04/13/2026
Learning your child's normal kicks, rolls, and swishes can help in noticing any problems with your pregnancy and can even help prevent stillbirths.
Counting kicks can be suggested earlier for high-risk pregnancies, but it's normally encouraged for all expectant moms beginning around 28 weeks!
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends kick counting and suggests mothers talk with their own health care providers about when to start.
You'll start to get an idea of when your baby is most active, often in the evening or at night.
Stick with the same time each day. Settle down, lying on your left side or with your feet up. Count each of your baby's movements until you get to 10, this should happen within one to two hours but may happen much sooner, often within about 30 minutes.
If you don't count 10 movements in two hours, wait awhile and try again. Lots of babies are more active after mom drinks something very cold, eats a meal, something sweet, or exercises.
Some babies move a lot, while others might not move as much. The most important thing to know is what's normal for your baby, and kick counting on a regular basis will help you learn this. It can also help you tune in to your baby and bond before birth.
Once you become familiar with your baby's patterns, you'll easily notice if something changes with your baby's activity. If your child is much less active than normal (especially after two hours), you'll know to consult your health care provider and be seen as soon as possible.
