when can you feel baby move from outside

Most people can feel baby move from the outside sometime around 20 weeks of pregnancy, but the normal range is roughly 18–24 weeks. Before that, movements are usually too soft and deep inside to be felt through the abdominal wall.

Typical timeline

• First flutters (felt by you):
  Usually between 16–24 weeks, often closer to 20 weeks in a first pregnancy.

• Felt from the outside (partner/you):
  Commonly around 20–22 weeks, once kicks are stronger and baby is bigger.

• Visible from the outside:
  Often from about 24–26 weeks, when stronger kicks or rolls can make the belly jump.

Forum stories line up with this: many posters say their partner first felt baby at about 20 weeks, with others closer to 23–24 weeks, and a few as early as 18 weeks if kicks were strong and belly fat was minimal.

What affects when you can feel it

• Placenta position: An anterior placenta (on the front of the uterus) can cushion kicks so you and others feel them later.

• Body size and belly fat: More tissue over the belly can delay feeling movement from the outside, though it doesn’t affect baby’s health.

• First vs later pregnancy: First-time parents often notice movement a bit later; in later pregnancies, you may recognize the feeling sooner.

• Baby’s position and activity: Some babies kick more or face inward, making outside movement harder to catch, especially early on.

An example: one Reddit user at 17–18 weeks could already see small kicks because they had very little belly fat, while others did not feel anything outside until 22–23 weeks and then saw big jumps by 25–26 weeks.

How to give yourself the best chance to feel kicks

• Lie on your side or recline slightly in the evening when baby tends to be more active.

• Rest a still, warm hand low on your belly and wait a few minutes instead of pressing hard or moving around.
• Try after a snack or a cold drink, which sometimes perks baby up.

• Be patient: early on you may only feel one or two strong thumps from the outside in a whole day.

When to call your doctor or midwife

• If you have not felt any movement at all by 24 weeks , you should contact your provider for a check.

• After you’re feeling regular movements, call urgently if baby’s movements become noticeably less frequent, weaker, or stop , even if you are not yet full term.

For your specific situation, think about how many weeks pregnant you are, whether you know your placenta position, and whether you’ve already felt internal flutters; if you are close to or past 20 weeks, it’s very normal to be just starting (or still waiting) to feel baby from the outside.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.