From the moment you know you're pregnant, you wait for the day you feel your baby move for the first time. Once your baby becomes active, he or she becomes somehow more real.

But did you know that keeping track of your baby's movements can help make sure he's healthy and strong and actually help prevent a tragedy?

In general, fetal movement is first felt during the 5th month of pregnancy (around week 18 to 20, a bit earlier if you've been pregnant before, later if this is your first pregnancy). "Fetal movements are at first very weak and moms may just think it is 'intestinal activity,'" says Dr. Mary B. Munn, director of Ultrasound/Prenatal Diagnosis, University of Texas Medical Branch. "As the pregnancy progresses, they begin to feel more limb movements and 'kicking' and then later on more of a 'rolling' or 'squirming' type of movement."

According to Dr. Munn, a fetus usually spends about 10 percent of its time moving its body, with 70 to 80 percent of these movements perceived by the mother. Arm and leg movements may occur more often, but may not be felt by the mother quite as much.

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