The feeling of your baby moving inside of you is a magical moment that never gets old. And it can be a reassuring way to know that your baby is healthy and happy, even if you can’t see or hear them yet.

But what if you’re having trouble feeling those precious kicks? If you’re tired of waiting for that little bundle to make its presence known, we’ve got 12 easy tips to help prompt a kick!

The First Flutter

Feeling your baby kick for the first time is a milestone eagerly anticipated by parents and one that stays with you forever, but when will this exciting moment happen and what will it feel like?

Most people feel their baby kick for the first time between 16 and 20 weeks, but it can happen as early as 14 weeks or as late as 24 weeks.

At first, their kicks are so small and gentle that they’re almost unnoticeable and the feeling of movement will be different for everyone. It can feel similar to having gas bubbles moving through your intestines or abdomen—or maybe even feeling hungry! But most women describe it as a fluttering or butterfly-like sensation.

Every woman’s pregnancy is different, so don’t panic if you don’t feel kicks as early on as others. As your baby grows and gets more active, those flutters will turn into unmistakable jabs!

The Top 12 EASY Ways To Get Baby To Kick

Now for what you’ve been waiting for: the best ways to get your baby to deliver the sweet kick of relief you crave

1.   Keep those snacks coming!

If you’re pregnant, you’ve probably heard about the importance of eating well for your baby. But did you know that a snack can actually help get your baby moving?

Babies respond to those blood sugar boosts of yours much like you do. When you eat something, especially something high in sugar, your blood sugar levels rise and so do the levels of glucose in the amniotic fluid surrounding your child in the womb. This makes the baby more active, which will eventually lead to them kicking or rolling around a little bit.

So next time you need some help getting the little one going, grab a healthy, sugar-filled snack like an apple and peanut butter or a tasty fruit salad, and give those tiny limbs a little jiggle!

2.   Do some jumping jacks

Jumping jacks may not be the most fun thing you can do whilst pregnant, but they’re a great way to get your baby moving.

This trick is popular with ultrasound technicians when they can’t get a good view of the baby. It’s quick and easy to do and works like a charm.

If jumping jacks aren’t your thing, try jogging on the spot. Whatever exercise you prefer, baby should be ready to make its presence known once you sit down and relax.

3.   Give Them A Gentle Jiggle

Gentle poking or jiggling your baby bump is a great way to get a kick out of your growing child.

Believe it or not, babies are very aware of their surroundings even before they’re born. even though they don’t have much control over their movements yet, they can still move around and respond to stimuli. So if you want to get a response from your baby, try gently poking or jiggling your belly. You’ll most likely be able to feel their little kicks right away!

As frustrating as it can be waiting for movement, patience is a virtue here. They might be protected in a sac, but they’re still pretty darn delicate, so don’t go too crazy, just move onto a different method to induce movement.

4.    Shine a light

Shining a light on a pregnant belly can make baby move.

Who knew?

It’s true, by week 22, it’s possible for foetuses to perceive light and dark. So if you’re pregnant, try shining a light on your belly and see if baby flips out about the sudden change in brightness.

However, make sure not to shine it too brightly—you don’t want to make them uncomfortable!

If you don’t feel anything, try moving the light around in different directions and even changing the color of the light (red is known to be more effective). You’ll be surprised at how excited your little one gets about the show!

5.   Strike Up A Convo

Even though your baby is still in the womb, it’s never too early to start talking to him.

As well as being a great way to bond with them, it can also help get them to move and keep them active.

Foetal hearing starts developing around week 16, and by week 22, your little one can likely hear your voice. So from then until birth, you’re going to be able to communicate with your baby via sound—and they’ll be able to communicate back!

Talk to your baby as much as possible. The more you do, the better for both of you. If you find it awkward to start with, here are some suggestions of what to say.

– Tell your baby about yourself and what you’re doing right now.

– Read a book

– Talk about how much you love being pregnant with them.

6.   Turn Up The Tunes

Music can make babies move in the womb, and it’s not just because they like to dance.

