Feeling the baby’s kick for the first time is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and memorable moments for a pregnant woman – especially if you’re experiencing it for the first time. Apart from being an important milestone, this also is an indication that your baby is active and in good health.

But did you know that baby’s kicks are more than mere kicks? Here are a few interesting facts about baby’s kicks that you ought to know.

More Than Just Kicks

All movements made by the baby are referred to as kicks. These include stretches, hiccups, turns, somersaults et al. These movements begin as early as in the seventh to eight week of gestation. But they’re not strong enough to be felt by the mother. As the baby grows and begins to get more active, the movements become more and more prominent. When the baby actually begins to kick, it’s more like a butterfly fluttering inside your tummy.

Babies Kick In Response To Stimuli

If you pay close attention, you’ll notice that your baby’s movements are influenced by the activities around you. Loud sound and bright lights are a few external stimuli that trigger baby’s kicks.

Babies Are Most Active After A Meal

You’ll feel that your baby’s movements are more pronounced after eating a meal, something sweet, drinking something cold or after a hectic physical activity.

Fewer Kicks Means Not Everything Is Right

During the early pregnancy months, the flutters you feel are far and few in between. But as you progress, the kicks become more noticeable, frequent and established – this is around the end of second trimester. A healthy baby would kick around 15-20 times a day. However, at any time, you feel that the kicks have reduced in number it’s time to sit up and take notice. If you haven’t felt any movements by the end of two hours, it means you need to talk to your health care provider. Reduced kicks might mean that your baby is not getting enough nutrition and oxygen, and it may need an ultrasound assessment to find out the exact cause of reduced foetal movements.

Reduced Kicks Does Not Always Warrant A Worry

You don’t have to hit the panic button or sound the alarm bell if you haven’t been feeling the baby’s kicks for a while. It may mean that your baby is resting. As the baby gets bigger, its movements get restricted as it has less room to move around in the uterus. So after the 32nd week, it is normal for kicks to reduce significantly.