Fetal Kick Counts

Feeling your fetus kick is exciting; not feeling the movements for prolonged periods is worrying. It is a good practice to keep a record of your unborn baby's activities on a kick count sheet or in a notebook. It is an easy, non-invasive, harmless method you can use to monitor fetal well being during the third trimester. A fetus typically starts to make obvious movements which can be felt by the pregnant mother from around weeks 18-20 but it is only after week 28 of your pregnancy that you can actually count with some consistency. This is a reliable tool for assessing the well being of your fetus on your home grounds.

The Whys and the Whats of kick count

• These movements include kicks, turns, rolls and jabs; it excludes hiccups
• Fetus spends 10% of its time making gross, obvious movements
• The active phase lasts 40 minutes and the inactive for about 20 minutes
• You get to familiarize yourself with baby's sleep/wake patterns.
• Most babies take less than 30 minutes to make 10 movements.
• Become familiar with baby's emerging 'personality'. Some babies are more active then others; this is not reflective of baby's health but rather his/her nature
• Though charting fetal kick counts is highly useful in high risk pregnancies, it is beneficial for all pregnancies.
• It is a fine way of bonding with your baby.
• It is important to take into account that your baby has sleep times which can last up to 4 hours at a stretch, though it should not be longer than that.
• Kicks tend to slow down in the third trimester as it gets less roomy for fetus

The Technique

• Consider performing at the same time every day
• Choose a time when fetal activity is at the highest - consider performing after a stimulating activity when fetus is most active i.e. after some physical activity like walking or after a meal or in the early evenings or just before bedtime, whichever convenient to you.
• Lie down on the left side, relax and gauge how long baby takes to move 10 times and record the timing. Count only the real jabs and not the tiny twinges.
• If you do not feel 10 movements in a period of 2 hours, get up and move around a bit or drink a glass of orange juice and try again later.
• If you still do not feel 10 movements within 2 hours, contact your doctor
• Studies show the average time to feel ten kicks are around 20-30 minutes.

Sample of a Kick Count Chart

Consider creating a chart like the one below recording in your notebook as below. Consult your doctor for guidance on how the recordings should be done and the changes you should look out for. You can start to make a record from week 28 when there is a set pattern right up to the end of your pregnancy. Record the time you start and make a tick/cross in the box when baby makes the 10th movement. Soon enough you will be able to see a pattern and monitor how long your baby takes to move 10 times. Take note of any deviations since that is the sole purpose to charting kick counts.

Recordings in a Notebook

When to ALERT your doctor

• If you feel fewer than 10 movements for 2 days in a row, call your doctor
• If you do not feel any movement the whole day call your doctor
• If your baby doesn't kick during one of baby's favorite kick times inform your doctor
• If there is a considerable change in the pattern of baby's movements as your due date approaches, tell your doctor
• Ultrasound and electronic fetal monitoring at the hospital will help decide on what needs to be done next.