Feeling baby move with anterior placenta?!

I am told I have an anterior placenta. I was also told that this affects me in feeling my baby move. About 2 weeks ago, I started feeling funny movements (not flutters), but was wondering if those are my baby's kicks? They felt like gentle taps... very gentle, I really have to concentrate in order to differentiate from regular intestinal movement. This is my first pregnancy and I am so anxious to know whether what I am feeling is my baby as I am constantly worrying if my baby has moved today. DH told me to relax, but I can't because I am so scared that something is wrong. I am relieved every time after my doctor's visit! I guess that's a motherhood instinct!:dance:

Yep. it's probably your baby you're feeling. Nice eh? :) This is my third baby, but the first time with an anterior placenta, and it was definitely a little later before I felt regular, strong movements, compared with the others. I think I started feeling definite kicks around 18-19 weeks, or so, after feeling little flutters for a few weeks, off and on, before that. (a mum who's had previous pregnancies will likely feel the baby earlier, so don't worry at all about not feeling much until now!) And don't stress about how much you feel baby moving at first. He will have busy days and quiet days. It's not until a fair bit later on that you should try to count movements. (Close to the end of pregnancy - can be an early indicator of distress.) For now, just enjoy them when they happen, and keep in mind too, that if you have a busy day, you will likely miss a lot of moving, which might make you worry that it isn't happening. My baby is most active when I am quiet - just before bed time he/she takes up tap-dancing! ;) And now at 24ish weeks, I have strong kicks that others can feel too - your DH will probably love that when that comes. Not too long to wait. :)
And as far as the worrying goes - each and every one of us, I think, does that. Until you feel your baby move, (once the m/s has eased) the only "sure" indication that you really are still pg is the heart beat at the doctor's visits. I was relieved every time again, too. It's perfectly natural. Try not to stress to much - it sounds like everything is going beautifully for you. All the best!

Hi Carmen
It sounds like all is going well with you so you have nothing to worry about....
I am also a 1st timer and also have an AP and I only felt v slight mvts - similar to what you describe (v soft, like tapping or pulse like in intensity) for ages... I was wondering if I would ever feel this one move!!! I didnt feel that til about 20 weeks or so... in the last few weeks the kicks are pretty strong and I now feel them all the time - esp when I am not v active (walking around, exercise etc rocks the baby to sleep), when I chg positions (e.g. if sleeping on one side and I turn over), when I have a v cold drink, or when DH or I poke the baby!!!!
DH did not feel mvts from the outside for a longtime, prob around 25-26 weeks...

It is v special when it happens... and us AP mummies just have to wait that bit longer!

Cricket, thanks for your msg. I feel much better reading your post and I think I need to relax. Being a first time mom, I think that's one disadvantage... I don't really know if what I am feeling is the baby's movement or just me fantasizing!? Fortunately, hearing your story gives me reassurance! Thanks

Pregpan, I can't wait till I feel the stronger kicks like you described! Until that day, I think I still will feel a bit odd not being able to fully feel my baby's kicks. Actually, I kinda wish that my baby would kick me hard (I might regret saying that later) so that I could feel his/her presence. It's such a joy when I feel the movements even though some times it feel rather "funny, tickling". Ever since I knew I was pregnant, I was looking forward to this day of kicks!Let them come soon! By the way, can you see your baby's kicks from the outside? I am curious because I was told by some women that it is possible?!

Hi Carmen - i have an AP this time around as well. While it definitely took me longer to feel strong kicks this time around, i could still feel what you are experiencing now.
I can see my stomach moving - and so can dh - and this little one is jabbing me in all directions now. Today i have a lump at my side which i'm sure is a foot!! (it jabs me every now and then) I still get anxious when i haven't felt her move first thing in the morning. It's part and parcel of being a mummy.

Hi Carmen
Yes I do see my stomach move every now and then, it isnt as pronounced as I imagined (ie i cant make out a foot or anything yet - but that may come) but I see an area of my tummy 'jump out'... it doesnt happen all the time though... but once in a while...

