listed above are approximate. Everyone is different, and has different body types, but you'll most likely feel unmistakable movement by the time you're five months pregnant. You're most likely to notice the baby move when you're quiet yourself -- resting in bed or watching TV, for example. If you're moving around all day you may miss noticing movements. You might also notice more movement after you've had a snack since the increased blood sugar in your system can give her a little "rush" of energy!
Everyone will love to touch your belly, hoping to feel your baby moving!
By the beginning of the third trimester of your pregnancy, you'll probably be seeing a pattern of movement from your baby. You'll get to know when he's awake and active and when he's napping. He'll probably be pretty active in general -- that is until he's so big that he starts to have less room in which to move around.
It's a good idea to chart your baby's movements, aka kick count, during the third trimester so that you can note how many times a day he tends to move, and when his movement begins to slow down a bit. This is especially important since you want to make sure he's still moving, even if it's a little less frequently, right through until his birthday arrives. You will want to notice ten movements within an hour, and you can do this anytime and anywhere. If you're home, try drinking a cold glass of water and laying on your left side, and just notice about ten movements in the next hour.
Trust your gut and call the doc if you don't notice any movements and you feel something is off. From experience, my baby was very quiet during the morning but woke up once I started going about my day. They have their "sleep" schedules too, but even so, baby still will move around while sleeping.
Mom to be sitting and feeling baby roll around in her belly. She's wearing the Fuchsia Orchid Ribbed Snap Maternity Nursing Tank Top.
Your first ultrasound (aka "sonogram") session will allow you to (sort of) see a really fuzzy "picture" of your baby inside your womb, as well as observe and hear his little heart beating. This initial ultrasound is typically performed around 6-8 weeks into your pregnancy.
Somewhere around 13 weeks in, your second ultrasound will give you a clearer view of your baby, who's been growing and developing since that first ultrasound. And while the initial test is via a "wand" inserted into your vagina, this second test will involve a flat wand that's moved over your belly, with the help of a little lubricant.
If you're lucky enough to have access to a facility with a high-definition sonogram machine, you may even be able to get pictures with 3-D photographic-quality details!
Your second-trimester anatomy ultrasound (performed at around 20 weeks) will show you your baby in much greater detail, and you should feel free to ask the technician to point out organs and details if you're not sure exactly what you're looking at. This is the time when fingers and toes can be counted by an experienced technician who can also tell -- with 95% accuracy -- what sex your little one is, so it's typically an awe-inspiring experience!
By now, you've probably begun to collect all of the things you'll need to take care of your new baby ... a crib, a car seat, a changing table, basics like diapers and "onesies", etc. You'll also know by now whether or not you'd like to breastfeed, and if you're going to nurse, you've probably been doing some reading up on the subject and maybe attending some Lamaze classes to prepare. If you haven't also taken your nursing wardrobe into consideration, be sure to stock up on game changing nursing fashions. These mom musts include tank tops, tee shirts, hoodies, and sweaters! All are designed to make nursing your baby a breeze and eliminate having to bunch up your top and keep it off of your baby's nose as he nurses, making both of you comfy and cozy as you bond through the breastfeeding experience! Now you'll actually be able to see your baby move while she's in your arms! Just another of the joys of being a brand-new Mommy!
Mom breastfeeds her new baby boy in the cradle position while wearing the Cozy Nursing Hoodie.
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While the fear is healthy, it does help to educate yourself a little bit on what becoming a mother for the first time entails.
We put together a guide of five super healthy tips for first time moms to help take some of the guesswork out of motherhood.
Check out this helpful first time mom guide below!
Some of these first time mom tips might surprise you.
Immediately after the birth, your family and friends are probably bursting at the seems to meet the baby.
Just because you're a first time mom doesn't mean you aren't allowed to set boundaries with people and there are some things new mamas want visitors to know.
You and your partner may want to spend some personal time alone with your first ever child. That's perfectly fine. It may even be beneficial to the baby. Maybe there are reasons beyond just being alone that you want to avoid visitors right away.
Right after birth is also important if you are nursing and you will want to establish that latch and begin understanding this new nursing relationship in the first few days.
Newborns are very alert immediately after they are born. This could be the right time to talk to them, make eye contact, and start skin to skin care. This is a special bonding, as well as learning time for all of you.
It's a sad and unfortunate thing that our society sees breasts as strictly sexual objects that should be hidden away, rather than something that literally feeds our children.
This strange culture hatred of public breastfeeding has led to horror stories from moms about being shamed publicly for feeding their child.
As a first time mom, it's important to be brave. Sure, you can breastfeed your baby in a gross public bathroom stall, surrounded by germs and isolation because some people are uncomfortable at the sight of a boob. But if you wouldn't want to eat in a toilet stall, do you think your baby would?
Whether you're dealing with unsupportive family and friends or are afraid of being shamed in public for feeding your baby when they are hungry, stay strong. You have a right to breastfeed your hungry newborn anywhere you might be.
It's also important to know that children up to six years old can benefit from breastfeeding. Whether you or your child is willing to go that long is up to you. However, Western countries seem to have the greatest taboos about how long one should breastfeed compared to the rest of the world. While US mothers stop breastfeeding around six months, the rest of the world's mothers continue to breastfeed until around two years on average.
It may seem better to let things happen naturally and organically. There is even the concept of "free range" parenting where things just go with the flow. However, sleep times should remain consistent, and if you can get this down, you may be thanking yourself later.
Committing to a schedule and sticking to it will help your baby learn to expect things to happen. If your baby is really having a hard time with sleeping on a routine schedule, try doing a few "cool down" activities before bed.
These can include any of the following:
Doing these activities consistently before bed can help your baby associate them with sleepiness.
Sleeping close to your baby is also a great way to help them regulate their heart rate and stress levels.
Most first time moms go through the classes and spend hours on Google learning about the nooks and crannies of being a mom. This includes everything from how to use a breast pump, how to establish milk supply, to how to change a diaper.
However, one baby device tends to be forgotten-- the car seat. This can be a huge pain when you're ready to come home from the hospital with baby and realize you have no idea how to set the thing up.
Here's a quick guide:
There! Not so hard, right? If you're still concerned, you can have a certified safety expert evaluate proper installation.
SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) is a terrifying and heartbreaking syndrome that affects 2,500 families every year in the US.
Thankfully, SIDS has declined dramatically. But that probably doesn't ease the mind of a first time mom and we totally understand.
In summary, keep going mama and know you are doing an amazing job! Stay consistent and don't worry if you can't get it all done. In addition, create a third trimester checklist to get a few more things done in preparation for baby. Little by little it will all come together as you start this new beautiful and learning journey of motherhood.
Discover more tips and information on the Bun blog today!
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