Starting at 40 weeks (or sooner as directed by your midwife), take time to be still and count your baby’s movements daily. Fetal movement is a positive sign of baby’s well-being.

​

How to do kick counts:

• Try to perform kick counts at the same time every day - when your baby usually has one of its active periods. If you aren’t sure when baby is usually most active, try just after you eat a meal.

• Sit or lie down on your left side, with your hands resting on your belly.

• Note what time you start counting.

• Count the number of individual movements you feel until you count 10 movements.

• If your baby moves 10 times in the first hour, you can stop counting. It may take as little as

  5-10 minutes to feel 10 kicks, and that’s okay.

• Repeat daily.

 

What counts as a “kick”?:

• Kick              • Turn

• Wiggle        • Roll

• Twist            • Stretch

**Hiccups do not count as movements**

​

If your baby doesn’t move 10 times in the first hour: 

The baby may just be sleeping. It’s not always a concern. Try this:

• Drink some juice.

• Walk around for 5 minutes.

• Repeat the kick counts for another hour.