How to Do a Kick Count: A Complete Guide for Pregnancy

Q: When should I start counting kicks during pregnancy?

Most providers recommend starting kick counts at 28 weeks (the third trimester). By this point, your baby has a regular sleep-wake cycle and their movements are strong enough to track reliably. High-risk pregnancies may start earlier — ask your provider for personalized guidance.

Q: How many kicks per hour is normal?

During active periods, babies typically move 15 to 20 times per hour. The standard kick count method looks for 10 movements within 2 hours. Most babies reach 10 well within 30 minutes. What matters most is that your baby's count stays consistent day to day.

Q: Can I do a kick count while working or walking?

It's best to count while resting — sitting or lying down — so you can focus on what you feel. Movement during activities like walking can rock your baby to sleep and make kicks harder to detect, which may give you an inaccurate count.

A kick count is one of the simplest and most effective ways to monitor your baby's health during pregnancy. By spending a few minutes each day counting fetal movement, you can learn your baby's unique pattern and catch potential concerns early. The best part? It requires no equipment, no appointments, and no special training.

This guide walks you through how to do a kick count from start to finish — when to begin, exactly what to count, and how to make it a stress-free daily habit.

In this guide:

What a kick count is and why it matters
When to start counting kicks during pregnancy
Step-by-step instructions for a kick count session
What counts as movement (and what doesn't)
How to track your results over time

What Is a Kick Count?

A kick count (also called a fetal movement count) is a daily check where you track how long it takes your baby to make 10 movements. It's the standard method recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for monitoring fetal well-being at home.

The most widely used approach is the "Count to Ten" method: you sit or lie down, note the time, and count any fetal movement — kicks, rolls, jabs, stretches, or flutters — until you reach 10. Then you record how many minutes it took.

Most babies will reach 10 movements in 15 to 30 minutes. Healthy babies generally complete the count well within 2 hours. What matters most isn't speed — it's consistency from day to day.

When to Start Kick Counts in Pregnancy

Most healthcare providers recommend starting daily kick counts around 28 weeks (the beginning of the third trimester). Here's why that timing works:

Before 28 weeks: Your baby is still small, and movements can be irregular and hard to feel consistently. Starting too early can cause unnecessary worry.
At 28 weeks: Your baby has developed a more regular sleep-wake cycle, and their movements are strong enough to feel reliably through the uterine wall.
After 28 weeks: Daily kick counting becomes a valuable routine. The earlier you establish your baby's baseline pattern, the easier it is to notice changes.

If you have a high-risk pregnancy (such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, or a history of complications), your provider may recommend starting kick counts earlier — sometimes as early as 24 to 26 weeks. Always follow your provider's specific guidance.

Pro Tip: Don't stress if you can't feel consistent patterns right at 28 weeks. It can take a few days of practice to tune into your baby's rhythm. An anterior placenta (positioned at the front) can also muffle movements early on.

How to Do a Kick Count: Step by Step

Here's exactly how to perform a kick count session.

Step 1: Choose the Right Time

Pick a time when your baby is typically active. For most babies, this is:

After a meal or snack — a rise in blood sugar often stimulates movement
In the evening — many babies are most active between 9 PM and 1 AM
When you're resting — your movement during the day can rock your baby to sleep

Try to count at roughly the same time each day. Consistency makes it much easier to spot changes in your baby's pattern.

Step 2: Get Comfortable

Lie on your left side or sit in a reclined position. Lying on your left side improves blood flow to the uterus and can encourage movement.
Minimize distractions — turn off the TV, put your phone aside, and focus on what you feel.
Place your hands on your belly to help you feel subtler movements.

Step 3: Start Counting

Note your start time, then count every distinct movement your baby makes. Each kick, roll, jab, stretch, or flutter counts as one movement.

If your baby is quiet at first, don't worry. Try these gentle prompts:

Drink a glass of cold water or juice
Eat a small snack (something with natural sugar works well)
Gently press on your belly
Change positions — shift from sitting to lying down

Then begin counting again.

