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Baby movements in the second trimester: when to start tracking

NNova editorial team · 5 min read

Most providers start formal kick counting around 28 weeks. Before that, it helps to notice the baby's first movements and usual pattern. If you feel no movement by about 24 weeks, or if movements clearly slow after a pattern has formed, call your provider.

When to start tracking

Many people first feel movement between 18 and 22 weeks. In a first pregnancy, it can be later. Formal counting is usually recommended starting around 28 weeks, when the baby's pattern is easier to notice.

What is usually normal

  • The baby does not move on a set schedule and may sleep for long periods
  • Your position, the placenta, and the time of day change how movements feel
  • Some days movements feel stronger and other days feel softer
  • A consistent pattern usually becomes clearer over time

How tracking can be done

  • Choose a quiet time, such as after a meal or while lying on your side
  • Note the time when you first feel movement
  • Focus on the usual rhythm rather than a single number
  • After 28 weeks, many providers suggest counting at the same time each day
Before 28 weeks, it is often more helpful to learn the baby's usual activity than to count every kick.

When to reach out

If you have not felt movement by about 24 weeks, or if movements become clearly less frequent after a regular pattern has been established, call your obstetrician or midwife. Reduced movement can be reported at any point in pregnancy, and you do not need to wait for a set count.

Get care right away if you have bleeding, pain, fluid leaking from the vagina, or a hard blow to the belly. Call your provider or go to your hospital's labor and delivery unit.

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General information only; it does not replace advice from your doctor or midwife.