There’s another powerful element to this story — the element of mom-to-mom sharing — that helped Cathleen take a change in movement seriously. Because she followed Amanda, of Minnesota, on Instagram, Amanda became the voice in Cathleen’s head to go in and get checked out when she noticed something had changed.

We all have the power to be that voice in someone’s head — to encourage them to pay attention to movement and speak up if there’s a change. This is their remarkable story, spanning two states, as written by Amanda.

“My daughter Juniper was unexpectedly stillborn at full term. Nothing I will ever do will bring her back. I truly think had I been educated of the importance of counting kicks and monitoring baby’s movements, that my daughter could be alive in my arms. As such, I have made it a personal mission to do what I can to prevent other moms from enduring the death of their child before their birth.

Since Juniper’s death, I have become an outspoken advocate for preventing stillbirth on my Instagram account and share frequently about the importance of counting the kicks and paying attention to baby’s movements. I am forever fighting the myth that ‘babies run out of room,’ something I mistakenly believed while pregnant with my first child.

The only time baby’s movement was discussed by my providers was as they were discharging me from my biweekly checks, in the most unconcerning way ‘call us if baby’s movement changes.’ Especially since Juniper was growth restricted and I was under such close monitoring, I felt like I didn’t need to pay attention to her movements and patterns. I really wished I had known the opposite. 

When I woke up to Cathleen’s messages that Margot was born alive, and with a true knot in her umbilical cord, I was floored. I was in shock; I was in tears. I was so, so, so grateful that she is here. If Juniper can’t be here, the next best thing is making sure other babies get to be here alive.

I’m so glad she followed my posts and trusted herself to go in to get checked even though she had just been in a few days prior with a passing biophysical score. Even though we live states away and we’ve never met. But she felt her baby had slowed down, and there ended up being a clear reason for that. 

It’s so wild to me. There’s this mentality with our society that we don’t want to ‘scare pregnant women’ by talking to them about possible bad pregnancy outcomes. Yet, every time you fly on a commercial airline, the possibility of an airplane crash is discussed, planned for, and everything is done to prevent it. No one talks about these safety demonstrations as unnecessarily ‘scaring passengers.’

Our prenatal providers need to be as brave as these pilots and flight attendants, an emergency plan thought out and shared, discussed at every appointment. Preventative measures should be shared and followed. Why can’t we do this with pregnancy? Why isn’t the very real possibility of stillbirth discussed and preventative measures shared and followed? 

If you are pregnant or know someone who is, next time you chat, share with them the importance of counting kicks and monitoring baby’s movements. Dispel the myth that ‘babies run out of room.’ Especially in COVID times, appointments aren’t happening as frequently, things are rushed, and there is additional worry surrounding going in for extra checks. All of these things mean it is all the more important to be cognizant of your baby’s movements and patterns and to go in if anything feels off. 

Your providers may not say it every time, but I will: going in could save your baby’s life and spare you a lifetime of grief and heartbreak. If movements decrease or change, do not hesitate to call and go in.” 

If you want to read more about Juniper’s story, connect with Amanda on Instagram at her handle @orangeafmama. To learn more about the importance of kick counting during the third trimester of pregnancy, please visit our Academy for Parents page.

The post The Power of Mom-to-Mom Sharing appeared first on Count the Kicks.

She noticed a change in her baby’s movement a few days after her 36-week appointment. After noticing her baby wasn’t moving as much and that it was taking a lot longer than usual to get 10 movements, Yelly Sarah brought it up to her provider.

“She ordered an ultrasound and it was discovered that I had almost no amniotic fluid. I was sent to the hospital and induced the same day. My daughter [Eva] was born Sept. 2, 2020 at 37 weeks 1 day, and although she’s on the small side, she is healthy,” she said. “I am very grateful that Count the Kicks made me aware of the importance of paying close attention to baby’s movements and also that my provider took my concerns seriously and took action.”

Count the Kicks, an evidence-based public health campaign, educates and empowers expectant parents to track their baby’s movements in the third trimester of pregnancy. Research shows a change in a baby’s movements could be the earliest, and sometimes only indication that something may be wrong with a pregnancy.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when expectant parents may be seeing their provider less frequently, Count the Kicks acts as an early warning system for parents and providers to determine when a baby may be in distress.

Thanks to a partnership with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Bureau of Family Health, nurses, doctors, hospital staff and other providers have been able to order free Count the Kicks brochures, app reminder cards, and posters to place in offices that care for pregnant patients and to share with expectant parents since 2018.

