I am a little over 21 weeks pregnant and just recently felt the baby move on the outside of my belly pretty good...acutally starting on Friday we could feel the baby kick or move on the outside if I pressed in the area I felt the baby move. I find myself pressing down, not hard, more often trying to feel the baby move...am I doing any harm? I know this sounds like a dumb question but I am worried now because I haven't felt the baby move as much yesterday and into today and I am afraid now that someone is wrong. Help! Is it bad to press on the abdomen to feel the baby move? Can the baby be felt some days and not others at 21 weeks?
No, it's not dangerous for the baby at all! (If you do it gently) If you do it gently, the baby will feel you and react to the pressure... It is his little way to say hello? Is there somebody there? ^_^ Some babies also react to bright light... ;) My last one did. Yes, at 21 weeks it's perfectly normal to feel it move one day and not the other. Enjoy your pregnancy and congratulation for the upcoming little human!
Make sure you're being gentle and barely applying pressure, there is always the risk of dislodging the placenta which could lead to the death of the unborn or an emergency c-section. I'm not saying this to scare you but it's a real concern. That's why when babies that aren't head down when it comes to labor, most doctors won't attempt to try and move the baby because of that risk. I understand what you're saying, I have a 16 month old, but just pay attention and make sure you're not applying enough pressure to actually move the baby.
I am 20 wks and my husband has been doing the same thing for almost 2 wks. This is the only way that I have felt it. But last Friday I felt it for the first time without him doing it. I haven't heard that this causes any harm.
You're not causing any harm to the baby! I do that too, and it's not harmful at all. Remember that the baby is surrounded by amniotic fluid and your uterus, so it's got a few layers of padding protecting it. Also, the doctor presses down when feeling the baby, and doesn't cause any harm! The only thing I'll warn you about is this: it doesn't always work, so don't freak out when it doesn't. It used to work for me all the time, and then around 28 weeks or so, the baby must have shifted position or something and didn't react the same way when I pressed down, and I totally freaked. My doctor reassured me that it was just a change in position, and I still feel my baby move, but the kid still doesn't react like it used to to me pressing my abdomen. The other thing to keep in mind is, you don't have to worry about irregular baby movements until you reach the third trimester. Then, you need to do kick counts and pay attention to the baby's movement patterns, and if the baby doesn't move for a while, it's a cause for concern. But up until then, just enjoy the movements when you do feel them, and don't worry when you don't! Good luck!
