Anterior Placenta

JessTy3 · August 2016

Hi Ladies! At my 16 week early anatomy scan, I was told that have an anterior placenta. I think the only difference is that I might feel the baby later and not as often? I'm almost 18 weeks and haven't really felt movement - really looking forward to feeling something soon! Anyone else have this or can offer additional information? Should I feel baby regularly in the third trimester? Thanks!

canavara · August 2016

AP here. It really depends on the placement. Mine is anterior middle but it's shifted to the right some so I have been feeling his movements since 16/17 weeks. I'm 21 weeks tomorrow and am now finally feeling movement on the right side as well where the placenta should be.

There's a more than 0 chance that your placenta will move during your pregnancy so it may go from anterior to posterior. My understanding is that for those who have the middle + center + anterior placenta, you'll definitely feel the movement in third trimester, you just don't feel it in the same place that a posterior placenta mom might (you'll feel it on your sides, or kicks to your cervix, or to your ribs)

moosette113 · August 2016

I had an anterior placenta as of my NT scan which was only a month ago, but besides mentioning it in passing, my doctor wasn't at all concerned. Like @canavara said, there's a chance your placenta can still migrate. I think you should still be able to feel regular movements in the third trimester, though they might feel different than if you had a posterior placenta. My doctor also said it was totally within the normal range to not feel any movement until 20 weeks regardless of placenta location. I hope you get to feel little one soon!

Parley · August 2016

I had it with my first. Just felt her later than other other people. I could still feel her a TON as i got farther along. No big deal at all. I'm not sure about that migration thing- never heard of that and it doesn't make a ton of sense to me science-wise, but it doesn't matter bc there isn't really a negative to where your placenta is (except of course previa and accreta).

canavara · August 2016

@parley It moves as the uterus grows. That's usually how placenta previa is resolved (since it moves upwards as the uterus grows upward, and grows away from the cervix). Likewise, it can shift around the top of the fundus to posterior if it is already higher up... explained in a little bit more detail here: https://www.webmd.com/baby/understanding-placenta-previa-basics (obviously more contextually relevant to previa, but yeah, same idea)

ETA: It doesn't move relative to the uterus itself. It stays attached to the same spot, it's more that your uterus grows and obviously occupies the space in your abdominal cavity differently with time.

vvvvvv @moosette113 Yeah that's a way better thing that you linked

moosette113 · August 2016

@Parley I found this pretty interesting discussing placental migration. It's related low lying placentas as opposed to anterior ones. https://thepregnantscientist.com/2013/07/12/about-that-placenta/

allisoninDE · August 2016

My placenta is also anterior and I haven't felt any movement yet (18 weeks). My rational side (the one who says don't worry - it's still early) is in constant battle with my emotional side (c'mon baby! Move!). I have my 20 week US next Tuesday and I'm stoked/anxious/curious to see what's going on in there.

mommy2ane · August 2016

I also have an anterior placenta and am 20 weeks tomorrow. I'm starting to feel some shifting around, but nothing solid. My doctor told me that I won't feel her the same way I felt my son, and that it'll be more to the sides of my belly instead of the front side of it. It's strange not being able to feel her yet, and a part of me stresses a little.

mjschenk · August 2016

I will agree with pp with my first (anterior placenta) I didn't feel little one till almost 24 weeks but after that yes felt regular movement. They get big enough you know they are there.

emy730 · August 2016

mjschenk said:

I will agree with pp with my first (anterior placenta) I didn't feel little one till almost 24 weeks but after that yes felt regular movement. They get big enough you know they are there.

This was my experience almost exactly with my first. I'm feeling slight movement already at 18 weeks, but I also know what it feels like/what to expect. I am pretty much expecting this to be similar in terms of consistent movement.

cjs260 · August 2016

I have an anterior placenta (as of my 19w u/s), but I have been feeling movement since about 16w. Your anterior placenta can be high, low, off to one side a bit, or anywhere in between. Where it is will determine how much you will feel. Mine is up high, so I've been feeling lower movements, but as of the past couple of days, I've been feeling more up towards my belly button.

Parley · August 2016

@canavara thanks that makes a lot more sense to me now!

stumptownmama · August 2016

Mine is apparently semi anterior/on top which makes it so I only feel movement very low.

