What is Quickening?
One of the most exciting parts of the second trimester is feeling your baby move. Women, both new and repeat moms-to-be, wait anxiously for the first movements that they feel in their belly, coming from their baby. These first movements are often referred to as quickening.
In actuality, your baby begins wiggling and moving by the 8th or 9th week of pregnancy. However, he is too small for you to feel at this point. However as he gets bigger he starts to kick the walls of your uterus as he moves around. This can happen as early as the 14th week of pregnancy, normally for women in their second pregnancy or beyond, and as late as the 26th week of pregnancy for women who are in their first pregnancy or might be a little overweight.
Quickening is often explained away as gas bubbles, especially by first time moms who aren’t sure what it should feel like. Quickening may also feel like a woman has butterflies in her stomach, flying around, or someone inside, tapping on their uterus. Eventually however the kicks, punches, and elbows will become obvious to even first time moms-to-be, and the movements will start to come with more regularity than they have in the past.
Remember that once you feel the quickening, you will probably be able to feel it everyday, however some days it may not be as often or as strong as others. If you want to get your baby active, it is often suggested that you drink a big glass of orange juice and lay down to wait for your baby to move. When you are up moving around, it often rocks your baby to sleep, so when you stop moving, he is able to wake up and start moving on his own.
If you start to feel what you think is quickening, but has a definite pattern, like a tap every five to ten seconds, it could be that your baby has the hiccups! Hiccups, like the quickening are a sure sign that your baby is growing and is healthy inside your belly.
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La Mom says...
I am 12 weeks Prego and i can feel the tapping all over in my belly. Is it possible that the reason i feel it so early because i have more than one in there? I have not had a ultra sound yet. I should be having one soon i was just curious
stephanie says...
Im 14.5 wks, it feels like a flutter about once a day for now
Megan says...
I am in 9th week I believe and I am sure I felt a flutter last night when I was cryiing….Is it toooo early
Ashley says...
I am almost 15 weeks and started feeling a weird sensation in my tummy last night, I just thought it was gas, then I felt it today in a meeting at work and new it wasn’t gas, what an amazing feeling, can’t wait until the baby really starts telling me that he/she is growing fast in there.
Jenni says...
I am 11w2d and have been feeling movement for 3 days now. This will be my 2nd child but 4th pregnancy.
The main thing I feel is the fluttering. It almost feels like a muscle twitch but moves to different parts of my uterus. It’s a MAGICAL feeling! Since I’ve already had 1 previous successful pregnancy, I know what quickening feels like.
Mary says...
I’m 28 weeks which every due date on any baby web site is different but anyway,for all the women who feel that quickening feeling it’s real when I was 7-9 weeks I felt the same thing.So don’t let no one tell you any different anyway!! Good luck too every prego moms 2 be.
Ashlyn says...
Im 23 weeks pregnant and I started to feel flutters and little nudges at 9 weeks along. This is my 2nd child but my 6th pregnancy. Now my baby moves ALL DAY LONG AND ALL NIGHT LONG. It is Amazing to feel the baby move around. My Daughter Emmie didnt move this much when I was pregnant with her, and none of the other pregnancies. But I think there might be 2 in there because I feel movements on both sides at the same time and different times and Im so big, but I’ve only gained 3 pounds so far at 23 weeks. To new moms when you get further along in your pregnancy it will be amazing
Tiffany mommy2b says...
hi every 1 i’m just about 14 weeks and this is my 1st pregnancy
. i began feeling a gasy feeling at about 12 or 13 weeks. i thought it was gas, and it kinda feels like the uncomforatable feeling you get during ur period. at first i thought i was imaging things. after research, i learned it was “quickening” i’m so super excited…. congrats to all moms 2 b
sally says...
im 12wks 5days and second time pregnant – first preg felt flutters at 14 wks – this time ive felt flutters and taps since week 11 – im very well tuned with my body so extremely confident these are movements from baby & not gas!
best wishes to all. x
Alison says...
Im not sure if im pregnant but my last period was in june and the one is july was for 3 days with no cramping i took a home pregnancy test last month but it was neg and my doc did a blood test and my results were a 5 and she told me that between 5-25 its still to early to tell so this coming friday i have a ultra sound done and i have also been feeling something move and i dont know what it is i get it 3-4 times a day but i do have the signs to point to pregnancy any advice im also a mommy to one lil boy
sally says...
i did a home preg test & had a very faint pos line that could easily have bin mistaken as a ‘watermark’ a digital test the same day confirmed preg as 1/2 wks since conception making me only just preg! (3 wks since last period) so i cant help but wonder why its said that we can only see a pos result at around 5/6 wks?????
Holly says...
I got a posetive test at 3 weeks pregnant…
I just felt my baby move last night! I’m 15 weeks! It was exciting