Feeling your baby kick

Feeling your baby move – or ‘quickening’ as it’s sometimes called – is a special experience that all pregnant women love. It also builds the bond between you and your baby once you feel him kicking away day and night!

If this is your first baby you likely won’t feel it moving until you’re around 18-20 weeks pregnant. If you have already had a baby you may recognize that ‘fluttering’ feeling a little earlier, at around 15-16 weeks, but this depends on your baby’s size and strength.

What will it feel like?

The first movements will feel like a gentle fluttering, almost like a butterfly in your stomach, but eventually these will graduate to full-blown karate kicks, punches and tumbles, timed perfectly to disrupt your sleep! Interestingly, the kicking patterns your baby follows – for instance, no kicks all day and somersaults as soon as you try to go to sleep at night – will probably be reflected in the wake-sleep pattern he follows once he’s born (so he may be sleepy in the day but active at night). Don’t worry too much about this though. Once you’ve got a few newborn weeks under your belt, you can help to teach your baby to sleep more at night and be wakeful in the day with our helping your baby to sleep guide.

If you think you’ve been feeling movements earlier than 18 weeks and this is your first baby, mention it to your OB-GYN or nurse-midwife at your next prenatal appointment, as you may be more pregnant then you thought. Your caregiver will feel and measure your tummy to assess how far along you are. Keep in mind that some babies take longer than 20 weeks to make their presence known, especially if they’re small – if you’re worried, talk to your caregiver.

The information on this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.