When Should I Pay Attention to Fetal Movement?

How much fetal movement should we expect in the second trimester? I’m currently 21 weeks and 5 days pregnant. I started feeling the baby regularly two to three weeks ago. I’ve been feeling movements every day. Last week I felt stronger and more movements at a time. This week, movements seem milder/not as frequent or strong. Is it normal? When should I be concerned? Is it too early to worry about movement?
—Ana

It is too early to worry about movement! We don’t do much fruit comparison over here, but at this stage your baby is about the size of a papaya. It’s swimming around in a sea of amniotic fluid, changing position frequently. Depending on where the baby is situated, you may or may not feel them very much. It may well be that your baby turned around this week in a way that just makes them less noticeable.

pregnant parent laying on couch — Cottonbro Studios / Pexels

The main way doctors encourage people to track movement is through kick counting — basically, ensuring there are at least a certain number of movements in a given time frame. Even for high-risk women, this isn’t recommended until 26 weeks of pregnancy, and for most people you would not consider starting until 28 weeks. This timing is based on the fact that, by that gestational age, the baby is large enough that you should feel them consistently.

Summary: At this time during pregnancy, you should expect changes in how much you feel the baby. Having said that, if you’re very anxious about this, it’s worth calling your doctor. They may be able to get you in for a quick reassurance check.