Does feeling the baby move help create a stronger connection?

Fetal movements are much more than small “kicks” felt in the belly. They represent one of the earliest forms of interaction between the baby and the outside world, offering the pregnant person reassuring signs of the fetus’s well-being and development. Beyond indicating vitality, these movements play a fundamental role in building the emotional connection between mother and baby, contributing to the strengthening of maternal-fetal attachment (MFA).

As pregnancy progresses – especially in the third trimester – this attachment becomes more evident and meaningful. The baby’s movements help form maternal representations of the baby, stimulate caregiving behaviors, and emotionally prepare the parent for the maternal role. Previous research shows that maternal awareness and response to fetal movement are key components of MFA, and that engaging in fetal movement counting is significantly associated with higher MFA scores. Mothers who perceive greater fetal movements tend to report stronger MFA compared to those who perceive fewer movements.

A recent study led by Helena Rutherford further explored the bond between mother and fetus during pregnancy. It used an advanced fetal monitoring technique – actocardiography – which objectively records fetal movements and heart rate via sensors placed on the mother’s abdomen. Using this technology, researchers followed 51 pregnant individuals in their third trimester and found that a higher frequency of fetal movements was significantly associated with stronger MFA, regardless of maternal emotional state, gestational age, number of previous pregnancies, or knowledge of the baby’s sex.

These findings underscore the importance of valuing and paying attention to fetal movements as a form of early communication. Mindful attention to these natural cues may be a non-invasive and effective strategy to strengthen prenatal attachment and promote more sensitive and responsive caregiving after birth.

This study was published in the scientific journal Early Human Development, in the article Associations between fetal movement and maternal-fetal attachment in late pregnancy, as a part of the research project 111/16 - A psychophysiological perspective of the transformative experience of pregnancy, supported by the Bial Foundation.

ABSTRACT

Maternal-fetal attachment (MFA) represents the evolving psychological bond between a pregnant person and their fetus, reflecting early emotional investment and expectations of the maternal role. Maternal awareness and response to fetal movement are key components of MFA, suggesting that fetal activity may serve as a meaningful cue in the development of maternal representations of the baby. Previous work shows that engaging in fetal movement counting significantly enhances MFA scores, and mothers who perceive greater fetal movements have higher MFA scores compared to those who perceive fewer movements. However, it remains unclear if this association reflects perception alone, or whether associations between objective fetal movement and MFA exist. Therefore, we objectively measured fetal movement alongside MFA in 51 pregnant women (mean age 28.9 years, SD = 6.0) in their third trimester (mean gestational weeks 36.7, SD = 2.2). Fetal movement was objectively measured with a Toitu MT-516 fetal actocardiograph and MFA was assessed using the Prenatal Attachment Inventory-Revised. Greater fetal movement was associated with higher MFA scores, independent of maternal mood, parity, knowledge of fetal sex, and gestational age. Taken together, these findings underscore the relevance of fetal movement within the psychology of pregnancy, suggesting that fetal movement outside of maternal perception may function as a communicative signal to enhance MFA. As maternal-fetal attachment is linked to postpartum bonding and caregiving, understanding these prenatal associations provides insight into how early psychological and relational processes shape postnatal development across the perinatal period.