Fizz, Bang, Whallop!

One of the most exciting parts of my pregnancy so far has been feeling our little baby's first movements. I've been debating the best words to describe it other than amazing and exciting as it's also weird, surreal and strange to feel something actually moving inside you.

For me it wasn't completely obvious when I started to feel him move, it was more of a gradual process that started when I was around 18 weeks pregnant. This being my first baby there were plenty of moments of doubt whether it really was him moving or was it just gas in my tummy. Sorry for the detail but this is what it feels like!! At times like gas passing through your tummy and also like someone doing little flicks on your tummy from the inside. The movements gradually got stronger and more frequent to the point were I knew that it really was him moving without a doubt! And when I had my 20 week scan the sonographer was practically chasing him around my uterus to try and check his measurements. Which admittedly even led me to Google whether an active baby inside meant a hyperactive baby when born!

I can now see my tummy flinch when he does a big move but unfortunately so far daddy-to-be hasnt been able to capture the action as it happens. It's like he knows when Daddy's hand is there or when I expose my belly to try and get a clearer look. The usual tricks you hear about do help - cold drinks, fizzy drinks, the latter definitely sending him to a flurry of somersaults!

My midwife has mentioned about starting to count the movements soon, I should be looking for at least 10 movements a day and recommended I try the tricks above first if I was worried about him not moving (don't think I have to worry about that just at the moment, he can't keep still most of the time!) She also stressed that if I was worried about a sudden lack of movement to call or come into the hospital and mention I have diabetes. I've also just come across this website which seems to have lots of advice and links to useful apps to keep track of movements:

http://countthekicks.org.uk/

He definitely gets more active when there are voices, it seems particularly those of Mummy & Daddy-to-be. The other week I was working at home and so the house was very quiet and I wasn't having the usual conversations with my colleagues, meetings etc. But then as soon as my husband came home and we started chatting he went for it, spinning, kicking....whatever he gets up to in there!

I will miss his little kicks as he begins to get too cramped to perform his daily gymnastics routine. But I have a fair few weeks to go yet before that happens, I'm sure (and I hope) I have plenty of kicks and thumps and prodding to come yet!

Pic sourced from:http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgieporge/3283174816/