A few questions about movement

I'm 21w 3d today. For the past week and a half or so I've been really able to feel the baby move - more than just "bubble popping" sensations. It's been feeling more like muscle twitching sesations. Yesterday I was absolutly exhausted after a long day and felt really crappy - tired, headache, a little crampy (b/c I didn't drink nearly enough). I didn't feel the baby move much yesterday. Just a little here and there. Today he's been pretty quiet too but I'm starting to feel him more now (that's typical tho - he seems most active dinner to night time). Anyway, today I'm noticing that the twitching sensations are much higher up that the past few days. They're now more like in my stomach area right below my belly button on the right side - whereas last week, they were much lower - like only right above my pubic bone. Is this the baby I'm feeling? I know they say that at 20 weeks the top of your uterus is level with your belly button. Is it possible that over the last day the baby decided to move himself up higher and that's what this is? I swear though that at times I still have problems figuring out if this is gas or kicks/punches. Also, at what point do you have to start counting kicks? If they're inconsistent now, should I be concerned?

Re: A few questions about movement

I think you are definitely feeling the baby. I never was told to count kicks and never did the first time around. As long as you feel him, I'm sure he is fine.

Re: A few questions about movement

You don't need to start counting kicks until 28 weeks.

You're just at the stage where they start to be a bit more consistent.

I'm having twins so it's a little different, but I feel them ALL OVER! Think of all the legs and arms in there You can be feeling hands, feet, arms, legs, elbows... anything!

Re: A few questions about movement

So if I feel him a little less one day compared to the next I shouldn't be too concerned? I swear I was freaking out last night. He's normally like a bouncing machine b/w 9-10pm and last night I felt him but not like normal. I feel him again today a bit more. I guess I was just worried that he was quiet after I felt crappy. But then I figured I was still so early and I know some woman who at 21w didn't even feel their baby kick at all yet.

Re: A few questions about movement

You may have an anterior placenta (just ask your doc). It "muffles" the sensation of movement.

I had one with both pregnancies... and it was really rough for me to feel anything until after 22 weeks (22 with the first & 23 with the second). I THOUGHT I felt movement... which ended up being just gas at early parts of the pregnancy.

With my anterior placenta... I really felt nothing until the kid rotated a bit & the first time I felt something... it was a HARD kick that repeated many times. DH could feel it & I could see my stomach move. It was on the side of my stomach.

I never counted movements. Somedays, if the kid was facing the wrong way, I felt nothing at all.

Re: A few questions about movement

I've had a pretty similar experience. I got very nervous this week when there were barely any movements for a day or two. Thankfully her activity has picked up since then and I'm feeling her more during the day now too. At my level 2 her feet were low and her head was up pretty high. I figure the lower movements are kicks and the higher ones I sometimes feel could be elbows or shoulders.