• Quickening is the moment most
pregnant women await eagerly. What you have seen during
your scan is visual, while quickening offers you something
more tangible - your baby's first movement. It makes
your pregnancy a whole lot more real! For the first
time during pregnancy you will feel your baby move,
and this usually happens around weeks 18-20.
• Your baby has been moving for a while now but
you were not able to realize it because it was too little
and immersed in large amounts of fluid. You were also
not able to feel the movements because they were weak
and not penetrating through the wall of the womb to
reach your abdomen; once your uterus has grown large
enough to touch the abdomen you will be able to feel
the sensations.
• Quickening has been compared to the fluttering
of a butterfly, gas bubbles, wind and even hunger
pangs. If it is your first pregnancy you will probably
feel these movements somewhere after 18 and even 20
weeks. If you have had a baby before then you would
feel the sensation earlier, around week 16. This is
probably because you know what to expect this time
round.
• As baby grows, these movements grow in intensity
too. You will start to experience a whole range of
movements including kicks, twists, turns, stretches
and wriggles. These movements usually start as early
as the 8th week and are important as they help in
developing baby's muscles. By the end of 16th week
the movement is more pronounced as baby starts to
kick, though you may not be able to recognize it for
what it is.
• Some babies are more active while others are
quiet. Don't worry if you have not felt any movement
by 20 weeks. In a couple more weeks you should definitely
be aware of these delightful sensations. The wait
is definitely worth it.
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