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| |    Fetal Movement Counts by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. reviewed by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. There are times when it is important to watch the baby extra closely to be sure he is doing well in the uterus. This usually occurs in high-risk pregnancies, as with maternal hypertension or diabetes, or if the baby isn't growing well. More commonly, if the mother goes past her due date, we watch the baby carefully to be sure the placenta is still supplying the fetus with an adequate amount of oxygen and nutrients. Charting the baby's movements The simplest way to evaluate a baby's well-being is to see how much he is moving. As a general rule, a baby is doing well if he moves at least 10 times during three different time periods each day. Most babies move much more than that. When we are objectively measuring the fetal movement counts (also known as kick counts,) the mother keeps a chart of how much the baby moves every day after meals (babies tend to be most active just after their mothers eat). She marks down all movements she feels in half an hour or how long it takes to feel 10 movements. If the baby hasn't moved at least 10 times, she continues to count for a full hour, lying on her side, which may maximize the blood flow to the baby. Most babies will keep to the same pattern of movements during the day. If the baby isn't moving, or moves much less than usual, the mother calls her practitioner to get more intensive monitoring to assess the baby's condition. Fetal-movement counting is not considered necessary in most pregnancies. A mother's general impression that the baby is moving normally, backed up by her practitioner's observations, is enough to imply that the baby is in good condition. Any time a mother is not sure that her baby is moving normally, though, it is a good idea for her to call her practitioner and see what further evaluation, if any, might be necessary.
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