Feeling your baby kick and move during pregnancy is an exciting milestone. However, many women report that kicks hurt sometimes, especially when the baby’s foot connects with the placenta. This experience can cause some women to worry if something is wrong. Here is what you need to know about babies kicking the placenta and whether it’s painful.
What Does it Feel Like When Baby Kicks Placenta?
The placenta is a temporary organ that develops during pregnancy to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the baby and remove waste. It attaches to the wall of the uterus. As the placenta grows along with the uterus, it remains close to the front interior wall.
From about 18-20 weeks, pregnant women start feeling quickening, which are the first flutterings of baby’s movements. At this stage, the kicks are gentle and some describe it like butterflies or bubbles. As baby gets bigger and stronger, the kicks get more pronounced and vigorous.
Sometimes a mom might feel a particularly sharp or uncomfortable kick. This happens when the baby’s foot or hand connects with the placenta. The placenta does not have nerve endings so the sensation comes from the uterus contracting in response to the impact.
What Does it Feel Like When the Baby Kicks the Placenta?
- A jabbing feeling
- A brief stabbing pain
- An aching feeling
- Feels like you’ve been thumped from the inside
- A tightening or pulling sensation
Some women say it almost feels like an electric shock that momentarily takes their breath away. The intensity varies from woman to woman. For some it is just a fleeting discomfort, while for others it is quite painful.
Why Do Placenta Kicks Hurt?
There are a few reasons why a kick to the placenta might hurt:
Sudden impact
The force and immediacy of the kick can cause discomfort or pain. It is a sudden thud against the uterine wall.
Stimulates contractions
A jab to the placenta stimulates the uterus to contract somewhat. These are not labor contractions. But the tightening sensation contributes to the discomfort felt with placenta kicks.
Less cushioning
The placenta takes up space in the uterus that would normally provide cushioning for the baby’s movements. So kicks to this spot feel more pronounced.
Irritable uterus
Some women have an irritable uterus that contracts frequently in response to stimulation like dehydration, intercourse, or manual manipulation. This can make kicks to the placenta feel more painful.
Placenta position
If the placenta is especially close to the uterine wall, kicks to that spot reverberate more intensely.
Baby’s position
The intensity of the kicks also depends on baby’s position. If the legs are curled tight and foot is pointed, it creates a more concentrated impact.
Does Placenta Position Matter?
The location of the placenta does seem to play a role in how much you feel placenta kicks.
Anterior placenta
This is when the placenta is attached to the front uterine wall. Around 10% of pregnant women have an anterior placenta. Women with an anterior placenta are more likely to feel painful sensations when the baby’s kicks hit this spot because it is so close to the abdominal muscles.
Posterior placenta
When the placenta is attached to the back wall of the uterus, the force of kicks is somewhat cushioned as it travels through the amniotic fluid. An estimated 90% of women have a posterior placenta. Kicks to this area are less likely to cause pain or discomfort.
Side placenta
In rare cases, the placenta may be attached to the right or left side of the uterus. This position exposes a portion of the uterus to direct contact during kicks.
Does Placenta Pain Signal a Problem?
In most cases, pain from the baby striking the placenta is normal and does not indicate an underlying complication. Here are some signs that the pain may warrant medical evaluation:
- Very severe or persistent pain
- Bleeding
- Fluid leaking
- Uterine contractions accompanying the pain
- Decreased fetal movement
- Pain accompanied by dizziness, headache, changes in vision, or swelling
Severe pain can sometimes result from a rare complication like placental abruption where the placenta starts separating from the uterine wall. Bleeding, contractions, and decreased fetal movement require immediate medical care.
However, most of the time, some discomfort from the baby striking the placenta is normal and does not mean anything is wrong. Bring up the issue at your next prenatal visit for your doctor’s evaluation.
How to Handle Placenta Pain from Baby’s Kicks
Here are some tips for managing pain from baby kicking your placenta:
- Shift positions – Try sitting, standing, or laying on your side to move your uterus and placenta to a different spot.
- Apply warmth – Place a warm compress or take a warm bath to soothe the area.
- Massage – Lightly massage the part of your bump that aches.
- Stretch – Do some gentle prenatal stretches to relieve muscle tension.
- Stay hydrated – Dehydration can make an irritable uterus more sensitive.
- Get moving – Walking and changing positions helps settle baby into a different spot.
- Make some noise – Talking, singing, or playing music can encourage baby to move away.
