My absolute favorite part of pregnancy is feeling the baby move. I’ve been feeling my new baby moving in earnest since about 16 weeks (I felt early flutters at around 11 weeks, which is typical for my pregnancies). Sometimes my oldest son falls asleep at night with his hand on my belly, feeling the baby move. I love the stage I’m in now—big bumps, jumps, and wiggles, but not so big that I am uncomfortable at all. I’m 24 weeks now and only during the last two weeks or so have I started to feel the baby move while I’m standing, sitting, moving, etc. (vs. just when lying down like before). I haven’t yet had anyone outside of my husband and the kids feel the baby—I still feel “closed in” and protective/secretive about this pregnancy and I’m not sure if that is ever going to change. I have drawn more birth art related pictures and taken more photos than during any other pregnancy, but I have journalled about it less and I talk about it much, much less. That doesn’t mean the baby isn’t always on my mind and frequently reminding me of its company with little wiggles and kicks 🙂
This week in my pregnancy newsletter from Mothering.com, I enjoyed this poem about movement:
Quickening
By Yvette Benavides
This baby moves inside me now
Sending messages at night-
Morse code
About life on the inside:
It is dark
But warm and quiet
With only muffled echoes softly pleading,
Wake up, little one.
I want to know you’re in there,
Happy and safe.
Answers come again-
A sudden flutter-
Secret lyrics of song with no rhythm.
Played with hands and feet.
Someday I will hear the song again-
A high-pitched, quick and breathy humming.
I will teach her that she’s been singing that old song forever,
And reach out for little splayed hands
That have long since held my heart.
—-
No cute pix from this week—I forgot to get one until I was already in my PJs and looking a little bedraggled:
P.S. I now officially weigh more at 24 weeks pregnant than I did the day I gave birth to my first son! Perhaps related to my sudden intense interest in consuming Nutella 🙂
Talk Birth 
I’m pretttttty sure Nutella is a vital part of prenatal nutrition. I don’t have the study to back it handy… but take my word for it 😉
Lyra and I enjoy “playing with brother” before we go to sleep at night. Last night it was a particular joy watching (and feeling!) my children interact, and interesting to realize they can do so before he’s even born. Lyra insisted their conversation be rather private, and asked that I put my attention elsewhere.
I KNEW I’d read that somewhere—thanks for the confirmation ;-D
That is really sweet about Lyra and brother! I love to see how my kids feel connected to the new baby and like it is a real person–you can tell by the way they talk about it that they have a sense of it as “here” and real/part of their lives. The experience of having multiple children just gets better with time–I’m glad you get to experience that!
And, congrats again on 37 weeks you rockin full-term mama you!
I’m anxiously awaiting my invitation to feel kicks…..
Molly – I am loving the movements too 🙂 I am 19 wks now, and the movements came quite late…but now this babe is sure as anything making up for it 🙂 I can feel wriggles and squirms when I am sitting, when I am standing, when I am climbing the stairs. I LOVE it – it is such an affirmation of “I am ok, Mummy!”, and “I’m here, Mummy!”. Every squirm and wriggle is a welcome reminder that I am indeed carrying new life. That, and my enormous belly! I am already uncomfortable at times, but just so grateful to be on this journey that I don’t mind. We are just on the verge of going into Summer weather here, and I am already finding the heat makes me cranky! Looking for the nearest pool 🙂
Melissa–I’m so very glad for both of us 🙂 That is why I liked the poem–the line about how the baby is letting you know it is still there. We’re on the verge of going into winter here and I’m looking forward to spending the winter with my own built-in heater 🙂 I had one baby where I was pregnant all through the summer and the pool was the ticket!
I felt flutters with my last 2 around 11 weeks and everyone told me it was gas. It really annoyed me cause I had a few before that so I knew what I was feeling.
Jamie–I hardly ever mention it because people act like you’re lying. And, then I think, well maybe I’m wrong. You’d think if it was “gas,” you’d have felt the same kind of thing your whole life, not only when you are pregnant and hit 11 weeks! LOL!
So beautiful, Molly. Congratulations! I miss those times…