Step 4: Record Your Results

Once you reach 10 movements, note the total time. That's it — your kick count session is complete.

What to record:

Date and time of the session
How many minutes it took to reach 10 movements
Any notes (baby was especially active, movements felt different, etc.)

An app like TinyKicks is designed exactly for this — start a session with one tap, count each movement, and the app tracks your time and history automatically.

Step 5: Look for Patterns Over Time

After a week or two of daily kick counts, you'll have a clear picture of your baby's baseline. Most babies are consistent. If your baby usually reaches 10 movements in 20 minutes, and one day it takes over an hour, that's worth noting — even if the total count is still fine.

What Counts as Fetal Movement?

When counting fetal movement, include any distinct motion you can feel:

Counts ✅	Doesn't Count ❌
Kicks	Hiccups (rhythmic, involuntary)
Rolls	Painless Braxton Hicks contractions
Jabs or punches	Your own muscle twitches
Stretches
Flutters
Pushes or pressure

About hiccups: Fetal hiccups feel like a rhythmic, repetitive pulsing. While they're a normal sign of development, most providers don't count them as deliberate movement during a kick count because they're involuntary.

About movement intensity: As your baby grows through the third trimester, big sweeping kicks often give way to smaller rolls and stretches. This is normal — your baby is running out of room. What you're tracking is the number of distinct movements, not their intensity.

What If My Baby Doesn't Reach 10 Movements?

If your baby hasn't reached 10 movements after 2 hours, don't panic — but do take action:

Try a prompt: Drink cold water or eat a snack, then restart the count for another hour.
If still below 10: Call your healthcare provider or go to your hospital's labor and delivery unit. They can run a non-stress test (NST) to check your baby's heart rate and movement.

In most cases, everything turns out fine. But this is one area where it's always better to call and be reassured than to wait it out. Healthcare providers expect and welcome these calls.

For more on when reduced movement warrants medical attention, see our guide on decreased fetal movement.

Kick Count Tips for Consistency

Making kick counting a daily habit is easier when you build it into your routine:

Set a daily reminder at the same time each day
Pair it with an existing habit — count after dinner, before bed, or during your evening wind-down
Keep sessions short — most only take 15-30 minutes
Use an app to make logging effortless and to see your history at a glance
Share your records with your care team at prenatal visits

For more practical strategies, check out our post on 10 tips for tracking baby kicks.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start counting kicks during pregnancy?

Most providers recommend starting kick counts at 28 weeks (the third trimester). By this point, your baby has a regular sleep-wake cycle and their movements are strong enough to track reliably. High-risk pregnancies may start earlier — ask your provider for personalized guidance.

How many kicks per hour is normal?

During active periods, babies typically move 15 to 20 times per hour. The standard kick count method looks for 10 movements within 2 hours. Most babies reach 10 well within 30 minutes. What matters most is that your baby's count stays consistent day to day.

Do I need to do kick counts every day?

Yes — daily kick counting is recommended from 28 weeks onward. Doing it at the same time each day helps you establish your baby's normal pattern, which makes it easier to detect any meaningful changes.

What if my baby is always active — do I still need to count?

Even if your baby seems very active, a daily kick count helps you notice if that changes. A baby who is usually highly active and then becomes noticeably quieter is worth paying attention to. The baseline you build through daily counting is what makes this possible.

Can I do a kick count while working or walking?

It's best to count while resting — sitting or lying down — so you can focus on what you feel. Movement during activities like walking can rock your baby to sleep and make kicks harder to detect, which may give you an inaccurate count.

Kick counting is a small daily habit that gives you a direct window into your baby's well-being. By learning how to do a kick count and sticking with it through your third trimester, you're taking one of the most proactive steps available to any expectant parent.

Start tracking your baby's kicks today with TinyKicks — a free, simple kick counter app that makes daily counting effortless.