How did you know your baby was kicking the 1st time?

[mommy_someday]

I'm around 17 weeks and books say that I should be feeling the baby kick any day now. What the heck does it feel like? A friend of mine said it's like bubbles or fluttering, but if that's the case, how am I supposed to know? (This may get a little yucky, so continue with caution) I have IBS and for my whole life, I've had the most active and LOUD G.I. system of anyone I know. I remember sitting in church when I was in junior high, during prayer of all things, and my abdomen rumbled so loudly that the entire row of people looked at me! I'm just afraid I'm going to miss the "quickening" part because there is always so much going on down in that area.

Anyone else have this problem?

[nathansmom]

The best way I know to describe the feeling is bubbles. I just went through this for a few weeks before I allowed myself to believe it was the twins moving. Now I feel a thump when they are moving. One day, I promise, you'll know for sure the baby is moving.

[JElaineB]

You might not have missed anything yet. Some people don't feel anything until 20 weeks or later. I didn't feel anything until 22 weeks I think. The tail end of normal is about 23 weeks. The placenta was in front and I have some "extra padding" (fat!) around the middle, both of which contributed to me not feeling him move until then. I did think something was wrong with my stomach for a couple of days before I figured out it was the baby moving, though. But the baby won't make any noise, so if your stomach is rumbling then that must be the IBS! For me it did feel like bubbles at first - like a little fish was in there going blub, blub, blub.

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[jbowman]

Frankly it felt like little feet kicking me from the inside! I never experienced the bubbles or fluttered, just the real kicks! I experienced this for a bit before I realized what it was! I remember thinking: I am the only woman who will never experience the kicks (I also thought I'd never go into labor and I did)! It will happen, and probably already has.

[Momof3Labs]

I'd compare the feeling to a tiny little muscle spasm - you know, the feeling that you get when you have an eye spasm? And the spasm tends to be in almost exactly the same location each time. I felt Colin starting at around 18 weeks. But everybody is different - it depends on the baby's position, the position of your placenta, and such. Don't worry - soon enough, you'll be willing your baby to hold still for just a little while so you can fall asleep!!

[smilequeen]

Mine feels like little muscle spasms too. It was around 18 weeks that I knew that's what it was and it wasn't until about 20 weeks that it was fairly common for me.

Don't worry, it might not be obvious at first, but it will be soon :)

[dowlinal]

For me it kindof felt like I had a goldfish in my tummy. It was a squirmy feeling that was so unlike anything else I had ever felt. I think I was around 18 weeks when I first felt it but if I remember correctly the book I had said that you tended to notice it earlier if you already had a child and later (like 20 weeks) if it is your first.

[Rikkele]

I first felt DD at about 18wks. It felt like fluttering of butterfly wings. The only reason I was aware of it was that DH and I happened to be quietly lying in bed taking a nap. Had I been active at the time I may have missed it. Didn't happen again for a few days and then started to occur with more frequency and regularity. Believe me, you will just know!!

[Marisa6826]

17w is a little bit early, unless you're really thin.

This time around I felt Amelia at about 21-22w along. It's kind of like gas bubbles (I have IBS on occasion, so I can sympathise with you) in the beginning.

Later on it will feel like a quick muscle twitch. You will most likely feel it best when you're kind of laying on your belly in the beginning. The baby will be probably be most active when you're NOT. Your regular movements (walking, etc.) lull the babe to sleep, so when you are still, the baby will wake up.

Congrats!

-m

[nohomama]

Especially since you seem to be a first time Mama, I'd say 17 weeks is definitely on the early side for feeling movement. Also, as someone else mentioned, the placement of the placenta can effect how early you feel movement too. With Lola, my placenta was anterior and I felt her "kick" for the first time around 20 weeks.

As for what it feels like, bubbles and fluttering never jived with my experience. To me it felt as though someone was lightly tapping their finger against the side of a balloon. Tap, tap, tap.

[jec2]

same here with the placenta up front. I was getting so frustrated and when I went for my 20 week ultrasound the doc explained that its position was preventing me from feeling much. However, shortly thereafter it was full on gymnastics in my tummy!