KDHE, along with many other organizations in Kansas, are committed to reducing stillbirths through increasing awareness and community intervention.

“We look forward to continuing to make these materials available at no cost to support healthy pregnancy outcomes. Our focus right now is expanding reach to new providers and parents across the state,” said Rachel Sisson, Bureau Director for the Bureau of Family Health at KDHE.

Research indicates that keeping a daily record of a baby’s movement is an easy, free, reliable way to monitor a baby’s well-being in addition to regular prenatal visits. After a few sessions on the free Count the Kicks app, parents will start to notice a normal movement pattern for their baby. Changes to that pattern can indicate potential issues with the pregnancy, and parents are encouraged to contact their healthcare provider right away.

Kick counting data within the app can even be emailed or texted directly to providers — a helpful way to determine the next best steps for mom and baby during this ongoing public health crisis. Every year in the U.S. 24,000 babies are born still, according to the CDC. Stillbirth affects every 1 in 167 pregnancies in the U.S.

The post Kansas mom saves her baby using <em>Count the Kicks</em> appeared first on Count the Kicks.

Jasmine and Lindsay became friends while working together as international missionaries, and kept in touch after returning to their home countries. In 2014, Lindsay Rager was expecting her first baby. Unfortunately, her baby, Sadie, was born still on Nov. 14, 2014 due to a suspected cord injury when Lindsay was in her eighth month of pregnancy. 

Lindsay had been counting Sadie’s movements, but only with limited understanding of what kinds of movements are good and what signs to watch out for that could indicate her baby was in distress. Determined to honor Sadie and help spread awareness after her death, Lindsay openly shared her devastating story with friends and family and on social media, which is how Jasmine learned that stillbirth is a very real and potentially preventable birth outcome even in today’s modern world. 

In 2019, Jasmine found herself expecting a baby. She had a healthy pregnancy despite being high risk due to her advanced maternal age and medical history. Her baby, Audrey, was a “super active” baby, so when Jasmine noticed that her daughter’s movements had not only decreased in amount, but that her quick, strong movements had also become sluggish in nature, Jasmine knew she had to speak up. 

Jasmine had been regularly receiving ultrasounds and had a recent doctor appointment, but she could not shake the knowledge that Lindsay had given her: movement could be a sign of distress, stillbirth is real, and in some cases, can be preventable IF a mom speaks up in time.  Jasmine acted quickly and went to the hospital where the medical team agreed that her baby was in distress. Her baby was delivered safely via C-section, and her doctors found that the baby’s cord was both compressed and prolapsed (when the umbilical cord slips ahead of the baby and moves into the cervical canal).

Lindsay is grateful that by sharing her story of loss she was able to make a difference in how Jasmine and Audrey’s story ended. “I am truly grateful that Jasmine and I could bond over the safe arrival of Audrey rather than her joining me in the club no one wants to be in. I think it can feel a bit scary for a mom whose baby has been saved to approach a loss mom, because they don’t want them to feel sad that it wasn’t their baby who was saved. And that is certainly a possibility.

Though we may never know if counting kicks could have saved Sadie, I do know that I was lacking vital information and that Count the Kicks has made its mission to educate and empower women all over the world about the power of kick counting,” Lindsay said. 

Thanks to Lindsay’s willingness to share her story with others, Jasmine knew how important it was to speak up and advocate for her baby. We are so thrilled that Audrey is here today – a beautiful and healthy baby with a truly thankful mom and dad. 

We’re also grateful to our amazing group of Ambassadors, including Lindsay, who are willing to share their personal experiences to help educate and empower expectant parents around the world! Lindsay and Jasmine’s story shows the powerful impact of sharing Count the Kicks with everyone you know. 

The post Idaho Ambassador’s story helps Australia mom save her baby appeared first on Count the Kicks.

At Count the Kicks we began the year with a reinforced vision: To Save 7,500 Babies each year in the U.S., and we remain laser focused on educating and empowering expectant parents about the power of kick counting. During this ongoing pandemic, we know it’s more important than ever for expectant parents to understand the importance of counting their baby’s movements and to feel empowered to speak up if they notice a change. 

“When a mom is worried, we’re worried, so it’s really important for a mom to know she can reach out to us and that we want her to reach out to us. As maternal OB care providers, we consider the perception of fetal movement as an important vital sign. We rely solely on the moms to tell us that. When they’re away from this office or away from the hospital, the only way we know about the baby’s well-being is by the feedback we get from the mother, so I think it’s important for them to not be afraid to reach out to us,” said Dr. Tami Fahnlander, an Ob/Gyn with UnityPoint Health in Des Moines, Iowa. 

