An old wives tale?

[Roryrory]

My MIL has told me that babies who move a lot in utero are more likely to be "difficult" babies when born (ie: more prone to reflux, colic, etc). She seems to have a sample size of two to go by - my SIL (my MIL's 3rd child, who moved heaps and had "problems" as a baby) and my SIL's little boy, who once again moved heaps in utero and suffered greatly from colic.

Now my MIL likes to dramatise things and because she had 4 children and is a nurse likes to think of herself as a bit of an authority on these matters. So I dare not tell her that this bubba is moving HEAPS and kicking to the point of discomfort at times (Flynn, by comparison, didn't seem to move as much and turned out to be a very placid baby with no health problems). I figured intially that I can just feel this one move more because my uterus is "pre-stretched" this time, but the closer I get to the Big Event the more I am worrying....

So is there any truth to the rumour that an active baby in utero is more likely to be "fiesty" or a "problem" baby when born? I only ask because Flynn was such a mild, easy going baby that I am concerned I won't know what has hit me if this one is your normal, run-of-the-mill, arsenic hour screamer (which I actually expected the first time around LOL!)

[rolymogs]

.....

[Rach75]

I think she's wrong

Jack was a huge mover and as he was so big it was extremely painful we would watch my entire stomach move in and out it was histerical, but oh so painful

anyway Jack is one of those babies that rarely cries, is extremely easy going, just goes with the flow, he is the baby that you look at the mums at mums groups etc and go I hate her just kidding but you know what I mean

I have heard if you have a difficult pg then the baby will be placid this one is right in my case

[~clover~]

I haven't really noticed any difference. I do have 3 years between each, so maybe I forgot, but my first DD was perfect & my 2nd DD was HELL!! I went from one extreme to the next. I hope life isn't too cruel. Another quiet happy baby would be nice. Even something in between would be nice! I don't think I could survive another one like my youngest!

[Phteven]

I don't think so - both my babies were very active in utero but neither of them were "difficult" babies although they're a bit of a handful now (never stop going - that stupid battery bunny is nothing compared to my children lol).
Since the amount of movement in utero that you can is determined to a certain extent by the position of the placenta it doesn't make much sense to me...

[*charmalea*]

i has a wriggler from 16wks ... non stop ...

he is so adaptive and very social and friendly and easy going bub ...

not too many health probs , the usual : constipation @6mths , sniffels , that sorta stuff ..

but he does have eye problems ... maybe nix moved so much his eyes didnt have time to find the right way to be ...... LOL he has strabisums ..

[Roryrory]

Thanks girls I know it is silly and I thought being a 2nd-timer I was "over" listening to this sort of rot but you know how it is when your are 33 weeks plus and you sit and think about things LOL!!!

[MantaRay]

both my babies were very active in utero but neither of them were "difficult" babies although they're a bit of a handful now (never stop going - that stupid battery bunny is nothing compared to my children lol).

This could have been my post except that Tom did have colic for a few weeks.

[Beach Mama]

I've only got a sample size of 1 but Izzy moved non-stop from 24 weeks and I mean non-stop! Even during labour and I never had a day of trouble with colic and I would say she has been a really easy contented baby to deal with - not fussy or difficult at all!

Dont feel silly - you hear so many things while pregnant and after you have had them, that you do start to believe things that you know may not be true. My mum the 'old wives queen" tried to tell me the other day that if I have a draught in the house Izzy could get a paralysed face! What did I do -shut the windows a bit! even as I laughed at her and told her not to be silly! :P

[Nelle]

Rory, honestly, ask anyone who knows my bub, he's very very laid back! But in utero - mercy me, I would lift my top and be surprised when I didn't see bruises, he kicked so hard. He was wriggly, but mostly kicked and punched a lot. Kicked my ribs and punched my bladder and bounced upside down on his head. The only 'problem' we had as such was that he often had the sniffles/blocked nose. But slept and fed like a dream. So...I think you might be okay?

I'll give you an alternative theory though - active in utero = strong baby. Riv could pretty much hold his head up from birth, and I've chatted to others with strong newborns who had pre-birth wigglers too. I'm sure someone will come along to prove me wrong though. Difficult to have a hard and fast theory with humans, since there are so many variables!

ETA: Oh mercy Tan, a paralysed face?? Surely there'd be more children in the world with paralysed faces if that was the case??

[Trillian]

She seems to have a sample size of two to go by

LMAO I love that! I think it's all a load of rubbish. having a sample size of 4 myself they were all a little different in the womb in the types of movements I'd feel, but none of them have had reflux or been unsettled babies at all. Erin was a high maintenance baby in that she liked being the center of attention and hated being by herself or put down, but that was just her personality.

[Beach Mama]

Nelle you would think so wouldn't you!! Must be the whole thing of "dont make that face - what if the wind changes!"

[Emma1979]

wow ive never heard this wives tale before... im going to test it out in my mothers group tomorrow....

fyi my girl was wild in utero (ive got footage of my tummy going nuts) and she is just as wild if not more now that she is here.... so in my experience it seems true!!

[christy]

How funny... never heard it before but its true for us.

Matilda was doing flips around my belly so much that people felt the need to stop & comment on my belly's movements. She still does I mean she never stopped moving that way, she had reflux & colic as well.

Jovie was heaps less actuve in the womb & is heaps less active out as well. However, she did have reflux & colic... just is less strong a personality.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Non-stop moving, woke DH and me at night (yes, that was on the inside) and we are reconsidering our plans for more babies. I still want more, but not like Liebling. I love him to bits, but just cannot take this again - we're having another sleep refusal time this week, he's either up until almost my bedtime or he's up every half-hour until I go to bed with him. I cannot recharge like this! Also, colicy, mild reflux, needs to be the centre of attention, plays alone for maybe 15 mins if I'm lucky, refuses to crawl (he can!) but will only walk everywhere so I can't even have that time to myself... I love him, honest, but he's just not like the other babies we see!

[firstbub]

My baby girl never stopped moving. I used to watch my belly doing waves and I could often see my bubs foot and hands. She had a bit of colic in the first few weeks but now (5 months on) she is a happy baby. She only cries when she is hungry or tired.

Good luck with your bub!!!