[jubilee]

I just wanted to say I LOVE feeling the baby kick and roll. That's the thing I miss most about pregnancy. Really cherish it! :)

[jk3]

I started feeling movement at about 18 weeks. It felt like bubbles or light popping. It was very strange at first but cool too! Don't focus too much on what the books say. They're good for a reference tool but nothing is really a norm! =)

Jenn
DS 6/03

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030603/2/5/1/-5/.png

[jd11365]

20.5 weeks here... DH accidentally bopped me in the stomach with his knee as we were going to bed one evening...and I guess she wanted to bop him back! I felt a little thump on my right side. Don't worry...you're a little early as the other's have said...give it a few weeks... :)

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
May '03

[COElizabeth]

Hmm, I guess I did miss the "quickening," but I don't think it's uncommon not to recognize early movements with a first pg. With my first pg, I wasn't positive I was feeling movement for a long time (definitely later than 17 weeks). I kept thinking it could be gas or whatever. I finally admitted to myself that it was the real thing when DH actually felt it, too, from the outside! With this pg I started feeling movement earlier. I don't feel that my first pregnancy was marred because I wasn't sure at the beginning. It was still cool when I did feel the movements and knew what they were for sure. Don't worry!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02
EDD #2, 10-30-04

[McQ]

It was 20 something weeks with Declan. Started as butterflies, then twitching, thumps and then full on kicks. This time I noticed it sooner - but I'd swear I'm giving birth to cirque du soleil this time.

I wouldn't worry if I were you - it'll happen soon enough. And it'll be great.

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03
and number 2 EDD 9.14.04

[octmom]

I'm not sure if I identified the first movements I felt as DS. I think it took some consistency for me to realize that the feeling of butterfly wings fluttering in my belly was my baby moving. It was around 18 weeks, I think.

Later in my pregnancy, I described the feeling of DS's movement in my belly as if there was a little turle in a fishbowl in there, knocking on the glass to get my attention. Not sure where that idea came into my head from, but DH thought it was hilarious.

I really miss that feeling! It was so neat to know that my baby was growing and turning in my belly. I'd sit in meetings at work with my hand on my belly under the conference table, feeling as if my baby and I were sharing a secret. Late in my pregnancy, when I was bigger, one of my colleagues would sit across the table during staff meetings and watch my belly jump when DS landed a particularly good kick. :)

Now I am feeling nostalgic for those pg days... Enjoy it!


Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

http://lilypie.com/baby1/041029/3/3/3/-5/.png

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[Melanie]

"I'm around 17 weeks and books say that I should be feeling the baby kick any day now. What the heck does it feel like? "

Like someone kicking you on the inside. ;-) The fluttering is what I would feel when Ds would move...but the kicking, felt like kicking.

The funniest is near the end when the baby is so cramping in there and will attempt to stretch out. It looks like something out of the movie Aliens.

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif

[llcoddington]

I never felt any bubbles or fluttering or quickening. At 15 weeks, I felt a little kick. Like if someone lightly poked you on the arm, except that same poke from the inside. I sure do miss that feeling!

I know feeling kicks at 15 weeks is very, very early.

Lana
mommy to Lauren 12/5/03

[kristenk]

I was the same way! I finally knew that I felt the baby when I felt a few thumps on the inside of my belly and when I put my hand there, I felt them on the outside, too! It sort of made me feel like an idiot that I hadn't noticed anything definitive before that, but it was so much fun that DH could feel the baby move only shortly after I could!

[miki]

Sorry if TMI, but in retrospect what I felt at the beginning was a little like the gas I was having due to the pregnancy. It was only after feeling the kicks for about a week or so that I realized what it was.

[amazz]

I can totally understand where you are coming from! This was me not too long ago!

The first time I for sure felt the baby was when I was taking a nap on my stomach (my preferred way of sleeping--hasn't happened lately though!) and felt a thump. No flutters or bubbles here. It didn't happen regularly for a couple more weeks, but now I'm honestly wishing this baby would take a break! I thought I would never feel him/her and now he/she never stops--seriously. I think I was about 21 or so weeks. I know it was well after 18 weeks b/c when I went in for the ultrasound at 18 weeks, I told the tech I couldn't feel the baby moving yet and he gave me this weird look and told me I probably wouldn't for at least 3 more weeks. Don't listen to the books on this one!!!! :)

BTW--had the same church experience! :)

Angela
EDD 10/15/04
A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on. ~Carl Sandburg