1. When does the phenomenon of fetal movement in the mother's belly occur?
Before we understand the meanings of the phenomenon of fetal movement in the mother's belly, let's find out the time when mothers can feel this action of the baby first!
In the seventh and eighth weeks of pregnancy, the baby has the first movements in the mother's belly. However, because the fetus is still small, the mother may find it difficult to feel these movements. Moving on to the twentieth week of pregnancy is the stage when mothers can feel the baby's movements most clearly in the mother's belly.
From the 20th week of pregnancy, mothers can feel the baby's movements clearly
2. What is the significance of fetal movement in the mother's belly?
Most pregnant women often wonder if the phenomenon of fetal movement in the mother's belly has any significance. Here are some interesting interpretations of the phenomenon of fetal movement in the mother's belly that you may not know!
The baby is developing normally and healthily
The phenomenon of fetal movement in the mother's belly during pregnancy is most commonly performed with the highest frequency of kicks. These movements indicate that the baby is developing well and quite active. In addition, the shakes can also be gentle movements of the hands, the baby twisting, or turning in the mother's womb.
The fetus's response to stimuli
According to experts, the shaking movements of the fetus in the mother's belly are one of the ways the baby responds to stimuli from the outside. Specifically as follows:
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The baby responds to sound when the baby can hear from the twentieth week of pregnancy. Most babies will make strong movements with loud sounds, sounds that surprise the baby.
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The baby responds to the mother's food: During pregnancy, the flavors of the food that the mother uses will be exposed to the baby through amniotic fluid. The baby may move if he likes or dislikes the smell of the food. Therefore, the phenomenon of fetal movement in the mother's belly can occur.
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The baby avoids light: When the baby's eyes are not fully developed and the ability to contact with light is still weak, the baby will feel dazzled and tend to move, shift to avoid the direction of light shining. At this time, the sensations of the baby's movements that the mother can feel are very clear.
The baby's movements in the belly reflect the baby's response to sound
The baby reacts when hearing familiar sounds
You may not know, when the baby can sense sound, the baby can recognize the voices of the parents. When in the mother's belly, the baby often moves when hearing the mother's voice. Therefore, during this time, mothers can let the baby listen to gentle music or do prenatal massage for the baby to have the best auditory development.
In addition, the baby's kicking in the mother's belly is also a form of 'talking' to the mother that the baby wants to do, so mothers should talk to the baby more.
The baby kicks more when the mother lies tilted to one side for too long
According to experts, when the mother lies tilted, the phenomenon of fetal movement in the mother's belly will occur more often. The reason is that lying tilted helps supply more oxygen to the baby. Conversely, when the mother lies flat, the baby will move less to save oxygen.
The baby moves more when the mother lies tilted to one side
The baby moves strongly due to cramped space
The phenomenon of fetal kicking in the mother's belly more and stronger in the last months of pregnancy is often because the baby has grown larger and feels the space in the mother's belly becoming more cramped. The movements at this time are often because the baby feels uncomfortable or wants to stretch out comfortably in the mother's belly.
The baby is awake
In the last 3 months of pregnancy, the baby has a clearer perception of sleep. Therefore, performing movements in the mother's belly is also a way for the baby to 'notify' the mother that they are awake. At this time, mothers can talk to the baby more to stimulate cognitive development.
2. Is the phenomenon of fetal twitching in the mother's belly dangerous?
Along with the phenomenon of fetal kicking in the mother's belly, during pregnancy, the mother may feel the baby twitching in the belly. So is this dangerous?
Usually, this is a reaction indicating that the baby is having hiccups when swallowing amniotic fluid and stimulating the diaphragm. During pregnancy, the baby needs to swallow amniotic fluid so that the lungs can grow faster. Besides, when the baby practices reflexes for breastfeeding or is entangled with the umbilical cord around the neck, it can also cause the baby to twitch and hiccup.
When the baby hiccups, it often produces light tapping sounds, which can be easily felt when placing a hand on the mother's belly.
Mothers can feel the baby's hiccups
Although hiccups are not dangerous for the baby. However, in cases after the 32nd week, if the baby has frequent hiccups accompanied by abnormal symptoms such as 'gurgling' sounds similar to boiling in the stomach, mothers should go to medical facilities for examination. Because this could be a sign that the baby is experiencing umbilical cord compression, making it harder for the baby to breathe than usual. If not treated in time, it can cause disruptions to the baby's development.
Above are the compiled information to help mothers answer the question 'What is the significance of fetal movement in the mother's belly?' Hopefully, with the above sharing, mothers can rest assured and have a healthier and safer pregnancy with their baby.
The health of the mother and the baby during pregnancy is extremely important. Therefore, mothers need to undergo regular check-ups or diagnostics when they notice any unusual signs.