Feeling the baby kick for the first time really struck a cord with me. I think it’s because it’s another experience that really highlights that there’s a baby in the womb.

At 21 weeks pregnant there was not a lot of movement happening before this time, so once I felt the baby kicking, it really felt more real.

When Does The Baby Start Kicking?

The baby can start kicking during the second trimester and remain active all throughout the rest of the pregnancy. For our little one, we did she her move and kick a lot at our ultrasound near the end of the first trimester. However, before hitting 21 weeks pregnant, I never really felt any kicks. Perhaps they were too small for me to notice?

What Does a Baby Kicking Feel Like?

When she first kicked, I remember being unsure what that was; whether it was just my stomach being hungry or if the she was kicking. People would always ask me whether or not I could feel the baby kicking and how it felt. It’s a bit hard to describe just how it felt but for the first few kicks it felt like little pokes, like a finger jabbing on my side. It didn’t hurt but I sure noticed it. The kicks were small at first and would happen during the day and night once in a while. It was hard for anyone to feel it besides me.

Once she started kicking harder though, my husband was able to feel it. For me it felt like how it would feel kicking in deep water. You can almost feel like little ripple effect happening. My husband described it as feeling a slight push or poke.

I found she was more active at night, particularly when I taking a nap or sleeping. She would literally wake me up. It also happened more so when we were about to go to sleep. My husband and I have a small chat before we drift off to bed each night and this was when she made herself known. My husband would rest his hand over my stomach and wait for her to kick.

I read that babies would often kick more when you are lying down or resting. The motion of walking around or being on your feet is soothing and helps them sleep in the womb. I guess that’s why I would often feel her kick and be more active at night.

Update: As the weeks went on, she remained active in the womb, kicking very hard and moving about a lot. I won’t ever forget that feeling that I got every time she would kick. Her daily kicks did reassure me that she was safe, healthy and happy in the womb. It was a way for her to communicate to me that she was doing fine and I didn’t have to worry. She continued kicking hard up until the day of labor. But those first moments at 21 weeks pregnant will always be a special milestone in my pregnancy as the first time I felt my baby kicking.