![]() So walking without looking where your feet are or touching your nose with your eyes closed. Proprio-what? This is your body’s ability to sense its location and movements without consciously thinking about it. While the mechanism behind flutter kicks is unknown, researchers believe it may be related to changes in the somatosensory homunculus or proprioception during pregnancy. This is similar to phantom missing limb pain, when amputees continue to experience sensation after the limb is removed. “When this happens, nerve receptors continue to fire or be stimulated to the extent that the brain thinks there is fetal movement - clearly even when none is present,” explains Kecia Gaither, MD, MPH, FACOG, double board-certified in OB-GYN and maternal fetal medicine, director of perinatal services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. Stretching of the uterine cavity or abdomen in pregnancy increases the growth of nerve receptors. ![]() Nevertheless, experts do have some theories that could explain the cause of these mysterious flutters. While we know some women experience phantom kicks, we don’t know with any certainty why they occur. With that in mind, further research is needed to determine the role phantom kicks play in the postpartum period. She also points to the inherent associated bias of self-selection and recall bias. ![]() First, the data is based on one small sample and hasn’t been reproduced. While the information from this survey gives us something to go on, Woodus says it’s important to note the many limitations of this research. Researchers also discovered that 25 percent of the women described the experience as positive, while 27 percent felt upset or confused by the phantom kicks. On average, the women surveyed felt phantom kicks for 6.8 years postpartum. Of the 197 women surveyed, 40 percent said they experienced phantom kicks after giving birth for the first time. That said, we do have data from a small survey that asked women about their experiences with phantom kicks.Īccording to an online survey conducted by Disha Sasan and colleagues at Monash University in Australia, women can experience phantom fetal kicks for several years postpartum, with one woman feeling these flutters up to 28 years postpartum. This is mainly due to a lack of studies and research regarding phantom kicks. When asked if they’re normal, Woodus says, “it’s hard to make a determination as to whether or not these sensations are normal, as we do not have a clear understanding of what they are or what causes them.” In other words, they’re the light, quickening movements you may feel in your stomach days, weeks, months, or even years after childbirth. Still, when these flutters continue to happen long after the postpartum period, many mamas begin to wonder if something else (other than pregnancy) is going on.Īccording to Tiffany Woodus, MD, FACOG, an OB-GYN in Texas, phantom kicks are the continued perception of fetal movement in the abdomen by a mother after pregnancy. Women expect to feel pint-size baby kicks when pregnant.
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