The web counter is a great option for expectant parents who don’t have access to a mobile device or tablet. Expectant parents can even track their baby’s movement on a computer at the public library or at a friend’s house! 

How to Use the Web Counter

To get started, visit startcounting.countthekicks.org and click the “Start Counting” button in the middle of the page. You can start counting right away for a single baby or twins! Sign in or create an account to keep track of all of your sessions, create reminders, and more! For those who are logged in, kick counting data from the web counter will sync with the mobile app, so you can count on the web or in the mobile app and see your session history over time. 

After your baby reaches 10 movements, the web counter will ask you to rate the strength of your baby’s movements and allow you to add any notes on that day’s kick counting session. 

Making Kick Counting Accessible

“We want to make kick counting accessible for all expectant parents in the third trimester of pregnancy. We are excited to add this new tool to make it easier for expectant parents to get to know their baby’s normal movement patterns and empower them to speak up if they notice a change,” said Megan Aucutt, Program Director for Healthy Birth Day, Inc.

The free Count the Kicks app is available to download in 16 languages in the iOS and Google Play app stores. The new web-based kick counter is also available to use in 16 languages. 

Support for the Project

We would like to thank the Polk County Supervisors, Prairie Meadows, Polk County Early Childhood Iowa, and Microsoft for their support to help develop a web-based kick counting platform. We are also grateful for the generous support of Count the Kicks Ambassadors Jillian Wolley, Heather Johnston-Welliver, Danielle Barkley, and Emily McConnell. Their fundraising efforts allowed us to turn the web-based kick counter into a reality. 

Ohio Ambassador Heather Johnston Welliver organizes Lydie’s Loop: Steps Against Stillbirth each fall to increase awareness, support research, promote education, and encourage advocacy and family support regarding stillbirth. Ambassadors Danielle Barkley and Emily McConnell organize Walk of Remembrance: Miles for Margaret, Lydia and All Babies Gone Too Soon each fall in South Carolina. Jillian Wolley raised funds over several years in honor of her daughter Dorie. 

Visit our Ambassador page to read more about this powerful team of kick counting advocates.

The post A New Tool: Introducing our web-based kick counting platform appeared first on Count the Kicks.

While you might be feeling double the excitement and double the love, you’re likely also experiencing double the worry. Twin pregnancies come with significant added risk compared to singleton pregnancies, so it’s critical for you to have information and tools that can help ensure the best outcome possible for your two peas in a pod.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to tune into the well-being of your twins during pregnancy is to monitor their movements, or count kicks. Count the Kicks has a free kick counting app that allows expectant parents to track movement for single babies or twins. When you have a daily kick counting session, the app will help you track how long it takes each baby to reach 10 movements (kicks, punches, jabs, and rolls). 

5 Tips for Expectant Twin Parents

To help you feel confident in your approach to counting kicks, we sat down with respected neonatologist and Count the Kicks Medical Advisory Board member, Dr. Ann Anderson Berry, to find out what twin parents need to know. Dr. Anderson Berry cares for babies that need extra help after delivery, and her training and expertise focuses on the intersection of pregnancy and the newborn period. 

“It’s a critical part of a healthy pregnancy to be able to understand what your baby is capable of doing on a day to day basis in utero, noticing when that changes, and alerting your healthcare provider for a higher level of evaluation,” she said.

Through Dr. Anderson Berry’s insight, and the experience of twin mom Sandra Marcela R. Monroy, MD, we bring you five essential things to know about counting kicks for twins:

1- Celebrate the gift, while preparing to manage the risks.

Twin births makeup just 3.1% of births in the U.S. — so congratulations! You’ve been given a rare, incredible gift! While a twin pregnancy can be an amazing experience, it comes with added risk.

That’s why Dr. Anderson Berry, who serves as Medical Director for the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative (NPQIC), is such an advocate for counting kicks. She expressed, “NPQIC is a proud supporter of Count the Kicks, and we really believe we can make an impact in families’ lives if we do some education about what fetal movement is like in the third trimester.”

Dr. Anderson Berry went on to explain that some twin pregnancy risks are common, while others are more difficult to identify, and that’s why it’s so important to know what’s normal for each baby’s movement patterns — to help parents and medical providers pick up on the early signs of potential fetal distress.

2- Commit to daily kick counting sessions starting at 26 weeks.

While twins do have a higher chance of early delivery, the guidelines for when to start counting kicks in singleton and twin pregnancies are a little different. You should start daily kick counting sessions at 26 weeks, just before the start of the third trimester for a twin pregnancy. There’s nothing wrong with starting earlier, especially if it helps you practice, get into a routine, and bond with your babies.