ThePax89 · August 2016

I had an anterior placenta with my first. I felt very early movement (11 weeks) but the kicks felt like popcorn popping. The placenta is posterior with this one.

gapeachrn · August 2016

I had an anterior placenta at my 16 weeks scan. I have my actual anatomy scan tomorrow, just a few days shy of 20 weeks. I'll be interested to see if it has moved at all.

Some days I feel like I can feel baby move, but then I think maybe I'm going crazy because I know I have an anterior placenta. I swear I've felt outside movement, but it really just feels like pressure on the inside.

litzi-2 · August 2016

i feel very intermittent movement, not even every day (i have to pay attention to feel it). i have an ap and started feeling movement about 16-17 weeks. not sure if its off to a side or anything tho.

KarliQ88 · August 2016

I have a posterior placenta and felt him kicking/moving around 16 or 17 weeks (first pregnancy but also small frame) I'm now almost 21 and feel it like crazy. My good friend is pregnant and has anterior. She said she started feeling around week 20. You'll feel it soon enough. Mine can even be felt from the outside and when he really gets going you can see it. The placenta is in the way of you feeling it where my posterior there isn't much blocking from me feeling. Hopefully soon. It's an amazing reassuring feeling.

mommywesley · August 2016

I am thinking I must have an anterior placenta, this is baby #5 and I KNOW what movement feels like, yet haven't felt much at all and now almost 20weeks. I have felt some flutters way down low for the past week and that is why I'm thinking my placenta must be in front. Hoping to have that confirmed Thursday at our anatomy scan!

Carly79 · August 2016

@mommywesley I'm thinking the same thing. I figured with this one I'd feel things more consistently sooner but it's still hit and miss. I'm definitely feeling more now than I did a few weeks ago but it's still here and there. I'm curious to see if I have an anterior placenta with this one. We find out next week.

NinaLCC · August 2016

I also have an anterior placenta. 20 weeks tomorrow and would love to feel the baby kicking... then again, my baby doesn't want to change positions even during scans when the technician is poking it! Lazy baby! I had to literally lay on my side during the last two scans and they told me the anatomy scan might be tough and to drink something sweet beforehand to get the baby moving. I have not felt anything yet.

nolemomma14 · August 2016

I was told at my 15 week ultrasound that u had an anterior placenta and it was pretty much centered. Hadn't really felt much movement at that point. 18 weeks now and I'm starting to feel some kicks but only on my left side and still very low. DH can't feel them yet. Have my anatomy scan in a couple of weeks and I'm curious to see if the placenta has moved at all.

Love that I can feel him now, can't wait for DH to feel him. He feels my belly every night and tries. When were your OHs able to feel the baby with the AP?

LCartee2016 · August 2016

I found out about my anterior placenta at the 15 week u/s (I think), and I'm waiting anxiously until I know for sure that what I'm feeling is baby and not just gas.

ladysaceb · August 2016

It has not been confirmed by ultrasound yet but I have a feeling that I have an anterior placenta. The nurse mentioned it at my last appointment because they have had a very difficult time finding babies heartbeat and when they do it is usually very low. I also have been able to feel my other babies move by this point and I have only felt baby girl a few times and I am not even 100% sure thats what I am feeling.

sjanish · August 2016

Yes! Baby #4 here and first ant. Placenta. Totally a different experience!

scgirl6113 · August 2016

AP here. Nothing really yet and I'm almost 19 weeks. I can't wait to feel movement! It gets really frustrating hearing him kick when I listen in the Doppler but I can't feel anything yet!

mommywesley · August 2016

Had my anatomy scan today and found out I do NOT have an anterior placenta! I was so shocked lol this is just a super mellow baby!

raeishavingababy · August 2016

@NinaLCC I had that experience with the NT test! I had to lay on my side like 3 times for 10+ minutes and when that didn't work, they had me walk around the room for awhile and the baby still would not get into the position they needed baby to be. Turns out I have a tilted uterus! On top of that I found out have an anterior placenta as well at 15 weeks.

RaquelB94 · August 2016

I had an AP with my first and didn't feel him moving until I was about 6 months pregnant!! I was so anxious to feel him but being a FTM and the placenta placement made it almost impossible. By the 3rd tri I felt him constantly though. The kicks would either be below the belly button or right under my boobs and not really inbetween.
This one is also an AP. I'm 20wks and can barely feel movements yet even though during the 2 u/s I've had, he was a little jumping bean lol

newyearsbaby5 · August 2016

I just found out that I have AP and I started feeling him move around 16.5 weeks, but that explains why prior to 20 weeks i'd go some days and feel nothing. now I definitely feel kicks and flips and all of that, but maybe less than those w/o AP because when he was flopping around at my ultrasound, I couldn't feel a thing.

