Nothing compares to the feeling of carrying a whole new life inside of you. Right from the moment you find out about your pregnancy, your life changes. You anticipate the first time you hear your baby’s heartbeat or feel her move. But sometimes, it feels like your baby shakes in the womb, and you start to worry.
“Is this normal? Is my baby okay?!” You probably ask yourself these questions every time you feel your baby move. But, we’ve got some good news for you, momma. Your little one moving is a good sign! Even if it feels like she’s shaking.
Although it’s good to read about some experiences and advice, don’t listen too much about what others have to say about your pregnancy. Everyone’s experiences are different. Even if it’s your fourth pregnancy, every time will be unique, and your body won’t react the same.
Therefore, you won’t have the same feeling every time your baby moves. Worrying about the little one shaking in your tummy is completely normal, but don’t stress about it too much. The fact your baby is moving is a perfect sign that she’s healthy. You two are doing great, momma!
No matter how beautiful pregnancy is, it also brings a lot of fear for your little one’s well-being. To make it all at least a tad bit easier, we’ll help you understand why your baby shakes in the womb, and what it really means.
Why does it feel like my baby shakes in the womb?
Although it feels like it at times, babies don’t really shake in the womb. Yes, they move around a lot, which can sometimes feel like it, but it’s not something you should worry about. In fact, every time you feel your baby move it’s a sign that she’s healthy and safe, no matter how it feels to you.
The only time you should worry is if one day she suddenly stops moving. In that case, we recommend you see your doctor right away. At other times, when it feels like she’s running in circles in there, you should feel nothing but joy. Here’s why you might feel like your baby shakes in the womb.
1. Muscle spasms
You wouldn’t believe how fast your baby is growing inside your tummy. Not only is her body changing every day, but her brain is developing, too. As it happens, it’s normal that your baby’s little muscles move suddenly, which can sometimes feel like she’s shaking.
These little muscle spasms manifest as jolting movements, and they happen suddenly without any warning. So, next time you feel like your baby is shaking inside, don’t worry. Her little brain is developing, and that’s how her muscles react. It’s a good sign! She’s healthy and safe.
2. She’s moving the cord
Listen, your tummy is a warm and cozy home, but still pretty tiny. Plus, your baby is sharing the space with her umbilical cord, too! Sometimes, it gets too crowded, and your little one gets entangled in it.
Even as tiny as she is, she’ll still try to wiggle out of it, so you’ll feel rapid movement. Although they’re still developing, babies are really sensitive when they’re in the womb, and they’re not huge fans of feeling any type of sensation that’s unfamiliar to them.
Because of that, when they feel the cord touching them, they might start kicking to try and get away from it. Yes, getting the cord wrapped around their feet makes them want to push it off but, c’mon… how adorable is that?!
It’s okay, feeling like your baby is shaking and twitching can be worrisome at first, especially if you don’t know why it happens. But, don’t worry. She’s just having a little fight with her roomie, and she’ll calm down pretty quickly.
3. Your little one is stretching
As we said, it can get pretty crowded inside your tummy. As your little one grows, she’ll need more and more space, and she might even stretch from time to time. Can we blame her?
When she does, her little stretches might feel like twitchy movements or shaking. Don’t make a mistake and imagine that she’s stretching like you do when you’ve been spending too much time watching your TV cuddled under a blanket. Her version of stretching involves kicking, rolling, and punching.
And all of that happens inside of your stomach?! Yep. So don’t be surprised if it feels like your baby shakes in the womb, she just never learned how to stretch properly. The most important thing is that she’s healthy, even if it feels like she’s having a seizure.
4. She’s reacting to sudden noises
You’ve probably heard people say you should play your baby some classical music, or any other soft melodies, while she’s still in your tummy. Often, people notice their baby reacts positively to the sounds she used to hear when she was in the womb.
That’s because your baby can hear pretty much everything that happens outside of her little home. Because of that, she can react to the sounds, as well. For example, you might notice your little one jab at a sudden noise that’s a bit too loud for her.
When it happens, it might seem like she’s shaking, which will make you worry about whether she’s okay. But, don’t worry. Just like you get startled, your baby can, too. It’s normal, and it won’t cause any harm to your little one.
5. She might be having hiccups
Okay, imagining your little one having hiccups is adorable. This is completely normal, and it usually happens during your third trimester. When it first happens, it might create a feeling of twitchy and rapid movement inside your womb.
Because some babies get hiccups often, moms begin to worry. Although you feel like your little one is having a seizure, that’s probably not the case. However, if your gut is telling you that there’s something wrong, or you simply can’t calm your anxious mind, call your doctor or your midwife.
This will help you relax a bit and you’ll make sure that your baby is okay. After all, it’s important that you don’t put yourself through too much stress during pregnancy, so do whatever it takes to calm your mind.
6. You ate something different
Whatever you eat during your pregnancy, your baby gets a taste of it, too. Because of that, it’s always important to talk to your doctor about your diet, and stay away from foods that could harm your baby.
Sometimes, the food you eat simply won’t be the most gourmet thing your little one has tried so far, so she’ll react to it. On top of that, since pretty much everything you consume affects your baby directly, drinking too much caffeine or sugar can cause your baby to become more active.
Because of that, it’s recommended to stay away from these foods as much as you can. However, if you simply can’t resist that bag of cookies sitting on your counter and you’d love to eat a few with your coffee, don’t be surprised if your baby reacts to it differently.
Her movements will probably become a lot stronger and more sudden. Although it might seem like there’s something wrong with your little one, she’s just experiencing the effects of that sugary cookie you just ate. Maybe that’s her first-ever happy dance and you’ve just discovered her favorite snack!
What does movement say about your baby’s health?
We get it, feeling movement in your tummy is definitely strange, but it’s almost always a good sign. If you feel like your baby is shaking, she’s probably moving to change her position or to stretch her little arms and legs, so there’s nothing to worry about.
Movement is good! You should feel happy every time you feel your little one inside. It means she’s growing and developing properly. However, if you feel like there’s something wrong, it can’t hurt to reach out to your doctor for advice.
It will help you sleep better at night, and your little one will be a much happier and healthier baby when she feels that her mom is calm and happy, too.
Can twitching mean the baby is having a seizure?
If you think that your baby shakes in the womb because she’s having a seizure, we can’t imagine how worried you must be. However, this is very rare. Although fetal seizures aren’t impossible, they rarely happen.
However, sometimes it’s hard to differentiate anxiety from your gut feeling, so don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor just to make sure your baby is okay. If you’re a mom with an at-risk pregnancy, we recommend you seek medical attention about anything that might seem abnormal.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Don’t worry, no one judges a concerned mom. After all, even if someone does – who cares? You want to ensure your bundle of joy is safe and sound, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!
Read this: Can You Ride A Motorcycle While Pregnant? Is It Safe?
