If there is a moment when a woman feels even more special and experiences a magical time, it is during pregnancy. Having the opportunity to carry a child, feeling your baby growing, developing each day, and starting to notice your baby’s movements inside your belly is something inexplicable. But all of us women who have already experienced pregnancy know the feeling, but what about what the baby feels? How do they behave inside our womb?
What Do They Do?
The baby inside the womb sleeps for most of the day, reaching up to 12 hours of sleep, and during these long naps, they dream. But dreams, how so? Yes, the baby has dreams about their experiences inside the uterus including all the sensations they receive from their mother1.
That’s why every pregnant woman should stay away from moments of stress, scares, and any strong emotion that could shake and also transmit to the baby who is picking up on everything.
The recommendations to talk to the baby, play calm music2, and gently touch the belly with the intention of soothing and caring for the little one are extremely important. Even when they are already able to move clearly, they can show reactions when they hear voices they recognize, usually from mom and dad.
Third Trimester
From the third trimester of pregnancy on, this sensitivity intensifies even more due to the completion of the baby’s brain development and enhanced hearing ability. A big question that parents may have, or maybe a fact most don’t know, is about pee. Did you know the baby in the womb pees?
And 90% of the amniotic fluid they are surrounded by during the 9 months of pregnancy is made of this pee, but this urine is not the same as they will produce after birth. Inside the uterus, this urine is made almost entirely of water and will start to be ingested, entering a cycle of drinking and peeing automatically starting from the 5th month of pregnancy.
Among the various things the little baby inside the belly can do, some can be witnessed with a bit of luck during ultrasound exams that are requested during prenatal care. And since parents are always delighted during these exams and melt with every movement they see, can you imagine witnessing your little baby yawning? Or sucking their thumb?
From the end of the second trimester, babies start to learn the sucking reflex, which they will use after birth to nurse, so don’t be surprised if you catch your baby sucking one of their fingers. This will make the muscles responsible for sucking become stronger and stronger.
How to Stimulate Baby Movements in the Womb?
Feeling the baby move inside the belly is one of the biggest expectations for women when they find out they’re pregnant, and we can say it’s also one of the most amazing experiences a person can have.
Some women feel their baby move early, while others take a little longer. There’s no clear explanation for this. However, one fact is proven: in the second pregnancy, women can feel the baby more easily, usually around 15 to 18 weeks. In the first pregnancy, perhaps due to inexperience in recognizing the movements, it usually happens from 18 up to 20 weeks3.
The movements at first feel like little butterflies fluttering and flapping their wings inside the belly, which will develop into small kicks and pokes and become much stronger by the end of the pregnancy, sometimes even becoming painful towards the final stretch.
There are some ways to encourage the little one to move and communicate with parents and family members outside the belly. It’s a great moment for parents to enjoy and record videos to remember these moments and show the little one when they’re older.
Main Tactics
The tactics are simple, like talking a lot to the baby, touching the belly, caressing, and calling them by name. This way, the baby will get used to and recognize not only the tone of voice but also the chosen name, if you already have one.
Playing music for the baby to listen to is another great way to make them move. Some even become more active when they hear a particular song, already showing their musical preferences, haha.
Some moms even put headphones directly on their belly so that the sound is even closer to the uterine vibrations and the baby can hear it more clearly.
Best Position
A position that also makes it easier to feel the baby move inside the belly is to lie on your side with a pillow or cushion placed right underneath your belly. Stay still for a few minutes, and soon you’ll feel the little one moving and getting comfortable inside you.
Another tip often used by moms, especially before an ultrasound when they want to find out the baby’s sex, is to eat sweets, especially chocolate. Eating this food actually makes the baby more active due to the spike in glucose passed to the placenta.
However, this is not a method highly recommended by doctors, especially if it becomes routine, since eating too much sugar can cause serious pregnancy problems like diabetes and excessive weight gain.
If you already feel your baby moving normally inside your belly but are worried because it’s been a few hours without movement, try the tips above, and if even so it doesn’t work, contact your obstetrician for an exam to check if everything is okay with your baby.
See also: When Does the Baby Start to Move? Guide for Moms and Dads
<
