How to Count Kicks, and When Not to Wait
If your provider has asked you to count kicks, follow their method. A common one is to note the time, count each kick, flutter or roll until you reach your number, and write down how many minutes it took. If movement feels reduced or different at any point, call your midwife, doctor or maternity unit immediately instead of finishing the count.
Written by the Bumpi Kicks team at Speed AI Labs LLP. Last updated . General information, not reviewed by a clinician, and not medical advice. How we write and check these pages.
Counting tips
Count what you feel
The NHS and the RCOG both say not to use or rely on home heartbeat kits. A counter records what you tap, so the count is what you felt.
Compare with your own usual
Your own earlier sessions are the useful comparison, because the RCOG says no specific number is considered normal.
Paper or app is a practical choice
The RCOG says there is not enough evidence to recommend the routine use of a movement chart, so choose whichever you will keep up.
No count replaces a call
A reassuring count does not cancel a worry. If you are concerned, contact your care team.
A common routine (ask your provider first)
- 1
Ask which method to use
Providers differ. Ask how many movements they want you to look for, over how long, and when to call.
- 2
Pick a time you can repeat
No source we read names a best hour. Cleveland Clinic says a good time to feel movement may be when you sit down for a meal. A time you can repeat makes sessions easier to compare, and Settings offers five reminder times.
- 3
Get comfortable, then start the clock
Cleveland Clinic suggests lying on your left side or sitting with your feet propped up.
- 4
Count each movement
Cleveland Clinic counts kicks, flutters and rolls and suggests writing down how many minutes it took to reach your number.
- 5
Save the session
Keep the date, start time, minutes and count, on paper or in the app.
- 6
Call, do not wait, if movement is different
If movement feels reduced or different from usual, contact your care team immediately. Do not finish the count first.
Common questions
What is the best time of day to count kicks?
None of the sources we read names a best time. Choose a time you can repeat daily. In Settings, the Bumpi Kicks reminder can be set to 8:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 6:00 PM or 9:00 PM, and setup lets you pick any time.
Can an app replace my midwife's advice?
No. A counting app records your taps. It cannot tell you whether your baby is well. Follow your provider's advice on how to count and when to call.
Sources
These are the sources behind the statements on this page. We opened each one and checked it on the date shown.
- Cleveland Clinic, Kick Counts (Fetal Movement Counting): Purpose & How To, page last updated 05/08/2026
Cleveland Clinic describes timing how long it takes to feel 10 movements, says providers differ on the number and time window, and says it may be time to tell your provider if 10 have not come after two hours.
Limits: Cleveland Clinic credits the target of 10 movements within two hours to ACOG. ACOG's own patient page, listed on this site, does not state that number.
Checked . Read directly from the source.
- Cleveland Clinic, Kick Counts (Fetal Movement Counting): Purpose & How To, page last updated 05/08/2026
Cleveland Clinic says a good time to feel movement may be when you sit down for a meal, and suggests lying on your left side or sitting with your feet propped up while you count.
Checked . Read directly from the source.
- NHS, Your baby's movements, page last reviewed 8 July 2024
The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit immediately if your baby moves less than usual, you cannot feel movement, or the usual pattern changes, and not to wait until the next day.
Limits: NHS advice is written for the UK. Advice elsewhere differs, and your own midwife or doctor comes first.
Checked . Read directly from the source.
- NHS, Your baby's movements, page last reviewed 8 July 2024
The NHS says not to use a home Doppler (a heartbeat listening kit) to try to check your baby's heartbeat yourself.
Limits: NHS advice is written for the UK. Advice elsewhere differs, and your own midwife or doctor comes first.
Checked . Read directly from the source.
- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Your baby's movements in pregnancy (patient information based on Green-top Guideline No. 57, February 2011)
The RCOG says not to rely on home kits for listening to your baby's heartbeat, and never to go to sleep ignoring a reduction or change in your baby's movements.
Limits: UK patient information published February 2019 and based on a 2011 guideline. The RCOG published a second edition of the guideline in 2026, which this site has not read. Advice elsewhere differs, and your own midwife or doctor comes first.
Checked . Read directly from the source.
- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Your baby's movements in pregnancy (patient information based on Green-top Guideline No. 57, February 2011)
The RCOG says there is no specific number of movements that is considered normal, and that there is not enough evidence to recommend the routine use of a movement chart.
Limits: UK patient information published February 2019 and based on a 2011 guideline. The RCOG published a second edition of the guideline in 2026, which this site has not read. Advice elsewhere differs, and your own midwife or doctor comes first.
Checked . Read directly from the source.
Start a daily record today.
Bumpi Kicks keeps a simple log of your kick counts that you can look back on and show your care team.
Free to download. Counting needs a Pro subscription, and the App Store paywall shows the price and any free trial before you pay.