X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Counting Kicks In The Third Trimester of Pregnancy: A Mum Shares How She Ensured She Counted Her Baby's Kicks

4 min read
Counting Kicks In The Third Trimester of Pregnancy: A Mum Shares How She Ensured She Counted Her Baby's Kicks

“I couldn't believe it when we lost our firstborn. If only I counted my kicks more diligently, I may have spotted his lack of movements earlier and he might still be with us today”

How many times should a baby be kicking? Does counting kicks really help? Counting kicks might seem tedious and like a chore, but this simple habit may help alert you of signs that the baby is unwell.

“I didn’t think counting kicks was important until we had a stillbirth for my first pregnancy. For subsequent pregnancies, I started keeping tabs of the kicks every day to help notice any irregularities during my pregnancy,” shared Deanna Lim, now a mother to two lovely girls.

“The more we learnt about the little one in the tummy, the easier it was for us to pick up signs earlier, and that helped in making important decisions for both the baby and myself – such as whether to go for caesarean earlier or wait till my water bag burst and what kind of hospital suits my delivery plan. This can potentially help you save money too.”

giving birth in your 40s, Counting Kicks In The Third Trimester

Image: iStock

Based on recommendations by Tommy’s, a leading research organisation that focuses on miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth, you should monitor your baby’s movement patterns from when you start feeling something. This varies for everyone but is usually expected between 18 to 24 weeks. You should also report any reduction in movements immediately and not worry about being paranoid and oversensitive.

“I couldn’t believe it when we lost our firstborn. The entire pregnancy was so smooth that we didn’t even need to worry about anything. If only I counted my kicks more diligently, I may have spotted his lack of movements earlier and he might still be with us today”, laments Deanna in hindsight.

While counting kicks is not usually brought up by gynaecologists, Deanna decided to do so for her second pregnancy after her loss experience. She strongly encourages seeking a gynaecologist who understands your situation and is very supportive throughout your pregnancy journey. Deanna attributed her successful pregnancies to her gynaecologist, who knew that she and her husband were very careful after their loss, and so he taught them how to count kicks, how to keep a lookout for any irregularities and encourage them to voice their concerns.

Counting Kicks In The Third Trimester

Image: iStock

According to Tommy’s, there is no fixed number of kicks that is deemed normal, but rather it is about observing differences in your baby’s usual patterns. A baby’s movements can be described as anything from a kick, flutter, swish or roll, and can change during your pregnancy journey. There are various ways to keep track of the kicks counted, but Deanna recommends having a systematic schedule to track your baby’s movements.

While she acknowledges the difficulties with managing her anxiety level while counting kicks, having an open communication channel with her gynaecologist helped. To stay motivated in counting kicks, she recommends celebrating different mini-milestones that serve as reminders of how far you have come and to just hang in there a while longer as your baby continues being healthy and growing.

“Your mental wellness plays a key role in your pregnancy, especially during the last trimester. Make sure you have a close support network to help manage your emotions and not let the distress get to your little one in your tummy. When you are emotionally unstable, you may also neglect the kick counting cos you are too overwhelmed with your emotions.”

Counting Kicks In The Third Trimester

Image: iStock

theAsianparent has just launched a Kick Counter Feature on its app in conjunction with Project #sidekicks – a campaign that espouses the importance of the family unit supporting pregnant mums to ensure good mental health and healthy pregnancy, alongside taking preventive measures such as counting kicks.

 

ALSO READ:

Stillbirth: What Should I Do if My Baby is Kicking Less?

How to Count Your Baby’s Kicks, and Why is It So Important?

Counting Kicks In The Third Trimester of Pregnancy: A Mum Shares How She Ensured She Counted Her Babys Kicks

Partner Stories
8 Wonderful Effects of Coconut Water For Pregnancy
8 Wonderful Effects of Coconut Water For Pregnancy
Parenting Lesson from a New Mum - Don’t Try to Do it All on Your Own!
Parenting Lesson from a New Mum - Don’t Try to Do it All on Your Own!
The Complete Delivery Bag List For The Entire Family
The Complete Delivery Bag List For The Entire Family
Can Pregnant Women Eat Instant Noodles?
Can Pregnant Women Eat Instant Noodles?

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

ddc-calendar
Get ready for the baby’s arrival by adding your due date.
OR
Calculate your due date
img
Written by

theAsianparent

  • Home
  • /
  • Becoming a Parent
  • /
  • Counting Kicks In The Third Trimester of Pregnancy: A Mum Shares How She Ensured She Counted Her Baby's Kicks
Share:
  • How to Count Your Baby's Kicks, and Why is It So Important?

    How to Count Your Baby's Kicks, and Why is It So Important?

  • One Father’s Message to Other Parents: Counting Kicks Is Important

    One Father’s Message to Other Parents: Counting Kicks Is Important

  • Engaged: Jeffrey Xu Plans Beautiful Marriage Proposal but Felicia Chin Nearly Misses It

    Engaged: Jeffrey Xu Plans Beautiful Marriage Proposal but Felicia Chin Nearly Misses It

  • 'Family is Priceless': Malaysian Man in Singapore Rents 2 Buses So He and 60 Other Strangers Can Join Their Families for CNY

    'Family is Priceless': Malaysian Man in Singapore Rents 2 Buses So He and 60 Other Strangers Can Join Their Families for CNY

  • How to Count Your Baby's Kicks, and Why is It So Important?

    How to Count Your Baby's Kicks, and Why is It So Important?

  • One Father’s Message to Other Parents: Counting Kicks Is Important

    One Father’s Message to Other Parents: Counting Kicks Is Important

  • Engaged: Jeffrey Xu Plans Beautiful Marriage Proposal but Felicia Chin Nearly Misses It

    Engaged: Jeffrey Xu Plans Beautiful Marriage Proposal but Felicia Chin Nearly Misses It

  • 'Family is Priceless': Malaysian Man in Singapore Rents 2 Buses So He and 60 Other Strangers Can Join Their Families for CNY

    'Family is Priceless': Malaysian Man in Singapore Rents 2 Buses So He and 60 Other Strangers Can Join Their Families for CNY

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and updates on pregnancy.