Kick Counting Makes Me Nutty

melissafphelan · August 2015

So is anyone kick counting out there bothering them to the point where it's making them crazy & fearful of the worst possible thing? I refuse to do it anymore, it's interfering with my work & my enjoying my pregnancy when everything is going smoothly with my pregnancy...

Wigglesx2 · August 2015

My doctor has never gone over or asked about kick counting. He just asks if I feel kicks or not. I just keep a mental note to make sure the baby has continued to kick me for awhile at least twice a day. If I haven't felt anything for awhile I just drink something cold. Luckily mine is very active.

beckles112 · August 2015

Mine never said anything about kick counting. He moves at pretty much the same times everyday, though. I'm with PP, so long as mine is moving regularly I don't worry about it.

LiveNLove44 · August 2015

Consider this as an option:

https://americanpregnancy.org/while-pregnant/kick-counts/

This is my second pregnancy and I never kept a record of kick counts with my first. The reality is that you're feeling movement, and your pregnancy has gone well so far. I'd consider kick counting in your case if you feel a notable decline in movement. I have only done kick counts when I feel a decrease in movement, and at that point, I grab a glass of water and lay down for awhile. Talk with your OB about your concerns, too. You may be worrying yourself silly over something for which he/she has a better approach.

laceyjaep · August 2015

I had never heard of this until a recent post here, and this is my second. None of my doctors or midwives have ever mentioned it.

leighann1 · August 2015

I only intend to do it if I notice less or no movement. She is always active at night and after I've been sitting for a few minutes, so I figure we're good as long as she's still kicking.

My doctor hasn't said anything about doing it, just wants to know if I'm feeling lots of movement. The booklet my office gave me mentions how to do it, but no in-person visits have implied that it's necessary on a daily basis.

MamaOwl15 · August 2015

This is my second child and I've never done kick counts. I pay attention to whether or not I feel movement, and if there were to be a noticae decrease, I'd know and alert my doctor. But to lie there and literally count kicks for an hour? I haven't done that and I don't think it's absolutely imperative.

Knottie59387608 · August 2015

My doctor has never told me to do this, and even though I know how I still don't. I don't want to drive myself crazy when maybe baby is sleeping or being lazy. I just keep note of when I do feel her move throughout the day. As long as you are feeling baby move some everyday, it really just seems unnecessary to me.

smlowe9311 · August 2015

I'm right there with all the others. As long as I feel her moving I don't worry about it. If I haven't felt her for a while I will drink something cold or sugary and lay down. My doctor has never mentioned in either of my pregnancies doing a kick count.

komorebi · August 2015

I never did counts unless i felt a decrease in movement. It's good to know what's normal for your baby but it shouldn't drive you crazy. If you aren't getting enough movements it's a good, early indication for a problem.

J1D · August 2015

My doc hasn't mentioned kick counts either. I only know about them from reading about it. I have a counter app on my phone that suggests the 10 movements within an hour guideline and you only have to do it once a day. I just wait til baby boy started wiggling after lunch or dinner and then grab my phone and count. So far it's never taken him more than 2 minutes to hit 10 and then I quit counting. As long as I notice him having one good work out a day, I don't worry.

Sweet Sadie Mae · August 2015

I've never had to count kicks with either pregnancy. Dr asks if he's moving a lot. As long as I notice him throughout the day I know he's fine. Is there a reason you count kicks?

tpete12 · August 2015

komorebi said:
I never did counts unless i felt a decrease in movement. It's good to know what's normal for your baby but it shouldn't drive you crazy. If you aren't getting enough movements it's a good, early indication for a problem.

I do this too. I don't actually count kicks unless I haven't felt her kick or move as much as usual. My doctor told me 6 kicks in 2 hours once a day. Nothing to stress over...even though I do....all the time hah

violetgin · August 2015

My doc said not to worry about doing them, just pay attention if her movement suddenly decreases. Seriously, between a full time job and a 19 mo DS, ain't nobody got time for that! Plus, I don't need any more stress thankyouverymuch.

erisrequiem · August 2015

My doc has me doing kick counts because of my Marginal Umbilical Cord Insertion. He said once a day, like after dinner, lay down and count up to 10 in two hours. Usually, sometime during the day when he's really active I can get to 10 within five minutes and then I'm done for the day. Lately I don't really count unless he's being unusually quiet.

VallieS86 · August 2015

My doc has told me that I should be feeling at least 10 kicks or movements in an hour. If I don't then she wants me to lay down, drink water or oj and pay attention to the kicks.nif I don't feel at least 10 at that point she wants me to come in. I think it's ridiculous to try and count 10 kicks per hour. When I'm at work I'm working. If I feel her or notice her moving great, but if I don't notice I chalk it up to being to busy to pay attention and concentrate more on it on my breaks.