When Amanda Ramthum and Shelley Patterson noticed a change in their babies’ movements in utero in the final weeks of pregnancy, they spoke up to their doctors about the change. Research shows a change in fetal movement is the earliest and sometimes only indication there may be an issue with a pregnancy. Both women hesitated to say anything when they noticed a change because they didn’t want to go into a clinic or hospital that may have had COVID-19 patients inside. 

Luckily they did not hesitate — because something was really wrong — and their babies were in major distress. After their doctors told them to come in and ran the appropriate tests, the decision was made to deliver both babies via emergency C-section.

Meet Everett, who was saved in Iowa in March, and Thatcher, who was saved in April,  two babies who were saved this year despite fears of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When doctors delivered Everett, they discovered the umbilical cord was wrapped around him three times and he ended up needing six days in the NICU. When doctors delivered Thatcher, they discovered he had swallowed meconium several times and the umbilical cord was wrapped around him. Doctors say both babies could have had completely different outcomes, but are home now and healthy. Their moms are thankful and relieved, knowing it could have ended differently.

“After the surgery was over and Thatcher was OK, I thanked the doctor for saving my baby and being diligent in getting him here safely.  She assured me that counting the kicks was the key to knowing something was wrong and that I had saved my baby by paying attention and trusting my gut. She also explained how my story could have turned out differently if I waited to come in for my scheduled C-section. I am thankful to God that I had heard about the Count the Kicks campaign and app from my friend, Amy Ray, who is the Alabama Ambassador for Count the Kicks. I look at Thatcher now, and I know he is a true miracle,” said Shelly Patterson.

Because of our nonprofit organization’s educational resources, including the free Count the Kicks app, expectant parents like Amanda and Shelley understand the importance of counting their baby’s movements (kicks, jabs, rolls and pokes). These moms had the peace of mind to know what was normal for their baby and when it was time to call their provider because they noticed a change. In fact, Count the Kicks app users can even email or text their kick counting data directly to their provider, which can be a helpful way to determine the next best steps for mom and baby. 

Through our early warning system Count the Kicks, we have a community of moms who are in tune with their bodies and their babies, letting providers know when something feels off. Time and time again this system works — and babies are being saved across the country. In Iowa where we began, our stillbirth rate is down 32 percent in the past decade.

“Even though it is scary, and it’s a lot of unknown, and it’s a lot of what you don’t expect your pregnancy and your delivery to look like, it’s still worth it in the end. We still got to come home with a healthy baby boy, and the outcome could have been very different if I let my fear of this pandemic stop me from going in that day,” Amanda Ramthun said. 

We’re grateful to Amanda and Shelley for reaching out to share their stories, and for encouraging other expectant parents to speak up despite fears of COVID-19. 

As researchers continue to explore the effects of COVID-19 on pregnancy and birth, we hope you will join us in our vision to Save 7,500 Babies by sharing Count the Kicks with every expectant parent you know and asking them to download the FREE Count the Kicks app in the third trimester of pregnancy. This is a proven, non-invasive tool. We offer a solution in a time where everything can feel hopeless. We also invite you to explore Count the Kicks Academy for Expectant Parents, a suite of educational videos, guides, and resources to help expectant parents get their baby here safely. 

And remember: Every. Kick. Counts.

In Her Own Words: Amanda shares Everett’s Baby Save Story

In Her Own Words: Shelley share Thatcher’s Baby Save Story

The post Meet Everett and Thatcher, two babies saved during COVID-19 pandemic appeared first on Count the Kicks.

I remember my doctor casually mentioning Counts the Kicks during one visit. I think she may have even given me a pamphlet. But a pamphlet wasn’t enough to convince me to add a new routine to my day. I knew the gist was that I should pay attention to my baby’s movements and make sure that they remained consistent.

As my pregnancy wound down, my anxiety started ramping up. Oh my god; he’s almost here, I kept thinking. I might have four weeks left on my own. Three weeks. Two.

In the middle of my ruminating on his arrival, my little boy stopped moving as much. But I was too focused on the end to notice. I wasn’t counting his kicks.