JennaLee1486 · August 2016

I had an AP with my first. I felt some movement during second trimester, but it wasn't consistent. By third trimester it still wasn't consistent so my dr choose to be cautious and do weekly NSTs. That gave me a lot of reassurance. No one could ever feel kicks from the outside. It sucked, but if I had to pick a pregnancy related "problem" I'd take it.... the end result is still amazing

Carly79 · August 2016

Turns out I don't have an anterior placenta like I was expecting. Baby is sitting with her head very low which is why the main movement I feel is low. Doctor said it's very normal to still only feel baby once per day at this point so not to worry about anything. Seeing baby move on the U/S is so weird when I can't feel her. Our first was pretty low key during his U/S so this was fun to see.

mommy2ane · August 2016

AP update: I'm finally starting to feel movement at 21 weeks! Last night, there was even one that was solid enough to be felt on the outside! Yay!!!

SunsetSky · August 2016

AP here too. Mine sits very high though, so no cause for concern. At my AS the woman could not believe I wasn't feeling any of the movement because he was moving a ton. AP really explained that, lol. I have only felt movement in my lower left side. I am considering myself lucky that it is high though.

lindsladle15 · September 2016

My suspicions were confirmed today at a spontaneous 19wk u/s (spotting): I also have an AP. This is my third baby, so it's very different for me!

ladysaceb · September 2016

Had our U/S today. Confirmed AP which explains why I am still not feeling many movements at 19 weeks

canavara · September 2016

Does anyone else with an AP feel tenderness where their placenta is? Not cramping or anything, just... a weird feeling. I'm hoping it's just the baby pressing his feet against that part of my bump or something but for the past 2 days my middle right side (where my placenta is) feels really... tender and uncomfortable. I'm one of those speshul snowflakes that has always felt the baby kicking like crazy since week 16 despite the AP and he's still kicking and being active in there but I don't know if something is wonky around the placenta or what.

Fortunately I have an OB appointment tomorrow morning so I'm going to ask about it, but in the mean time... completely baffled and kind of nervous and reading too many stupid things about placental abruption that I probably shouldn't be reading.

ladysaceb · September 2016

@canavara I have had this with previous pregnancies although I'm not sure it was directly where my placenta was. Mine was always just muscle soreness and tenderness due to stretching and baby laying and putting pressure on a specific spot.

canavara · September 2016

ladysaceb said:

@canavara I have had this with previous pregnancies although I'm not sure it was directly where my placenta was. Mine was always just muscle soreness and tenderness due to stretching and baby laying and putting pressure on a specific spot.

I keep hearing more and more stories like this, where it's just baby putting pressure on spots. I really hope that's all it is! Hopefully I'll know for sure that everything is okay in a couple of hours and I'll just accept my body's new role in life as an oversized water balloon

ladysaceb · September 2016

canavara said:

ladysaceb said:

@canavara I have had this with previous pregnancies although I'm not sure it was directly where my placenta was. Mine was always just muscle soreness and tenderness due to stretching and baby laying and putting pressure on a specific spot.

I keep hearing more and more stories like this, where it's just baby putting pressure on spots. I really hope that's all it is! Hopefully I'll know for sure that everything is okay in a couple of hours and I'll just accept my body's new role in life as an oversized water balloon

This is #5 for me and I still have difficulties understanding and accepting my body.

canavara · September 2016

Apparently the discomfort I was feeling was just round ligament pain, heh. OB didn't seem concerned enough to even do an U/S. She did palpate around the placenta and was like, "Nice and squishy, like it should be" and then acted a little freaked out when the baby kicked from behind the placenta and she actually felt it and was just like, "Oh he's a lively one..." She did concede that it was entirely possible, given how much he's been kicking, that it could just be a sore spot where he's kicked too hard or too much lately *shrug*

agea · September 2016

Have any of the APers started feeling the kicks yet? Ive occasionally felt a "pulse" that I think is the babe but not 100%.
I'm curious when others have started to feel it through the placenta?

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