Marcela, a mom of twin girls, started her daily sessions at 26 weeks. “Counting kicks made me know my babies more,” she shared. “Things like when they were active, and which foods made them move more. Having twins was a surprise for us, so getting to know them gave us peace.”

3- Drop the comparisons! Every baby is unique – including movement patterns in utero.

Speaking of getting to know your babies … every baby, regardless of whether they’re your solo tenant or rooming up with a twin sibling, has a unique personality and tendencies for movement.

With a knowing smile, Dr. Anderson Berry explained, “Another trap we fall into as moms is to always be comparing our kids to each other. And what more direct comparison can you get than having two babies in utero? You’re literally timing them!” She reiterated that the only baby you should be comparing one twin to is themselves — not their roommate in utero!

You might be worried about how you’ll differentiate movements between one twin and the other. Both Dr. Anderson Berry and Marcela implied that while it can be a bit tricky, it’s also quite an intuitive experience if you work toward tuning into your body. As twins grow into the third trimester, their positions will become clearer, and while they will continue to move, they may not drastically change position as often as a single baby would. 

“I would always monitor their movements and their position. Based on that, I was able to know who was who. My advice is to take it easy and trust yourself. Trust the process and try every day. It gets easier,” Marcela said.

She even came to know that her Baby A was more active after breakfast, while her Baby B was more active after dinner. We’ll check back in 10 years to see if one is an early bird and the other is a night owl — our bets are on yes.

While Dr. Anderson Berry hasn’t been pregnant with twins herself, she has talked at length with twin moms that have successfully counted kicks. She explained that one way to avoid mixing up movements between babies is to do one complete kick counting session for one baby, then move on to the next, rather than trying to monitor both babies’ movements in the same session. It will help you establish a true baseline for each baby.

All that said, it is essential that you talk to your healthcare provider and go over any questions or concerns about counting kicks for your babies.

4- Use direct, assertive language when communicating with your healthcare provider.

We love this advice from Dr. Anderson Berry. Many women experience a sense of not wanting to be an alarmist or a burden. While there’s no need to be disrespectful, it’s important to be a strong advocate for your babies and to communicate clearly and directly, especially when you are sharing an observation of a change in your baby’s movements.

If you find yourself needing to communicate a concern, tap into your confidence and remember that you have your kick counting data on hand to support you! Instead of saying, “I’m not sure if my babies are moving as much, so I just wanted to check in,” go with something more assertive, such as: “I’ve noticed a change in my babies’ movements, and I need to be seen for additional monitoring.”

5- Give yourself grace, and find solace in your kick counting routine.

Carrying twins is hard — and that is an understatement. Your body and mind are under tremendous pressure, and you need rest and peace throughout this process. Carving out time in your day to relax, focus on your babies, and bond with them can help you manage the stresses of twin pregnancy. 

As parents, we often question ourselves and worry if we’re doing the right things, whether it’s during pregnancy, toddlerhood, the teenage years, and beyond. Know that counting kicks is the right thing. Take it from Marcela, a twin mom who has been in your shoes: “I really felt like I was connecting with my babies, and it gave me peace of mind. I invite you to try this.”

Dr. Anderson Berry’s closing thoughts underscored that point. “Find solace in the counting and know that it’s one additional way to ensure your babies are healthy, and that can help reduce your stress level.”

How to Count the Kicks for Twins

1. Visit the app store to download the free Count the Kicks app.
2. When you open the app, it will ask how many babies you are counting for. You’ll select two.
3. Enter your due date, and add your babies’ names/nicknames, then hit save.
4. Tap the footprint on the screen when you feel the first movement to track for either baby. The app will track the time it takes each of your babies to get to 10 kicks! 
5. To switch between babies, swipe left/right or tap the baby’s name at the top of the screen. The baby you are counting for will be red, and the other baby’s name will be yellow. As you count, you will see the current number of kicks for each baby in the circle next to their name at the top. 
6. Once each baby reaches 10 kicks, the app will ask you to rate the strength of each baby’s movements on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being “fluttery” and 5 being “fierce.” 
7. Add any notes you want to keep on that day’s kick counting session and hit the finish session button. 
8. Be sure to create an account so you can save your kick counting history!

About the Author

Shannon Pike is a Count the Kicks Ambassador in the state of Texas. She lives in the Austin area with her family, and works in honor of her daughter Marie Evangeline, who was born still in 2018. Read more about Shannon here. 