J1D · August 2015

VallieS86 said:
My doc has told me that I should be feeling at least 10 kicks or movements in an hour. If I don't then she wants me to lay down, drink water or oj and pay attention to the kicks.nif I don't feel at least 10 at that point she wants me to come in. I think it's ridiculous to try and count 10 kicks per hour. When I'm at work I'm working. If I feel her or notice her moving great, but if I don't notice I chalk it up to being to busy to pay attention and concentrate more on it on my breaks.

Every hour? Everything I've seen says once a day or twice a day at most.

FrozenMommy · August 2015

I only worry when it's been about 4-5 hours. As much as they would be asleep outside the womb and worry that they haven't woken up yet lol. I just go lay on my left and poke at him.

FrozenMommy · August 2015

Sweet Sadie Mae said:

I've never had to count kicks with either pregnancy. Dr asks if he's moving a lot. As long as I notice him throughout the day I know he's fine. Is there a reason you count kicks?

I believe it's a high risk thing. I have always been told to do them, but not per hour. About every 4 is the average. Like right now, he's been moving like crazy for the past 3 hours, because I had a bit of cake for husbands birthday. He has not tasted cake yet lol!

kaylerjean · August 2015

My doctors office gave me a kick count card to fill out and help me keep track but when I told my doctor that I almost always get to 10 movements in 10 minutes or less (baby has dance parties I think) that I don't really need to bother with counts. As long as I don't notice any drastic changes in movement she told me not to worry about it!

mom4liak · August 2015

I have a very high risk pregnancy and a history of delivering a stillborn baby so my OB and MFM want me to do kick counts 4X a day. Usually not to big of a deal as baby likes to move a lot right after I eat so I just do the counts then. I have a log I do and turn in weekly to my Dr. It basically has the start and end times for 10 kicks.

I had to do kick counts for my last LO also and ended up needing to deliver him early based on his decrease in movements. Had I not done kick counts there is a good chance he would have also been stillborn. So for me they are no hassle at all!

melissafphelan · August 2015

The only reason why I started to do it is because our newborn care class & birthing class mentioned it. Baby girl moves a lot sometimes and a little sometimes & perfectly healthy. So I think it's over kill especially b/c it makes me have anxiety.

melissafphelan · August 2015

Thank you ladies! It really helps hearing your stories on this! Good luck to you all, just a few more weeks!

wandering.artist05 · August 2015

I'm so glad someone mentioned this! My dr. has never asked me to do kick counting, but I read about it online and thought I would give it a try. It drove me insane! Mine moves a lot, but not always at the same exact times (and it depends a lot on what I am doing). I finally quit doing it.

amberrmariee20 · August 2015

My doctor said not to pay attention to kick counts, and pay more attention to lack of fetal movement ... I wouldn't worry about it, especially not every hour... That's just ridiculous !

komorebi · August 2015

That's what my midwives recommend @amberrmariee20 . It's supposed to be done if you notice a decrease. They don't want us freaking out about it but it's definitely a good thing if you feel a sudden drop in movements.

FrozenMommy · August 2015

Right, you won't ALWAYS feel every movement just yet, but not feeling any is more of the reason for it, IMHO.

rue:D · August 2015

I haven't been told to do them - the NP at my office just said only if you're not noticing as much movement as is typical for your baby. Even then, 10 movements in the span of two hours is acceptable according to her.

SarahAnne1101 · August 2015

i don't mean to scare anyone, but my son wouldn't be here without it. He wasn't ever the most active baby, but I did daily counts anyways. his average was always less than ten, but at 33 weeks I started noticing he was slowing down. They ended up delivering at 34 weeks. My placenta was full of clots, and his cord had a huge clot in it. Another 24- 48 hours and he wouldn't have made it....

just make sure you are very aware of how much baby is moving and what is normal for your baby.

mom4liak · August 2015

@SarahAnne1101 That was the same thing that I had happen with my last son. My son before him was stillborn for the same reason however I wasn't doing kick counts then. I do them 4 times a day with this LO and keep track of how long it takes to get 10 "kicks". I turn that log into my Dr weekly and watch for any changes that may indicate a problem.

komorebi · August 2015

@SarahAnne1101 exactly. It seems so pointless until it isn't. And cord stuff isn't caught until it starts effecting the baby.

SarahAnne1101 · August 2015

@mom4liak - I am so sorry for your loss. It breaks my heart for you.

I hate posting things like that, because I don't want to scare other mamas. But some stillbirths and losses can be prevented. My son wouldn't be here without kick counts.

I know that it can be hard, maybe make you worry a little if the numbers seem off. But I would rather any mama be a little worried and be checked out by their doctor, than lose their baby. Kick counting stresses me out this time. If my little guy doesn't move for more than two hours, I grab something cold and sweet, lay down and give him 1 hour to ge to 5 kicks, 2 hours to hit all ten. If he doesn't I go straight to the OB. It's scary. It's stressful. But it's worth my baby being in my arms.

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