- Wait it out – Most of the time, the discomfort is temporary as baby changes position.
If the pain becomes severe or persistent, contact your healthcare provider right away.
When to Worry About Painful Placenta Kicks
Most mothers-to-be feel some degree of discomfort from time to time when the baby’s jabs hit the placenta. This is generally nothing to worry about. Contact your healthcare provider if:
- The pain is excruciating and does not go away
- The pain is accompanied by bleeding
- You have more than 6 contractions per hour
- You leak fluid from the vagina
- You have symptoms like headache, changes in vision, or swelling
- You do not feel the baby move for several hours
While usually harmless, placenta pain can sometimes be a sign of:
- Placental abruption – The placenta detaches from the uterine lining, causing pain, bleeding, and danger to the baby from oxygen deprivation. This requires emergency medical treatment.
- Placenta previa – The placenta covers the cervix, causing bleeding if the cervix dilates. Bed rest and monitoring are needed.
- Preterm labor – Contractions before 37 weeks require evaluation to avoid early delivery.
- Dehydration – Inadequate hydration can trigger an irritable uterus and painful kicks. Drinking more fluids usually helps.
- High blood pressure – Pain accompanied by headache or swelling can signal preeclampsia.
Severe, persistent pain should not be ignored. But in most cases, discomfort from thumps to the placenta are harmless. Still, always have new pain evaluated by calling your doctor, going to triage, or visiting the ER if symptoms seem urgent.
When to Expect the Pain to Resolve
For many women, the discomfort from kicks, punches, knees, and elbows banging the placenta resolves in the third trimester as the baby changes position. Here’s a look at when you can expect some relief:
27-32 weeks
From around 27 weeks on, there is a little more room in the uterus for the baby to shift positions. The expanding uterus and amniotic fluid provide some cushioning as well. Many babies turn head down around 28 weeks getting the feet away from the placenta.
34-36 weeks
By this point, most babies get into position for delivery. A head down position protects the placenta from kicks. There may still be some discomfort from hands and elbows hitting this area. But the feet are tucked safely away from the placenta.
38-40 weeks
In the last weeks before birth, baby has usually settled deep into the pelvis and is no longer targeting the placenta with kicks and punches. The placenta has also lower in the uterus near the cervix.
If painful sensations persist throughout the third trimester, contact your doctor to rule out potential complications like placental abruption, placenta previa, or preterm labor.
Does Placenta Position Affect Delivery?
The location of the placenta typically does not impact vaginal delivery. But placenta position can sometimes complicate delivery if it is too close to the cervix.
Anterior placenta
A placenta attached to the front uterus rarely causes delivery issues. Baby can easily drop past it into the pelvis. Pushing and delivery proceed normally.
Posterior placenta
When the placenta is on the back wall of the uterus, its position does not limit the baby’s ability to descend or make vaginal delivery more difficult.
Low placenta (placenta previa)
If the placenta covers or is near the cervical opening, it is called placenta previa and requires a cesarean delivery to avoid dangerous bleeding if the cervix dilates. This occurs in around 1 in 200 pregnancies.
Women may experience warning bleeding in the second or third trimesters if the cervix dilates prematurely with placenta previa. Bed rest and close monitoring are necessary to avoid preterm birth and allow the placenta to migrate away from the cervix before labor.
Key Takeaways
- Feeling your baby kick the placenta may cause brief stabbing, aching, or tightening discomfort. This is usually nothing to worry about.
- Discomfort results from the force of impact and the uterus contracting in response.
- Kicks to the placenta hurt more with an anterior placenta attachment site.
- Changing positions, stretching, and getting up and moving can help alleviate placenta kick pain.
- Contact your doctor about severe pain, bleeding, leaking fluid, lack of fetal movement, or other potentially concerning symptoms.
- For most women, the pain resolves as the baby changes position in the third trimester.
- Talk to your doctor if placenta kick pain persists and causes ongoing discomfort.
Conclusion
Feeling some pain, tightness, or jabbing sensations when your baby’s kicks strike the placenta is common and typically harmless. Try changing positions, applying heat, stretching, hydrating, and getting up and moving around to help alleviate the discomfort. Severe or persistent pain accompanied by other symptoms warrants medical evaluation to rule out rare complications. But in most cases, pain from placental kicks will resolve on its own as the baby changes position during the third trimester. Bring up any ongoing concerns with your healthcare provider.