Monday, 14 July 2008

• Most Important Question: Is My Baby Moving?

  We have had many a good debate on where to deliver your baby, who to assist with the delivery, and what to include on your birth plan.  While not to minimize the importance of these topics, I want to address the ONLY question you need answer when you are in your 3^rd trimester of pregnancy: is my baby moving normally?

  While most prenatal providers will discuss the importance of this during your office visits, I cannot reiterate enough that moving babies are happy babies (from an obstetrical sense).  I just recently had a patient come the hospital that was not far from her due date.  She had not felt the baby move since the day before.  When I went to find the baby’s heart rate on the monitor, it was not there.  There is nothing more heartbreaking.

  Though there is a laundry-list of questions we will ask you when you call the hospital for an advice-call, the most important will be: Is your baby moving normally?    What does this mean?   Each doctor, midwife, or facility will give you what they want as their “prescribed” number of movements in a specific time frame.  A commonly used protocol is 10 movements in 2 hours.  What is more important is if the baby is moving normally for what you are accustomed to.

  If you are uncertain of whether or not you have felt your baby move because you have been busy or preoccupied, you should lie on your left-side in a quiet room with your hands on your belly.  You should be paying attention to feeling the baby move.  Do not watch TV or engage in other distracting activities.

  If you do not feel your baby move, or are certain you have not felt the baby move, you need to contact your provider or go to your hospital immediately.  Please discuss with your doctor, or midwife at your next appointment what guidelines they would like you to use for assessing normal fetal movement.

  Remember, although sometimes it may seem like an important question—What color are we going to paint the baby’s room?  The most important question is always—Is my baby moving normally?

  What concerns did you have most during your pregnancy?

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