How Kick Counts Can Help You Keep Tabs on Your Baby’s Well-Being

Like many pregnant people, you may be eager to feel your baby’s first kick inside your belly. It’s not only exciting but also reassuring to know that your baby is healthy. As the baby's kicks get stronger and happen more often, keeping tabs on those movements can help reassure you that your baby is growing as expected and continuing to thrive.

Some healthcare providers ask their pregnant patients to keep a kick count, during which you count and log the number of kicks and movements the baby makes during a prescribed period of time.

Why You Should Do Kick Counts

Generally, kick counts are one of several strategies doctors and pregnant people use to assess fetal health and monitor the baby’s well‑being, says G. Thomas Ruiz, M.D., a board-certified ob-gyn at Memorial Care in Fountain Valley, California. “It’s useful especially in the third trimester,” he says.