At 37 weeks, your baby should still be moving frequently. Research tracking fetal activity throughout pregnancy found that movements actually increase around this time, averaging about 182 movements per day at 37 weeks and rising to 218 per day beyond that point. The widely used clinical benchmark is feeling at least 10 distinct movements within a two-hour window, though most babies at this stage will hit that number much faster.
What Normal Movement Looks Like at 37 Weeks
Your baby is running out of room, and that changes what movement feels like, but it does not reduce how often your baby moves. The sharp kicks and flips you felt earlier in pregnancy give way to slower, more deliberate motions: stretching, turning, pushing, and what many women describe as “slow motion” rolling. These slower movements are a normal response to tighter quarters in the uterus, not a sign of reduced activity.
The frequency and intensity of movement should stay consistent or even increase. Studies measuring fetal activity found an average of about 13 movements per waking hour after 37 weeks. At term, that number can reach roughly 31 movements per hour, with a typical range of 16 to 45. You won’t feel every single one of those, but you should notice a steady, recognizable pattern of activity throughout the day.
When Your Baby Is Most Active
Babies at 37 weeks tend to move most in the evening. Tracking data from one detailed case study showed about 62 movements between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., compared with 105 movements between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. If you notice your baby is quieter during the morning and more active at night, that’s a common pattern.
Your baby also sleeps a lot. Near birth, the sleep-wake cycle looks more like a newborn’s: sleeping for an hour or two, a few minutes of wakefulness, then back to sleep. These quiet stretches are normal and explain why you might go 45 minutes or even longer without feeling anything before a burst of activity.
Many women notice more movement around mealtimes. About 74% of pregnant women in one study reported that eating was associated with increased fetal activity. Some women even described their baby becoming active before meals, as if responding to hunger. The science on whether blood sugar directly triggers movement is still unsettled, though. A review of studies found no clear evidence that drinking orange juice or eating something sweet reliably stimulates a baby to move, despite this being common advice.
How to Count Kicks
The most common approach is the “count to ten” method. Pick a time when your baby is usually active, sit or lie down, and note how long it takes to feel 10 movements. Movements include kicks, rolls, jabs, swishes, and pushes. Hiccups don’t count since they’re involuntary. There’s no single “correct” amount of time it should take. What matters is your baby’s personal pattern.
Try to count at roughly the same time each day so you can spot trends. Some babies consistently hit 10 movements in 15 minutes. Others take closer to an hour. Both can be perfectly normal. The goal is to learn what’s typical for your baby and notice if something changes. Programs like Count the Kicks recommend starting this daily habit around 28 weeks and continuing through delivery.
What Counts as Reduced Movement
The key guideline from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is straightforward: if you’re unsure whether movement has decreased, lie on your left side and focus on your baby’s movements for two hours. If you don’t feel 10 or more distinct movements in that time, contact your maternity unit or provider right away.
A few important points about this threshold. First, “reduced” means reduced compared to what’s normal for your baby. A baby that usually gives you 10 kicks in 20 minutes but suddenly takes 90 minutes is showing a change, even though it technically still meets the minimum. Second, you should be aware of your baby’s movements all the way up to and including the start of labor. The old idea that babies “slow down” before birth is a myth. The type of movement changes, but the amount should not drop off.
Changes That Are Normal vs. Concerning
Normal at 37 weeks: feeling more rolling and stretching instead of sharp kicks, noticing a consistent daily rhythm with quieter mornings and busier evenings, and experiencing brief pauses during your baby’s sleep cycles. These are all expected parts of late pregnancy.
Worth paying attention to: a noticeable drop in overall activity that doesn’t improve after you eat and lie down, movements that feel consistently weaker over the course of a day, or a complete absence of movement for several hours during a time your baby is normally active. Any of these patterns warrants a call to your provider. Most of the time, monitoring will show everything is fine, but decreased movement is the one signal your baby can send you, and it’s always worth checking out.