**

At my 38-week appointment, the nurse decided to do an ultrasound. There hadn’t been one scheduled, but she thought it would be good to take a peek inside. A few minutes in and I knew something was wrong. The technician was silent. She kept asking me to move slightly to my right and slightly to my left and standing very, very still. My baby was barely moving. She asked if I had noticed less movement lately. And the truth was, I had. But I thought I was just noticing less because he was running out of space.

I was immediately induced. Not only had I lost the majority of the amniotic fluid without awareness, but the cord was also wrapped around my son’s neck. We met our little boy two days later, after an emergency C-section.

**

I am lucky. My baby is lucky. We are incredibly lucky to have ended up together. We almost didn’t.

Now I beg my friends to count their kicks when they are pregnant with their little ones. I try to intimate the importance of it in my words. Counting kicks is the easiest way to check in on your little one. They need you to. It’s like a barometer of their health. It’s like an ultrasound from the outside. It’s a way to know if they are safe on the inside. It’s a way to ensure they make it out to you.

____________________________________________________________________________

Kelly Green is a writer living in Iowa. She has written for The Billfold, Mom.me and more. You can find her published writing at kellygreen2.contently.com and her personal blog at www.kellygrain.wordpress.com.

The post Why One Mom Didn’t Count Kicks, But Wishes She Had appeared first on Count the Kicks.

He was an active baby that was always on the move, until one day Katie noticed that within the normal hour it took to usually get 10 kicks, she only got four.

“I immediately told my husband that there was something wrong and I needed to go in and get checked,” Katie wrote.

Just a six kick difference sounded the alarm.

Her doctor ordered an ultrasound.  Nurses found a baby in distress. Then came an emergency C-section.

When baby Liam entered the world, the cord was wrapped around his neck and doctors discovered a severe infection.

“We were so close to losing our baby boy,” Katie told us.

Liam spent 10 days in the NICU before he could go home.  But he went home. Safe in the arms of his family.

“The doctor told us that if I hadn’t been counting kicks and hadn’t been made aware of the situation, our baby probably wouldn’t be with us today. She said that she could almost guarantee that he would have been stillborn if we would have waited,” she wrote.

The grateful Iowa mom knew not to wait.

Weeks before, her doctor had handed her a colorful brochure with a Dr. Seuss-looking belly and a very valuable piece of advice: download the app, too.

Informed doctors. Diligent mama. Miracle baby.

Beautiful, right?

There’s more.

How did that colorful brochure with the Dr. Seuss belly end up in Katie’s doctor’s office?

It landed there because Telligen Community Initiative of West Des Moines, Iowa chose to make a difference.

They chose to invest in Count the Kicks.

Here’s why.

Since the public awareness campaign (based on this research from Norway) launched in Iowa in 2009,  Iowa went from 33rd to 3rd lowest in U.S. stillbirth rankings.

The state’s stillbirth rate dropped 26 percent. Incredible, right?

Now picture this.

If the entire country’s stillbirth rate could also drop by 26 percent, we could save 6,000 babies every year.

SIX THOUSAND BABIES.

You see, a stillbirth happens every 22 minutes in the US.

A family is ten times more likely to lose a baby to stillbirth than to SIDS.

Since early 2015, Telligen Community Initiative has made it free for every Iowa hospital, doctor’s office and clinic to have Count the Kicks brochures and posters.

An investment today. A baby saved tomorrow.

“I will forever be grateful to this organization and the app for making mothers aware of counting the kicks and the movements of their unborn children. My baby boy is truly a Count the Kicks success story,” Katie wrote.

Liam turns one in a couple weeks. And one day he will be a Grandpa.

An investment today. A family tree forever altered.

It’s just that easy.

Will you join our movement?

Will you help us get more brochures in mamas’ hands?

Will you help us put posters in hospitals and clinics across the country?

Will you tell expecting parents about Count the Kicks?

Will you make sure they download the app, now available in Spanish and for twins?

There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Just ask Katie.

The post You Can Save a Baby, Too appeared first on Count the Kicks.

I’ll never forget being seven months pregnant with our son. My husband Dave and I were in church, seated way up front near the organ. An African spiritual came on and the place was rockin’.  Soon, my belly was too.

I grabbed Dave’s hand so he could feel it.  We smiled from ear to ear and danced along with him. Our son’s rocking, rolling and kicking lasted the entire hymn. He only quit when the music stopped.

It is a tremendous memory for us. Now, when I see Hayden prancing around our family room to Christmas music, or when he’s in the car singing along to the radio and tapping his feet, it reminds me of that day in church.  How fascinating to know, before he ever left my body, that music would make him move and bring joy to his little soul.

