Baby kicks are delightful, marking the presence of a healthy child inside your womb. Nonetheless, varied kicking positions may signify different things.
“I feel my baby kicking very low sometimes. Does that mean trouble?” is a question we receive quite often.
Our provided guidelines might shed more light on this issue. Here, all pregnant women can find the long-awaited answer to their inquiry, Is it normal to feel baby move very low?.
Why Do I Feel My Baby Kicking Very Low?
Why is my baby kicking so low? Possible explanations for the baby kicking very low are abundant.
They might lie in the uterus’s position and shape changes, fetal discomfort, or issues of overactive pelvic floor.
1. Natural Shift in The Uterus Position and Form
Keep in mind that, throughout the first 12 or 13 weeks of pregnancy, your uterus is still located fairly low in the body.
It is not until a few weeks later that the uterus moves upwards and out of your pelvic region.
Once you reach the 21-week pregnant benchmark, the womb level will be roughly equivalent to that of your belly button, indicating this child is still positioned around your abdomen.
That explains why most of the baby movements seem quite low-down.
Another possible cause is that your uterus tilts inwards, which gives off a false sensation that the kicks come from an unusually low spot.
Though there will be no harm if you leave it be, some quick treatments can still be practical – such as using abdomen belts to raise the uterus back to its regular form.
Your baby’s position might be transverse or breech rather than head-down at this critical period.
The intensity and timing of a baby kick vary across each case, but be assured that no adverse impact will linger in the long run once your breech birth delivery has been successful.
2. Overactive Pelvic Floor or Fetal Discomfort
Overactive pelvic floor muscles (also known as hypertonic) develop when your pelvic muscles are always contracted, refusing to unclench.
As they fail to relax, muscular spasm and tension might ensue, serving as another trigger behind your unborn baby kicking really low.
Signals of hyperactive pelvic floor muscles entail:
- Painful intercourses
- Pain during tampon insertion or removal
- Pain during vaginal inspections and Pap smear
- Incomplete emptying of bladder or bowels
- Pelvic ache
- Immense difficulties releasing the pelvic muscles
These symptoms may lead to more severe health conditions, such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or even premature rupture.
We suggest you make an immediate appointment with a primary healthcare provider.
On another note, recent reports also link the issue to severe fetal discomfort during pregnancy, stemming from a tight umbilical cord wrapped around the child’s neck.
The likelihood of preeclampsia is also not entirely out of the question.
Due to these potential causes, the pattern of movements may feel weaker and more sunken than usual.
Is It Normal To Feel Babies Kicking Low?
Since the reasons behind this phenomenon differ, our answer of Yes or No also depends.
Distinguishing the two situations might prove quite a challenge to some people, though. That is why we recommend you do a quick test at a nearby hospital to ascertain.
If your main issue is merely a change in the uterus form and placement, be confident that nothing is out of the ordinary yet.
And as previously established, as long as your subsequent child delivery succeeds, no long-term repercussions will occur.
But signals of overactive pelvic floors, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis are an entirely different story, indicating serious dilemmas going on with your body. On-time medical care and treatment are a must.
Sometimes, you might feel the baby pulse in the lower abdomen. Don’t mistake it for the kicks.
Is It Alright To Feel No Kicks At All? If Not, What Steps Must I Take?
Sadly, that is not normal at all. If you sense no motions within your womb, one tactic is to drink sugary beverages, take a quick nap lying on your left side, and wait for two hours.
Reach for medical help when nothing changes after that period.
Fetal movements play an important role in nailing a successful child delivery, so be cautious.
1. Why Are These Kicks Important?
According to verdicts from women’s health specialists, baby movements reflect the placenta’s well-being.
The placentas, a source of nutrients and oxygen transported immediately to your fetus, could be considered the “heart” of a pregnancy.
Thus, fewer kicks (or worse, no kicks at all) indicate a placenta malfunction, which might put the fetal babies at risk.
2. Possible Solutions
Proper methods should be implemented to address this issue.
If no baby motions are detected, immediately ingest a huge glass of orange juice (or some high-sugar beverage).
