How To Tell Baby Position By Kicks: Where Do You Feel It?

During pregnancy, the baby changes position often. By the end of the term, the baby mostly gets to the anterior position, which is ideal for a normal delivery. In this position, the baby faces the back of their mom, with their head downwards.

However, before getting to that part, you get to enjoy the journey of motherhood. You get to feel the baby grow inside you. They move and let you know about their movement as well. They kick you, and that is one of the best feelings you will ever get.

How to tell baby position by kicks? Is that even possible? As a parent, you will have numerous questions about baby kicks, and the position of the baby. Let’s dig deep.

Understanding Baby Positions During Pregnancy

Babies keep moving inside the womb. And there are a few positions which they mostly rest in. How to tell what position the baby is in by kicks? Before getting there let’s know about the baby positions here.

Right occiput anterior: In this position, the baby has their head downwards, and faces the pregnant person’s back on the right side of the womb.

Left occiput anterior: This position is similar to the one mentioned above, but the baby is on the left side of the womb.

Posterior: The head of the baby is downwards, and aligns with the back of the pregnant person.

Transverse lie: We call it a transverse baby when the baby is lying on their back horizontally.

Breech: This is the position where the baby’s feet are pointing downwards and not their head.

Where Do You Feel Baby Kicks?

Where you feel the kick depends on certain factors. Those include:

• Placenta’s position
• Position the baby in the womb
• How far you are in the pregnancy

As you move through the pregnancy, you will feel the kicks differently. In the middle phase, when the baby starts kicking, you will feel it below the belly button. And in the later part of the pregnancy, you will feel it in the pelvic area and the kicks will be stronger than before.

How To Tell Baby Position By Kicks?

The position of the baby affects where you feel the kicks. If they are in the head-down position, you are going to feel the kicks high up in the womb. During early pregnancy, this will only get as high as your belly button. However, later in the pregnancy, you can feel it up in the ribs as well.

If the baby is breech, their feet will be hanging down, and you will feel their kicks in the lower part of the abdomen. It might feel like they are kicking your cervix, and in the later part of the pregnancy, it might feel like they are pushing the bladder.

When you have a transverse baby, your baby is lying horizontally across your abdomen, and you will feel their kick either on the left or right side of the abdomen, depending on where they have their head.

You will not just feel them kicking. Moreover, you will be able to feel them move. There is a good chance that you will feel the pressure from their back or head pressing against your belly. It will be a swooping sensation, that you will feel when they roll and move inside your womb.

Factors Affecting Baby Movement

The placement of the placenta is a major factor that affects the strength and timing of the baby’s movement. If the placenta positions itself in front of the uterus, it acts as a cushion between the outer side of the baby and the movement of the baby.

If this is the case, it might take you a while before you can feel the little one moving inside and kicking you. It is during the later part of the pregnancy, when you feel the baby kick, and even the movement might not be as strong as you thought it would.

How to Monitor Baby Movements

The movement and the frequency of their kicks keep changing as you grow through the pregnancy. It is in the second trimester, that you start to feel it. However, there is no need to believe that you will feel them kick every day, and all day long.

The baby is still small, and there is enough room inside the womb for them to move around without letting you know. How to tell baby position by kicks third trimester? As they grow, you feel the rhythm of their movement. Moreover, it depends on their sleep cycle as well when they are most active.

During the day when you move around, the movement might get the baby to sleep. So, when you decide to get to bed, your baby gets up and decides to kick and move around.

Moreover, later in the pregnancy, your doctor might ask you to count the number of kicks you feel in a day. But ensure that you are not mistaking a baby hiccup for kicks while counting.

Rule of Thumb

So, how do you monitor baby movements? Some doctors generally ask to keep a check on it, while some take a more formal approach around the 28th week of pregnancy. You can use the rule of thumb to count the kicks. Here is how you can do it.

• Keep a count of the kicks all through the day.
• Keep a check on the frequency and movement type.
• Count at one particular time when your baby is most active, and your distractions are minimal.

Belly Mapping

Well, you can map the position of the baby by drawing on paper, or the belly with the help of a nontoxic marker. Here is what you have to do.

• To begin with, get a comfortable place where you can completely or partially lie down for around 15 minutes. Lie in a way that makes your belly tilt to one side.
• Take a deep breath and relax.
• Near the top of the public bone or pelvis, apply gentle pressure. If you feel something hard, that means, their head is there. However, if you feel something soft, that means it is their bottom. Mark the area on your belly or draw it on paper.
• Then try to feel a smooth long shape. This is likely their back. It could be on the other side. Make a curved line to mark it on the map, or your belly. Moreover, if you can feel something soft, it is likely their limbs. This means that the baby is facing forward.
• If you feel any movement of kicks, mark that with small waves or dots.
• You can add different colors and features. This way you get a complete image that you can keep for later.

Myths and Facts About Baby Movements

You will hear various myths about baby movements when you are pregnant. However, they are not always true. Here is a list of myths that you should consider.

Myth	Fact
Babies run out of room in the womb.	Baby movements strengthen as time progresses, and they never run out of space to move.
Just before labor, the baby’s movement changes.	Baby movements don’t just rapidly increase or decrease before labor.
You should feel at least 10 kicks in 2 hours.	There is no such specific number to look at as every pregnancy is different.
Any frizzy or cold drink can make the baby move.	This is just not true.
If the placenta is in the front, you will not feel their movement.	Again, this is not true.
If you have any concerns, just wait for the next appointment.	There is no need to wait for the next appointment. You can just call the doctor immediately.

Techniques to Encourage Baby Movements

If your baby is not moving as much as they should, there are a few things you can try to encourage them to move. Here is what you can do.

• Drinking or eating something: Often drinking something that has a good amount of sugar does it for you. The sugar from any kind of juice can get them moving.
• Play music or talk: Around the 25th week, your baby might start to respond to a familiar voice with a few kicks.

When to Seek Medical Advice

Well, if you are not feeling enough movement even after trying these techniques, there is no need to immediately believe there is something wrong with your baby. They could be having a great nap, or in a position which makes it difficult for you to feel them.

However, if movement has reduced noticeably, or if there is no movement at all, it is time that you consult a professional. According to the thumb rule, if you don’t feel at least 10 movements in 2 to 3 hours in the third trimester, you should contact a doctor.

This is a crucial time for a mother. So, any time you feel anxious about anything, even if it is not regarding baby movement and kicks, feel free to contact a professional for your peace of mind.

Keep Track

Never try to compare your pregnancy with others. They might be giving you suggestions and telling you what happened during their pregnancy. However, the same doesn’t need to happen in your case. Every baby is different, and so is every pregnancy.

Maybe during your first baby, you rarely felt any movement, and during your second you are unable to rest because your baby kicks a lot. Keep a check on the amount of kicking you feel during the later part of the pregnancy.

Now that you know how to tell baby position by kicks, and how to monitor them, reach out to a doctor the moment you feel something is not right, if the movement or kicks have reduced significantly, or stopped completely.