"My kicks were strong yesterday. Today it's quiet."

Your doctor asked you to count 10 kicks every day.

So every evening after dinner, you lie on your left side, hand on your bump, and count. One. Two. Three.

Yesterday you reached 10 in twenty minutes.

Today it's been an hour. You're stuck at four.

You poke your belly. You change sides. You drink cold water. Still quiet.

So you pick up your phone and type into the group: "Movements are less since morning. Is it normal?"

You are not alone. It is one of the most asked questions in our community.

Why it scares you so much

You can't see your baby. Scans are weeks apart. Those kicks are how you know your baby is okay.

So when the count stops, your mind races.

And then a second worry creeps in. What if I go to the hospital and it's nothing? Will they think I'm overreacting?

So you wait. You scroll. You hope someone replies, "Mine did the same, it was fine."

What's normal

Early on, movements come and go. Most moms first feel their baby between 16 and 24 weeks, sometimes later in a first pregnancy. If your placenta is at the front (anterior), kicks feel softer and come later.

Once your doctor asks you to start counting, keep doing it the way she told you. Same time, same position, every day. Every roll, flutter and stretch counts, not just big kicks.

Over the days, you'll also notice your baby's routine. Busy after meals. Wide awake the minute you lie down. Sleepy at certain times.

Your count and your baby's routine together are your guide. When either one drops, pay attention.

Three things we keep hearing that aren't true

"Babies move less at the end. No space."
The kicks may turn into rolls and stretches. But your baby should keep moving right until labour.

"Eat chocolate, drink cold water, wait an hour."
It might get your baby moving for a scan. It can't tell you if your baby is okay.

"I checked on my home doppler. Heartbeat is fine."
A heartbeat alone doesn't show how your baby is doing. Skip the doppler and the apps for this.

When to call your doctor

Call your OB-GYN or go to the hospital the same day if:

• You don't reach the count your doctor gave you
• Your baby is moving less than usual
• The kicks feel weaker than usual
• Your baby has stopped moving
• Something just feels wrong

Don't wait till morning. Don't wait for your next appointment. If one hospital says "come tomorrow" and you're still worried, go where they'll see you today.

What happens there

Most likely an NST. They put two soft belts on your bump and a machine tracks the heartbeat and movements for about 20 to 40 minutes. Sometimes they do a scan too.

One mom in our group felt just one movement in an hour, early in the morning. She and her husband went straight to the hospital. Everything was normal. She went home relieved.

That's the best outcome. You go, you hear the heartbeat, you come home and sleep.

Remember this

If it happens again, go again. You are never wasting your doctor's time. They would much rather see you ten times for nothing.

And if you're the one reading a worried message in the group late at night, the kindest reply is the simplest:

"Please call your doctor now. We're here. Update us after."