Then take a quick nap, lying on the left side. Remember to choose a peaceful environment for your slumber.
Hopefully, your baby will stir again after receiving a strong sugar and water boost. Once you wake up, wait another two hours to observe whether any movements are present.
In the rather unfortunate case that your child still refuses to move, call a health care practitioner or obstetrician right away to ensure the amniotic fluid surrounding your baby is still alright.
If possible, ask the doctors to perform a quick inspection – or place a cardiac monitor on your belly. They help confirm whether the baby’s muscles, reflexes, and fetal heart rate are still there.
As with most pregnancy-related dilemmas, the most crucial piece of advice is to listen to your motherly instincts.
If you still feel a sense of panic even after the kicks have resurfaced, feel free to reach out to a doctor anytime. Your baby’s safety should always be placed first; it will do you good to care with extra caution!
Which Fetal Positions Are Normal?
The ideal posture for your baby should be a head-down position that faces your back, with its chin tucked to the chest and its head rear near your pelvis.
Experts refer to that pose as “cephalic presentation”. Most newborns will take on this posture between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.
Of course, perfect poses before delivery are not always feasible.
Other positions are also common, though they might inflict significantly more delivery difficulties than cephalic presentations. Some examples are:
Posterior or Occiput Head Location: In many cases, the baby settles its head against your abdomen, gazing up the ceiling. Some people refer to such stances as “sunny-side-up.”
Frank Breech: The buttocks of these breech babies will be geared towards your delivery canal. Their hips stretch out, and the knees become arched (right next to the abdomen).
Such postures increase the likelihood of umbilical cord loops, which might precede the baby’s head and inflict injuries during your vaginal birth.
Complete Breech: Now, its buttocks will be at the front due to bent knees and hips (folded under the body).
Similar to any other breech position, it raises the danger of umbilical loops that tighten your cervix and causes internal bleeding.
Transverse Lying: This self-descriptive name implies that your baby lies transversely in the uterus, meaning its shoulders will likely reach the pelvis before other body parts.
For maximum safety, infants in this pose should be delivered through cesarean section (or C-sections in short).
Footling Breech: Footling breech points to a condition in which one or both feet point toward the delivery canal.
It sends the umbilical cord into your uterine opening, cutting off all blood supplies for the fetus.
FAQs
1. Do I Need to Count All The Baby Kicks?
Unless you observe a general decrease in the child’s activity frequency, you need not be concerned about the specific counts.
Things will still be in the safe zone if there are around ten twitches within a particular two-hour period (each day should have at least two periods like that, and they do not need to be back to back).
Professionals suggest you set aside several minutes each day to recall all fetal movements, noting them down in a smartphone or a notebook to establish a baseline.
That way, you may keep track of all abnormal symptoms as the months pass by.
Some of our readers might argue that keeping a diary is a bit redundant, as they are pretty obvious, and you can feel the baby’s kicks from outside easily.
They are not wrong actually, though this sentiment applies to the first few months only.
As you gradually approach the conclusion of your pregnancy, the motions vary in patterns and will become much less noticeable.
Most babies gain weight at a rate of half-pound each week during the third trimester, resulting in less room for energetic wriggling and limb stretching.
2. Is It Possible to Change The Baby’s Position?
Yes, that is not out of reach.
As mentioned above, most babies will have settled into an anterior position by the thirty-sixth week.
Hence, if yours still lies in a transverse or breech position after thirty-seven weeks, healthcare professionals might attempt to insert external cephalic versions (or ECV).
They press your belly to urge the child toward the right direction.
Research has concluded that one ECV operation is around fifty percent effective.
Make sure your health conditions can accommodate these treatments, since most pregnant women often feel substantially weakened during their 37th weeks.
Conclusion
The common inquiry, “I feel my baby kicking very low. Why is my baby kicking so low down?” has been thoroughly discussed in this article.
Numerous reasons can be the trigger behind these low-down kicks, so make sure you reach professional help on time before things turn worse!
Feel free to contact us if there is anything else you wish to know regarding the issue.
Our comment section is always open!
