“It’s important to reach families in a variety of ways. Every Kick Counts helps us do that by raising awareness about Count the Kicks through athletics in communities across the country,” said Dr. Diana Kaufman, Medical Director, Women’s Health Service Line, UnityPoint Health.

How it Works

Athletes who sign up collect donations for Count the Kicks by receiving pledges for every score, punt, kick or success they have in their game. Every time they succeed, they raise money and potentially save lives. All proceeds directly benefit our mission to prevent stillbirth and reduce racial disparities that persist in birth outcomes.

Athletes across the country (from high school to professional sports) have already committed to turning their performance into monetary support for Count the Kicks. Committed athletes include Matt Haack of the Buffalo Bills and Tory Taylor of the University of Iowa football team.

Impact of Count the Kicks

Baby Jovie (pictured above) is living proof that Count the Kicks WORKS. She was saved at UnityPoint last fall — during football season — when her mom noticed a change in her movements.

“I will be forever grateful to Count the Kicks for saving my baby girl’s life. I knew something was off, and I’m so glad we went to the hospital that night. Thank you to all the doctors and nurses who brought her safely into this world and who have cared for her along the way,” said Jess H., Jovie’s mom.

Get Involved

We are thrilled to kick off this new campaign. We are also grateful to UnityPoint Health and the athletes across the country who have joined together to support our mission. Together we are raising awareness about how every kick counts, both on the field and during pregnancy. We are also working together to improve birth outcomes nationwide! 

Athletes looking to sign up, gather pledges, and get involved can visit the Every Kick Counts website to get started. You can also visit the website to pledge your support to an athlete and learn more about the campaign. 

Follow Every Kick Counts

We invite you to follow Every Kick Counts on social media using the links below. Be sure to use the hashtag #EveryKickCounts

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• YouTube

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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.

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Thanks to the partnership with Health Plan of Nevada, maternal health providers, birthing hospitals, social services agencies, childbirth educators and other providers in Nevada can order FREE Count the Kicks educational materials (including brochures, posters, and app reminder cards in English and Spanish) to help them have the kick counting conversation with expectant parents. With the addition of Nevada, we now have partnerships in 14 states!

Count the Kicks teaches the method for, and importance of, tracking fetal movement during the third trimester of pregnancy. Research shows the benefits of expectant moms tracking their baby’s movements daily and learning how long it normally takes their baby to get to 10 movements.

After a few days, moms will begin to see a pattern, a normal amount of time it takes their baby to get to 10 movements. If their baby’s “normal” changes during the third trimester, this could be a sign of potential problems and is an indication that the expectant mom should call her healthcare provider. 

Mariana Falvey is a Las Vegas mom who was using the Count the Kicks app when she noticed a change in her baby’s movement. “I agreed to go and get a fetal heart monitor check after really looking at the app and seeing the time increase for tracking his movements. It was a constant 10-15 minute time to almost an hour to track movements as the week progressed,” Mariana said.

“Within the hour, I was scheduled and prepped for an emergency Cesarean. If I had waited all weekend until my appointment, I truly don’t know if the outcome would have been the same or worse. I cannot express how incredible this app is and continues to be. ”

According to CDC Wonder, Nevada loses approximately 241 babies to stillbirth each year. In Iowa, where Count the Kicks began, the state’s stillbirth rate dropped by nearly 32 percent in the first 10 years of the campaign (2008-2018). Iowa’s rate went from 33rd worst in the country to one of the lowest, while the country’s rate remained relatively stagnant. Health Plan of Nevada is hoping to bring the same success that Iowa has seen to Nevada.

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Count the Kicks teaches the method for, and importance of, tracking fetal movement during the third trimester of pregnancy. Research shows the benefits of expectant moms tracking their baby’s movements daily and learning how long it normally takes their baby to get to 10 movements. After a few days, moms will begin to see a pattern, a normal amount of time it takes their baby to get to 10 movements. If their baby’s “normal” changes during the third trimester, this could be a sign of potential problems and is an indication that the expectant mom should call her healthcare provider. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, expectant moms have reported changes to their regularly scheduled prenatal visits and an increase in telehealth visits. Now is an especially important time for expectant women to track their baby’s movements every day in the third trimester. By doing so, expectant moms will have the peace of mind to know when things are OK and when things have changed. 