That memory was really the first and only glimpse into his personality we had before we could meet him face to face.  An ultrasound can only show so much.  Being pregnant is tricky, isn’t it? You rarely get to see who’s growing inside you. You don’t know if they will have red hair, your husband’s eyes or your father’s dimple. It’s all a guess for nine. long. months.

One day, around 31 weeks, his kicking stopped.

Nothing.

No dancing. No rolling.  No jabs to the ribs.

Just worry. I told my doctor about the change in movement.

Luckily, she took me very seriously, and sent me for special tests.

“You’re having contractions,” the nurse said.  “We’re sending you to the hospital.”

That’s where we spent a weepy, scary, anxiety-filled Memorial Day weekend in 2010.

There was a very good chance we’d be meeting our son far too early. They gave me an injection meant to strengthen his lungs in case he did come early.  It would give him a better chance for survival, they said.

Yes, “survival.”  That’s what they said.  Meaning, there is a chance that he won’t.

The kid that was once belly dancing in church now might not survive.

It’s enough to send a mom further into labor.

Luckily, it didn’t. The little pill they gave me each day (and complete bed rest for a month) worked. The contractions stopped.

Hayden arrived only a few days — not weeks — early.

I love my doctor for taking me seriously and for knowing exactly what to do to keep him inside me for as long as possible.

I also have mad love for the five Iowa women who created the awareness in me to speak  up when the amount of movement went down.

They’re the women warriors behind the Count the Kicks awareness campaign.

Kate, Kerry, Janet, Tiffan and Jan had all lost daughters almost a decade before to stillbirth or pregnancy complications.  They could have chosen to stay quiet and let immense grief take over their lives.  That would have been understandable.

But they didn’t stay quiet at all.  Instead, they studied and researched and used the huge holes in their hearts to keep expectant moms like me from suffering the same loss.  How brave is that? So selfless, too.

Did you know a baby is born still every 22 minutes in America?  According to the CDC, families are ten times more likely to lose their baby to stillbirth than they are to SIDS. Stillbirths claim more lives than drunk driving, childhood cancer and HIV-AIDS each year.

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The women found studies — specifically this one in Norway — that showed if expectant moms track their baby’s movement starting at 28 weeks, they will significantly reduce their chance of stillbirth.

Here’s how it works.

Beginning in the third trimester, expectant moms should pick the same time of day, every day, to count baby’s movement. They should pick their time based on when their baby is usually active, such as after a snack or meal.  Having a cold drink is a good wake-up call to make sure baby is awake before counting.  Mamas should sit with their feet up or lie on their side. Then, they should count each of their baby’s movements as one kick, and count until reaching 10 kicks.  If mom doesn’t get 10 kicks within two hours, she should call her doctor right away. Knowing what is a normal movement pattern for your baby is key. When “normal” changes, this could be a sign of potential problems and an indication to call your provider. Your kick counting history can be useful for visits with your provider.

The women created Count the Kicks in Iowa in 2009 and spread the message to a grassroots network of supportive hospitals, clinics and doctor’s offices.  Since then, they’ve watched the state’s stillbirth rate drop by 26 percent. Could there be a better tribute to their five daughters? I don’t think so.

Today Count the Kicks has gone global — the five Iowa moms are literally saving babies around the world. This year they received requests from health care providers all over the world, including those in Canada, Brazil and Australia — all wanting to give Count the Kicks materials to their patients.  The women created a new kick counting app found in the iTunes and Google Play online stores. With the Count the Kicks app, moms can count kicks daily (or more if they like), set a reminder to count kicks, review their kick counting history, and create a profile feature to track future pregnancies. Thousands of women are already using it to bond with their babies.

Count the Kicks is growing by the day to save more babies — there are passionate ambassadors advocating kick counting in 18 states. I’m happy to be a small part of the team that’s spreading the baby-saving message as far and wide as we can send it.

I’m also thrilled to be pregnant, and counting, again.

This time, I have help.

The same guy that was saved by kick counting is now my daily reminder.

“Mom, can we lie down and drink cold water so we can feel sister move,” he asked last night.

Soon sister was kicking, Hayden was giggling, and I felt such peace.

It’s hard to tell what her personality will be.

But at least I know she’s safe.

_____________________________________________________________________

Emily Price is currently a Board member for Healthy Birth Day, Inc. the non-profit organization that created Count the Kicks.  She and her husband, Dave, and their son Hayden live in Clive, Iowa. Please contact her here.

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