Yep...I was just the same...

First time Mum...AP...and it took til about 20 weeks until I really felt anything definite...but even then they were fairly irregular...

DH probably started feeling the 'kicks' (more like taps really) at about 23-25 weeks...

Now I'm 33 weeks and I feel the kicks really regularly...they are beautifully cushioned by the AP...feels so gorgeous!

The sonographer told me at my 13 week scan to look at how much the baby was moving and yet at that stage, I couldn't feel a thing...he said to keep reminding myself of this when I start to worry about not feeling movement...it really helped!

I actually think the time I worried most in the pregnancy was between 14 and 22 weeks...mainly because the early pregnancy symptoms had begun to wear off and I wasn't feeling movements...from 22+ weeks on, it's been great!

Thank you so much for all your reassurance. I think having read your posts made a difference in my daily life. As I mentioned earlier, I find myself preoccupied in worrying especially at this stage, most of the pregnancy signs wore off. Some days, I remember telling myself that my baby is still in there, but just probably tired. When I get those thoughts, I must admit my day kind of feels depressing since there's no way I could tell my baby's movements except for those minute taps. Right now, I feel so much better. At least, hearing from you gals, I can relate my experience to yours! Thank you so much for your supports and words of encouragements! :hugs:

Carmen I had an anterior placenta and my little girl booted me all the time. I started to get flutters at around 19 weeks and then in the early 20's she started booting and that was it she was off. It is the most amazing feeling and I still miss it. I was luck and she never hurt me with her kicks but she loved to roll around and stretch my belly by pushing with her feet and head at different ends of my belly. Some say that you won't feel your baby as much but you just feel it differently and will love it.

Hi Carmen,

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I have an anterior placenta too and i started feeling bubs at around 17 weeks, at first i thought it was gas or just normal digestive things going on, but pretty soon i realised they were too "hard" to not be kicks... now i feel some sort of movement every hour! It's hard to not worry about everything isn't it! I think it's those early instincts kicking in!

Dan, how lucky are you! You already have your baby girl. I wish days would go faster for me that I could meet my baby soon! Though I love the feeling of being pregnant, I think I will have another feeling of joy once my baby's born. My baby's kicks definitely are soft at the moment, but I can certainly feel them. At the moment, they are gentle so I am enjoying them very much and is hoping to get more kicks as the days go by.

Keira, Congrats to your pregnancy and on finding out that you are expecting a baby girl. My doctor thinks I am expecting a girl too, but it's only an 80% certainly as my baby was too active during the scan. So, I am hoping to find out the exact gender at my third trimester's scan. Until then, I am relating my symptoms to yours. I started feeling flutters at 18 weeks and now, it's soft, gentle kicks. I wait eagerly for the days that my baby will start kicking strongly! (I might regret for saying that later!?) The feeling of being pregnant is truly amazing. And yes, I certainly think the worrying will probably never stop! In the mean time, let us enjoy our pregnancies.

By the way, today is another day of joy for me. As I mentioned earlier, I am constantly worrying that something is going to go wrong during my pregnancy since at almost 22 weeks, other pregnancies signs have worn off. Today, I went to my doctor's for a regular checkup, and when I heard my baby's heart beat, my heart is filled with joy! By the way, around this time, are you feeling any round ligaments pain? I am getting it these days and some days found it more bothersome than others (Two days ago, I had such a hard time pulling myself out of bed because of the pain)! But nevertheless, I am still loving all the sacrifices for the baby! It's definitely worth it! :bellygrowing:

Hi Carmen!

How exciting hearing your baby's heartbeat!! It's one of the best sounds in the world! I don't think i will ever get sick of that sound!! :D

I started experiencing round ligament pain at around the 16-17 week mark and it was kind of painful enough for me to walk funny! But then when i lay down or stopped being so active they would slow down and go away, and since then i haven't really had them anymore! I hope they ease up for you soon!

And i totally agree, all the symptoms are worth it! Especially when bubba kicks, just to remind you that they're there! :D