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Link Found: Stillbirth + Maternal Mortality

The United States is the only developed country with a consistently rising maternal mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization. CDC data shows that every year in the U.S. approximately 700 women will die from childbirth complications, and 23,500 babies will be stillborn. 

Stillbirth is defined as the loss of a pregnancy between 20 and 42 weeks gestation. It affects 1 in every 169 pregnancies nationally, and is 10 times more common than SIDS. For women who experience a stillbirth, maternal morbidity is almost five times more common than in women who have live births. 

The risk is even greater for Black women. According to the CDC, Black women are twice as likely to lose a baby to stillbirth than their White neighbor, colleague or friend. Black women are also three more likely to die of pregnancy complications. The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating what was already broken. Recent research has identified significant increases in stillbirth and maternal death since the pandemic began.

“It is more important than ever for expectant parents and providers to have regular conversations about fetal movement throughout the third trimester. The Count the Kicks app acts as an early warning system for expectant parents so they can let their providers know when something feels off,” said Emily Price, Executive Director for Healthy Birth Day, Inc.  

Make kick counting a common practice

We need to make sure kick counting is a common practice for all expectant parents in the third trimester of pregnancy. You can help us prevent preventable stillbirths and save families from experiencing the pain of loss by educating others about the Count the Kicks campaign. 

Expectant parents can get to know their baby’s normal movement pattern by having a daily kick counting session using the FREE Count the Kicks app starting at 28 weeks (or 26 weeks for a high-risk pregnancy). The app is available in 12 languages in the iOS and Google Play app stores. It is also available on Apple Watch. Expectant parents can also count using a paper chart.  

Research shows a change in a baby’s movement can be the earliest and sometimes only indication there might be an issue with a pregnancy. When the amount of time it takes to get to 10 movements changes, it can be a red flag to potential problems with mom or baby and is an indication for the expectant parent to call their provider right away. 

Kick counting data within the app can even be emailed or texted directly to providers. This is a helpful way to determine the next best steps for mom and baby when going in may increase the risk of exposure to COVID-19. 

Impact of Count the Kicks

Time and time again, this system works. So far this year we have heard from nine families who reached out to share how Count the Kicks helped their baby (or babies) have a healthy birth day. Since our campaign launched, we have received more than 80 baby save stories from families in 24 states and three countries.

Lottie O’Sullivan reached out late last year to tell us about the safe arrival of her daughter Clementine. Lottie was using the Count the Kicks app to track her daughter’s movement, and reached out to her provider right away when she noticed her daughter wasn’t moving like normal. 

“One thing the doctors and nurses kept telling us in the immediate aftermath was how fortunate we were to have gone in for monitoring when we did. The OB who performed my C-section said he didn’t think she would’ve made it another hour. It is not lost on me how close we came to a very different outcome. I am so thankful that we knew the importance of counting kicks and that Clementine is with us today,” Lottie said.

The Count the Kicks app is a powerful tool to help expectant parents be more in tune with their bodies and their babies. This October, we invite you to join us in raising awareness about this important issue by sharing Count the Kicks with every expectant parent and maternal healthcare provider you know. Together we can make sure more babies have a healthy birth day. 

Learn more about our vision to save 7,500 babies every year and improve birth outcomes everywhere.

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Expectant parents can track how long it takes their baby to get to 10 movements by tapping the footprint on their Apple Watch every time they feel a kick, jab, poke or roll during their daily kick counting session. The watch app times how long it takes a baby to get to 10 movements. 

Track Strength

The Apple Watch app also includes the new strength feature. At the end of each kick counting session, app users will now be asked to rate the strength of their baby’s movements on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being “fluttery” and 5 being “fierce.” The data syncs with the user’s mobile app, making it easy to review kick counting data anytime. If normal ever changes, expectant parents should call their provider right away! 

“We encourage all expectant parents to download the free Count the Kicks app today to bond with your baby in the third trimester. This proven method improves birth outcomes and saves lives — and we are excited to provide another tool to monitor the health of babies across the globe,” said Healthy Birth Day, Inc. Executive Director Emily Price.

Our Partners

We’re incredibly grateful to Amerigroup Foundation for their support to make this important update for our app users! Amerigroup Iowa, an Anthem Company, helps improve health care access and quality for approximately 400,000 Iowa residents who participate in the state’s Medicaid programs. Amerigroup serves Iowans by developing and delivering innovative care management programs and services.

