Former Love Island star Shaughna Phillips has opened up about her pregnancy journey so far, revealing that it has been the "most anxious time" of her life.
Speaking in her OK! column, the mum-to-be recalled a particularly stressful period in her pregnancy when she no longer felt her baby move. "I didn't really feel that much movement and I started to panic because everyone says that the second you notice a change you should call your midwife," the 28-year-old said, explaining that she'd previously "felt the odd kick here and there."
Thankfully, Shaughna's concern was quelled by some helpful insight. "I got a notification from my pregnancy app – it said that at this stage, the baby develops a sleeping pattern," she added. "That night, the baby was making up for the lack of movement earlier in the day. I knew then that everything was okay."
Nevertheless, the TV personality admits that pregnancy has been a stressful time. "Everyone talks about pregnancy being a beautiful thing, but I've noticed – just from speaking to pregnant friends – it is the most worrying time that I've ever had in my life," she said. "You think that it's just this most magical time of growing your child, but you are constantly on edge about... Is the baby okay? Is the baby doing what it's supposed to be doing? Was that feeling normal?"
Because of this, Shaughna revealed she has been "constantly worrying".
"It's an anxiety that is justified because you're doing something you've never done before; you're growing a human. That, of course, is anxiety-inducing," she added.
According to the NHS, you should start to feel your baby move between around 16 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. However, if this is your first baby, you might not feel movements until after 20 weeks.
"If you have not felt your baby move by 24 weeks, tell your midwife," the NHS website advises. "They'll check your baby's heartbeat and movements."
"There's no set number of movements you should feel each day – every baby is different," the NHS points out. "The important thing is to get to know your baby's usual movements from day to day."
You should call your midwife or maternity unit immediately if: your baby is moving less than usual; you cannot feel your baby moving anymore; there is a change to your baby's usual pattern of movements.
This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
