Baby Movement & OB visit questions

Donna - posted on 06/26/2009

As far as movements go: My doctor told me to pick a time of day that he is most active (in the morning or at night for me too) and to start counting movements-when I get to 10, I can stop for the day. He said if I don't have 10 in 10 hours, call him. That's a nice wide window and certainly not too anxiety provoking. I usually start in the morning and some days I can stop counting after 15 minutes. Other days I'm done at 8 hours.

Megan - posted on 06/16/2009

Lisa, darlin, you need a new doctor. There is no way he should just be checking the heartbeat and then sending you on your way. Every visit to the doctor I have a routine: test pee for sugar and protein, check weight, check blood pressure and pulse, check baby's heartbeat, review previous visits compared to this visit, check previous lab results to see if they want to do more bloodwork done. Then we get down to me personally, how am I doing, how do I feel, how's my sleep patterns, when is she most active, etc etc etc......if you don't think he's doing enough, he's not. I know it seems like theres no point changing this close to the end but honestly if he hasnt been interested in taking care of yours and baby's health up to this point then why should he get to be the hero who helps bring him into this world?? Find someonee who cares about the people and not just the numbers.

Lisa - posted on 06/08/2009

Mine doesn't even seem interested in helping when I do have problems. I haven't kept down food all pregnancy and have been hospitalized twice. Outside of when I'm in the hospital he seems to basically just wanna see if the baby still has a heart beat then to send me off...

Jessica - posted on 06/01/2009

Hi Carrie,

About the doctors visits! Mine are super short, too! Not much else goes on other than listening to the baby's heartbeat! And I think I will be so tired of peeing in a cup by the time she gets here! Lol. My doctors haven't talked much at all with me about different pregnancy issues unless I had a question for them. Sooooo. Maybe when we are further along?

Is your little one moving a little more now? I started feeling my daughter around the same time you started feeling your baby... starting with little flutter and then getting stronger as time went on. My baby moved more in the mornings and evening, too, and not so much during the day. I was told that not feeling them during the day is normal b/c your movement actually lulls them, so they aren't as active. I just read yesterday to start doing kick counts in your 28th week. It's so hard not to worry when you don't feel the baby, I totally understand and have been there for sure! What I read is that every baby is different, including how active they are. I'm 29 weeks now and my daughter has gotten much bigger so I feel her all day long! But when she was smaller it was totally different. I think if the baby is smaller you obviously wouldn't feel it as much, ya know? Anyway, don't worry too much! I'm sure your little one is perfect. And if it doesn't feel like it is doing acrobatics in your tummy yet, give it a few weeks and I am willing to bet that it will! ;-)

Hope you are doing well and feeling well.

Jessica Kelly, CA

Jennifer - posted on 05/08/2009

I've always found that laying down helps to feel any movement. I too, will go all day not feeling anything...mostly b/c I stay pretty busy w/my 1.5 yr old. Whenever I get paranoid I just drink a glass of water and then w/in 10-20 min if I lay on my side I usually will feel him moving. I too get most of my movements late at night. I usually notice them after my daughter is in bed and I finally get to sit, relax and eat dinner or when I go to bed at night.

As for the OB appt's, mine are pretty "boring" too. If I ask questions, my dr is always more than happy to answer them but most appt's are pretty standard. Get weighed in, give a urine sample, get my fundal height measured, then go home. They will typically ask if I have any complaints but that's about it! You also shouldn't need anymore bloodwork unless there are complications or concerns. I just got my bloodwork done but that was for my 24 wk glucose test.

First pregnancies are SO confussing because you don't know. There are so many unanswered questions. Hang in there and keep doing what your doing...ask other moms and do internet research!

Cera - posted on 05/08/2009

I agree with the other mom's on the movement thing. If you think about it what do you do when you want the baby to go to sleep? rock it! when you are active she/he gets that rocking feeling. I also feel her the most in the morning and at night. The only other blood testing that you should have is a quad screen. this checks for spina bifida, downs syndrome and a few other things. it takes 4 tubes of blood for all these tests. If you haven't been scheduled for this blood to be drawn yet ask your doc. At these visits there really isn't much to do other than ask questions and make sure your pregnancy is progressing normally. If you feel rushed let your doctor know!

Jen - posted on 04/14/2009

I am pregnant with baby number 3.  In my expierence the reason the baby moves more in   the evening is becuase you are resting.  When you are up and moving all day , your movement puts them to sleep.  I remember being told that you do not need to have a certain number of movements per day....  If you are feeling it everyday, that is good.  Remember it is still pretty tiny.  If you are worried they say to lay on your left side for 10-20 minutes, you will usually get a little activity.

As far as the OB, they are all like that, but if you do have a list of questions they usually takee the time to answer you.  I don't recall ever being informed of what the baby is doing.  Once they start actually measuring you (usually 24 weeks) they give you that info along with the heart beat.  Later on the will tell you if baby is head down....  But honestly if you want to know something you need to ask, they do not volunteer that information.

Lastly I do not thing you do any more blood work, unless you are testing for cystic fibrosis nd the quad screening, which is optional.  That happens from 15-19 weeks.  Then 25-29 weeks they test you for gestational diabetes.  you drink some stuff and then it is a usually just a finger pric.

You shouldn't even have a cervical check until 36 or 37 weeks.

Monique - posted on 04/10/2009

well you may not know but as of 6 weeks we continuesly get banxton hicks contractions so maybe thats what your feeling at times but a baby moves more when you are relaxed sitting or laying down due to it has more room to freely move as your stomach muceals and ligaments that are around are all relaxed and not tight

Carrie - posted on 04/08/2009

Just ran across this article. Helps to explain movement/kicking: http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/as...

Randi - posted on 04/08/2009

I would love to know the answer to your first question too.  However, I feel the baby a lot during the day, mostly because I sit at a desk and I think I am squishing the uterus a little making the movements more noticable.  I think in the past day or two I have noticed the baby moving in the afternoons and night too, I keep having dreams the baby is doing some crazy alien scene, I think its my subconscous registering the baby doing acrobats.  ha!

The first OB visit I had was a lot like that.  I didn't know what to ask, what was irrevelant, etc.  This last one I came in with about 3 questions, which reminded me of other questions, and the dr went further in depth with stuff I wasn't thinking about (ie, can i get my hair highlighted, can i go to the chiropracter, etc).  I think asking those questions helped him open up a lot.  He actually spent 30 minutes, whole minutes, not 30 billed minutes (checking my chart outside the room, 5 minutes of talking to me, writing down notes, and what not after I've left) with me.  Maybe if you don't get any feed back the next visit you could try another dr?  Funny thing, my dr has never talked about how I've been changing (breasts, bladder, legs cramps), I guess he thinks if I have a question or concern I'd ask otherwise the dr visit would be endless with all the possibilities of what can happen.  I've just been reading that what to expect book, and looking online.  anything more serious, i call his nurse or ask him at the appt. 

Crystal - posted on 04/06/2009

Carrie,
I am with you on the dr. visits. I am only about 22 weeks pregnant, but I feel like the doctor thinks that I'm getting all the information I need from books or other information they have given me.
I also haven't had blood work done since the first visit.
It gets kind of frustrating, but I'm not really sure what to do about it.