Premier Medical Group - Multispeciality Practice in Clarksville, Tennessee

Second Trimester FAQs

Obstetrics and Gynecology  •  931-245-8100  •  PremierMed.com

 

Baby Movements

You should start to feel your baby move between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. Initially, movements will be infrequent and may feel like butterfly flutters. As your baby grows, you will feel movement more often. If you are concerned about movement, eat or drink something with sugar or caffeine, lie on your side, and press your hands on your belly. Then do fetal kick counts as described below. 

Fetal Kick Counts

If you have felt fetal movement less often than what you think is normal, you should keep track of the fetal movement. Fetal movement counting (also called “kick counts”) is a test that can be done at home.

  • Choose a time when the baby is active, such as after a meal 
  • Sit comfortably or lie on your left side
  • The first time the baby moves, write down the time
  • Count each movement until the baby has moved 10 times. This can take from 20 minutes to 2 hours
  • If you have not felt 10 kicks by the end of the second hour, wait a few hours. Try again

When to call the office:  

  • If you are having decreased fetal movement after 24 weeks of pregnancy
  • You do a couple sets of kick counts during the day and your baby moves fewer than 10 times in 2 hours 
  • You haven’t felt your baby move all day 

24 to 28 Weeks Glucola Labs

Gestational diabetes screening is performed between 24 and 28 weeks. Your provider will add the order to your chart and give you instructions at your appointment during that time frame (if you go to the lab before that appointment, your orders will not be in the chart). 

  • Patients of Drs. Cabell and Jackson:  DO NOT have anything to eat or drink 2 hours before your appointment 
  • Patients of Drs. Anderson and Hamre: DO NOT have anything to eat or drink once you have had your sugar drink in the office 
  • At your appointment the nurse will give you a sugar drink to finish in 5 minutes. You will need to go to the lab to have your blood drawn exactly 1 hour from the time you finished your sugar drink 
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