Anterior Placenta

[Ngala]

Hi All!!

Well I went and had my 19 wk scan today and everything is going along quite nicely! The sonographer said that the placenta is anterior as well as low lying and I have to go back for another scan at 32wks. Which I know is nothing to worry about but my question is......... when can I start to get some movements from my lil girl?

Movements/kicks was the one thing I was very excited about so trust my body to make me wait a lil longer!!

[Karina]

Veronica, i started to feel my bub moving around 19-20 weeks... my placenta is also anterior (but not low lying) and they told me that usually you feel movements a bit later if its anterior... so hopefully not long to go till you feel bub moving. Yay that your scan went well too.

[Alan]

usually about 20 weeks

[Ngala]

Thanks! Hopefully I will be feeling something over the next week or so

[Trish]

Veronica, my placenta was anterior with Tehya. It take a while for me to feel her movements though. I would say atleast 20 - 22 weeks.

With Noah I had a LLP, it was put to me then that I might need a c section if it didn't move up and that I would have a scan at 32 weeks too. Noah ended up being breech and the placenta's postion could have had something to do with that. So even though my placenta eventually clear my cervix Noah wasn't nice enough to turn around and I still ended up with the c section.

Hope everything goes well for you hun and you feel your wriggly little bubba soon

[pholmes]

Hi Veronica,

I am 20 weeks pg and have an anterior placenta. This is my 4th baby and all of the others had posterior placenta's. I saw my obs at 15 weeks and when I got to about 16 weeks I was talking to my mother (midwife) because I hadnt felt any movements and I had by that stage with my other three. She told me not to worry that it was number four and it might take a bit longer to feel movement. I mentioned I thought I may have an anterior placenta because things felt different. I had my scan at 19 weeks and saw ob at 20 weeks and yep I do have an anterior placenta and have only just started feeling movements. They also aren't as strong as the others were and feel less regular. My ob has an us in her rooms and when she was checking everything on Mon you could see bubs moving but I couldnt feel it all, bubs must have to be in the right position for me to feel the movements.

[LuluHB]

I have a llp and have to go back for another scan at 34 weeks to see what position its in to see whether I'll need to have a c-section. It doesn't seem to have had any effect on movement though - I was feeling movement by 16 weeks

[Ngala]

Lulu - thats interesting. Do you know if it is low lieing at the front or back of your uterus?

[LuluHB]

Its at the front so not as blocking of movements as yours perhaps is. Ed is definitely not breach though - little bugger has had her head bouncing off my bladder and been right down low in my pelvis for weeks now! I was really worried when they first told me about the llp at first cos I really don't want a c-section but from everything they told me and I have read, the chances of it not having moved up and out of the way are really really low.

[Ngala]

Lulu - I think the chance of it not moving is 0.5%. So its very very likely to move up.

Well I felt my lil girl for the first time last night from the OUTSIDE! Woohoo. DP felt it too. Its amazing!! I had my hand on my tummy and there she was tapping away. I cant wait to get more kicks

[Pandora]

I had an anterior placenta, but not low lying.

The first movements I had that I for sure recognised as movements was at 23 weeks, but thinking back it may have been a week earlier than that.

[LuluHB]

Yay for feeling your little girl move Vanessa. It is so cool when you can feel them on the outside isn't it - especially when it means your DP can too. Just wait until you can SEE her moving on the outside - I think I like that more than I like feeling her. You have some exciting time ahead!!

[min]

I have an anterior placenta, but I still felt Leo at 14 1/2 weeks. I am having a scan at 32 weeks as well, but is to rule out placenta acretia

[BellyBelly]

Low Lying Placenta

[Ezz]

Had an ultrasound yesterday (at 14 weeks, 6 days) & report said that placenta is forming anteriorly. Does that mean it will be longer until I feel the baby kick? Are there any other problems associated with this?

[~Kate~]

Hi Ezz
I too have an anterior placenta, and yep, I found that I didn't really start feeling any movements until about 19weeks. And even then they were quite light and very low down (just above pubic bone).
I have started feeling more and more movements, harder and more central to my uterus since about 21weeks. It is an absoloute pain being anterior because this is my first baby and I was so wanting to feel movements as early as I could.
There are no real problems with anterior placentas as they are still out of the way of the cervix (which could affect labour).
I have however found out that because babies like to face their placentas, there may be a chance of a posterior baby/labour. This is where the babies back is against your back, this is not an ideal position to birth as it can cause lengthy labours and bad back pain.
There are sites around to help you 'move' your baby into a better postion as you get further along in your pregnancy. Try googling 'optimum foetal positioning'. Basically, it says to get down on your hands and knees for minimum of 30mins each day to encourage the baby to turn (gravity means that bubs will lie on your tummy). Also, don't slouch in chairs and avoid sleeping on your back.
Don't let me worry you though, because its common for babies to turn themselves in the right position. Just something to remember when in later stages of pregnancy.

Good luck and I hope you feel your little one very soon

[Ngala]

Hi Ezz

I was told at 19 wks that the placenta was anterior and low lying.

Anterior placenta usually does mean that you will feel the baby's movements later because the placenta is going to act like a cushion. I felt my baby for the first time at 19wks, I also felt her for the first time from the outside at 19 wks as well. Some people do feel the baby later than this as well.

Did you get told that you would need to go back for another u/s at 32 or so weeks? I was mentioned this by the sonographer but my doc has advised against going in for another scan because the placenta would have moved away from the opening of the cervix. But most of the time you do go in to check to see if its moved.. Do you know if the placenta is low lying?

I have started feeling more and more movements, harder and more central to my uterus since about 21weeks. It is an absoloute pain being anterior because this is my first baby and I was so wanting to feel movements as early as I could.

Kate - I too was disappointed to find out that the placenta was anterior because I wanted to experience the movements really early on. But I tell you, when you get to 34 wks you could want them to stop!! My little one moves so much now, it no longer the jabs like it was before, I actually feel her foot/knee move from one side of the uterus to the other and it makes me feel sick sometimes!

[BhoysGirl]

Hey there Ezz,

I'm another anterior placenta girl. I didn't get any identifiable movements until around 22 weeks, but now, at 34 weeks - absolutely no problems feeling the little monkey (or should that be octopus LOL) My bubs is also head down, although I don't know which way it's facing. With a few weeks to go I'm not too worried about that side of things, especially as they can still twist around anyway. As long as it stays head first, the rest I'll cope with IYKWIM.