Music has been shown to have a positive effect on babies in the womb, and can even be beneficial to their development. Babies who are played music in utero tend to be more active than those who aren’t, and they also show signs of greater brain activity after being exposed to music.

Although studies may have debunked the idea that playing music to babies in utero makes them smarter in the future, there is reason to believe that unborn babies are stimulated by music, and can become familiar with certain tunes.

So get singing or grab some headphones for your belly, just make sure not to play it too loud as that isn’t good for baby’s developing ears. You may wish to consider purchasing These Specially designed Babybuds which will allow you to play Music, Sounds and voices directly into your Pregnancy bump!

7.    Lie down

When you’re pregnant, you may notice that when you go to bed to get some sleep, this is when your baby will start kicking. Typical eh? But there is a reason behind it.

The movement caused by you getting up and moving around during the day can lull your baby to sleep, meaning they are more likely to be active when you are laying still throughout the night.

So if you want to feel movement; treat yourself to some early afternoon shut-eye! It will be useful to get used to sleeping in the day anyway!

8.   Be Afraid, Just Not Very Afraid

When you’re scared, your body pumps adrenaline through your veins. That same rush can make your baby kick into action too.

So if want to get those little limbs moving, stick on a scary film, or do something else that makes you feel slightly nervous.

Just don’t go overboard, feeling too anxious won’t be healthy or fun for either of you.

9.   Don’t Cut Out The Caffeine

Although most doctors recommend going easy on the caffeine, you don’t need to cut it out completely. Expectant mums can still enjoy a coffee here and there as long as they don’t consume more than 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per day.

So if you haven’t reached your daily limit yet, give this one a try to get your baby wiggling. The sudden jolt of caffeine may have the same effect as sugar does on your little one.

10.   Ice Ice Baby

Hey mums, if you’re not into giving caffeine a go, try out this tactic: have a cold drink!

This seems to be a very popular trick among mothers online who rave about its effectiveness, and bonus: it requires no extra effort.

Simply adding ice to your beverage of choice is usually enough to get your baby moving.

11.   And…Relax

Going crazy trying to feel your baby’s movements? Try your best not to stress.

When you’re relaxing and taking some time for yourself, you’ll be better able to tune into sensations that indicate your baby’s movements. This can be as simple as taking a warm bath or laying down on the couch after dinner.

So go ahead—relax, turn off your phone, and try again. You might be surprised by what happens.

12.    Belly Rubs

Babies kick when they’re happy and when you rub your belly, you are helping your baby to feel safe and happy in the womb.

Also, the pressure from a nice tummy massage stimulates their reflexes, which encourages them to kick back at you. When they do that, they receive a rush of endorphins (hormones that make us feel happy), which causes them to kick even more! Hooray!

Plus, belly rubs can be just plain fun for everyone involved! They’re a great way for dads to connect with their little one-to-be, and they can also help mum relax and feel some of those tiny kicks.

When To Worry

Now that we know how to get baby to move, let’s turn our attention to when a lack of movement is cause for concern.

Not all babies move the same amount, so don’t worry if yours doesn’t seem to kick as much as others, what’s important is noticing any changes in your baby’s usual movements.

However, if you haven’t felt your baby move by 24 weeks tell your midwife and they’ll do some checks to make sure everything is okay.

Keeping Count

After 28 weeks of gestation, the foetus should move 10 times in two hours during at least one active period each day. If this does not occur, it could be a sign of distress. They don’t need to move 10 times every two hours–just a couple of active hours each day suggests baby is doing well.

The NHS advises you to call your midwife or maternity unit if

• Your baby is moving less than usual
• You cannot feel your baby moving anymore
• There is a change to your baby’s usual pattern of movements

They’ll need to check your baby’s movements and heartbeat.

Do not wait until the next day – call immediately, even if it’s the middle of the night.

This could save your baby’s life.

We hope you found this article helpful in your quest to get your baby to kick and move while in utero, and that it helps you feel more confident going forward.

And remember,

There’s never any harm in asking for advice, especially when it comes to something as important as your baby’s health.

 

Thanks for reading!