What matters is your baby’s pattern
There’s no specific number of movements that counts as normal. What matters is a change in your baby’s usual pattern: fewer movements, weaker ones, or movements that stop. If you notice a change, call your provider or go to labor and delivery right away, even at night. Don’t wait until tomorrow, and don’t wait to finish a count.
Should you count kicks?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists doesn’t ask everyone to count kicks, and doesn’t set a counting method. Your provider may ask you to count if you’ve felt your baby move less than you expect, and will tell you how often and when to call. Programs that teach counting, such as Count the Kicks, usually start at about 28 weeks.
One common method is to time how long it takes to feel 10 movements, at about the same time each day, when your baby is usually active, and compare it with your baby’s usual time. A common instruction is to call if you feel fewer than 10 movements in 2 hours. This tool alerts you at 2 hours. That’s a backstop, not a reason to wait: if movement has already changed, call now. If your provider gives you a method, use theirs.
What counts as a movement
Kicks, rolls, swishes, jabs and flutters all count. Hiccups don’t. Babies have active and quiet times every day, so count when your baby is usually active.
Sources
- CDC, “Urgent Maternal Warning Signs” (Hear Her). cdc.gov
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, “Special Tests for Monitoring Fetal Well-Being.” acog.org
- “Standardizing Fetal Movement Monitoring Using Count the Kicks.” MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 2024. nih.gov
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, “How to Tell When Labor Begins.” acog.org
- Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, “Your third trimester.” texaschildrens.org