“Amerigroup Iowa is grateful to partner with Count the Kicks to provide real-time resources and solutions for expectant moms and families through educational and innovative programming,” said Jeffrey Jones, president, Amerigroup Iowa. “This public health campaign will aid at-risk pregnant women and enhance their overall experience enabling them to take control of their health and feel empowered to discuss these vital details with their healthcare provider. Amerigroup Iowa remains committed to our community partners across the state who play a critical role in the care of our members and the communities they serve.”

Share the Cause

Count the Kicks is committed to helping all expectant parents have a healthy birth day. Along with our valued partners, we’re thrilled to bring these convenient new tools to our app users, to improve their experience and birth outcomes.

If you’re expecting a baby, we encourage you to visit the app store to download Count the Kicks. to monitor your baby’s well being in the third trimester and tell every expectant parent you know about Count the Kicks on Apple Watch!

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The app now includes a new strength feature to help expectant parents monitor the strength of their baby’s movements. Research shows paying attention to the strength of your baby’s movements is vital. After each kick counting session, app users will be asked to mark how strong their baby’s movement felt during that session on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being “fluttery” and 5 being “fierce.” If a baby’s movements become weaker, studies show this could be a sign of potential problems and expectant parents should alert their doctor.

“Listening to what your baby is telling you is a great way to improve your chances of a healthy birth. If you are ever worried, call your doctor and let them know your concerns,” said Dr. Ruth Fretts, MD, MPH, Count the Kicks Medical Advisory Board member and stillbirth researcher.

Take Note(s)

Also included in this update is a new notes feature, which allows app users to take notes about each day’s kick counting session. App users can now keep track of what they ate that day and where/how they did their kick counting session. They can also jot down questions for their next prenatal appointment or anything else they want to remember.

“Our app users have been asking us for the ability to take notes on each of their kick counting sessions. We’re excited to deliver this new feature to improve the experience for all of the Count the Kicks app users,” said Megan Aucutt, Program Director for Healthy Birth Day, Inc.

About the App

The free Count the Kicks app is available to download in 12 languages in the iOS and Google Play app stores. It provides expectant parents a simple, non-invasive way to monitor their baby’s well-being every day in the third trimester. 

Since the mobile app launched in 2015, more than 160,000 expectant parents in all 50 states and more than 140 countries have relied on our app to get to know what’s normal for their baby. Other features include kick-counting history, daily reminders and the ability to count for single babies and twins. 

Our Partners

We’re incredibly grateful for the generous support of Count the Kicks Ambassadors Jillian Wolley, Heather Johnston-Welliver, Danielle Barkley, and Emily McConnell for making these app updates possible through their fundraising efforts. Ohio Ambassador Heather Johnston Welliver organizes Lydie’s Loop: Steps Against Stillbirth each fall to increase awareness, support research, promote education, and encourage advocacy and family support regarding stillbirth. South Carolina Ambassadors Danielle Barkley and Emily McConnell organize Walk of Remembrance: Miles for Margaret, Lydia and All Babies Gone Too Soon each fall in South Carolina. Jillian Wolley has raised funds over several years in honor of her daughter Dorie. 

We are grateful to them, and our entire ambassador team, for their ongoing support of Count the Kicks. Visit our Ambassador page to read more about this powerful team of kick counting advocates.

The post The <em>Count the Kicks</em> App has New Features appeared first on Count the Kicks.

The new tool connects app users with the resources they need to navigate their pregnancy journey. Partnering with Iowa ACEs 360 and EveryStep, we created a survey for Iowa Count the Kicks app users that appears after their second kick counting session.

This survey asks questions about an app user’s support system, as well as their mental and physical health. It also connects them to resources available through the Iowa Family Support Network to learn more about options available to them during this time.

The IFSN website is a resource directory providing care and support referral  to Iowa’s families and children. Parents can find assistance for anything from access to group-based services, to family support, food pantries and mental health services. 

We are grateful to our partners for their help in connecting our app users with critical resources to support their mental and physical health. Thanks to the funding from Mid-Iowa Health Foundation, we were also able to produce a video helping to educate expectant parents about this new resource available to them in the Count the Kicks App.

In this video, Breanne Ward, CRC, LMHC, discusses how Iowa app users can connect with resources available in their community and why it’s an important part of having a healthy pregnancy. 

We are grateful to Mid-Iowa Health Foundation for their support of our mission to save babies and for making sure that expectant parents can be connected with the resources and support they need to have a healthy pregnancy!

Founded in 1984, Mid-Iowa Health foundation aims to strengthen health in greater Des Moines, Iowa. Their vision is to serve as a catalyst and partner for improving the health of vulnerable people in greater Des Moines. Learn more. 

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