Thanks to the partnership with ADPH, maternal health providers, birthing hospitals, social services agencies, childbirth educators and other providers in Alabama can order FREE Count the Kicks educational materials to help them have the kick counting conversation with expectant parents. 

Count the Kicks also has a free app available in the iOS and Google Play app stores that provides expectant moms a simple, non-invasive way to monitor their baby’s well-being every day. The Count the Kicks app is available in 12 languages, including English and Spanish, and its features include a kick-counting history, daily reminders and the ability to count for single babies and twins. Nearly 3,000 expectant women have downloaded the app in Alabama already.

“After the birth of my son in April 2020, the nurse explained how my story could have turned out differently if I waited to come in,” said Shelley Patterson, a mom in Auburn. “I am thankful to God that I had heard about the Count the Kicks campaign and app from my friend.”

According to ADPH, Alabama loses approximately 527 babies to stillbirth each year. In Iowa, where Count the Kicks began, the state’s stillbirth rate dropped by nearly 32 percent in the first 10 years of the campaign (2008-2018). Iowa’s rate went from 33rd worst in the country to one of the lowest, while the country’s rate remained relatively stagnant. ADPH is hoping to bring the same success that Iowa has seen to Alabama, which would save approximately 169 babies in the state each year.**

*Number based off the 5-year average stillbirth numbers, total stillbirth data from Alabama Vital Statistics. Fetal Deaths does not include abortions. 

**Number based on 5-year average stillbirth rate, multiplied by the 32% reduction seen in Iowa. Stillbirth data is from Alabama Vital Statistics. Note stillbirth rate is calculated by: Fetal Deaths/Total of Live Births  + Fetal Deaths*1,000.

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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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“One out of every 125 pregnancies in Georgia ends in stillbirth, according to Georgia vital statistics,” says Kiara Loud, District Child Health Coordinator for the West Central Health District. “We must get these numbers down, and this campaign will help expectant moms look for changes in their baby’s movements.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, expectant moms have reported an increase in telehealth visits rather than their regular prenatal visits. Now is an especially important time for expectant women to track their baby’s movements every day in the third trimester. By doing so, expectant moms will know when things are normal and when things have changed. If their baby’s “normal” changes during the third trimester, this could be a sign of potential problems and is an indication that the expectant mom should call her healthcare provider. 

In Iowa, where Count the Kicks began, the state’s stillbirth rate dropped by nearly 32 percent in the first 10 years of the campaign (2008-2018). Iowa’s rate went from 33rd worst in the country to one of the lowest, while the country’s rate remained relatively stagnant. The Georgia Department of Public Health is hoping to bring the same success to Georgia, which would save 334 babies in the state each year. 

Thanks to the partnership with the Georgia Strong Families maternal health providers, birthing hospitals, home visitors, social services agencies, childbirth educators and other providers in Columbus can order FREE Count the Kicks educational materials from Count the Kicks.

Count the Kicks also has a free app available in the iOS and Google Play app stores that provides expectant moms a simple, non-invasive way to monitor their baby’s well-being every day. The app is available in Spanish and 11 other languages, and features a kick-counting history, daily reminders and the ability to count for single babies and twins. More than 2,300 expectant parents have already downloaded the app in Georgia. 

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We are excited to announce that Dave Tucker, a Principal with Next Level Ventures, and Julie Fuller, co-founder of Generations Wealth Management, have joined the Healthy Birth Day, Inc. Board of Directors. Healthy Birth Day, Inc. is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that created the Count the Kicks campaign.

Dave Tucker is active in the Iowa technology community, and serves on the Board of the Technology Association of Iowa. He spent several years in California working for Hewlett-Packard and Silicon Valley startup, T.R.A.D.E., before joining Ames startup WebFilings in 2009. He helped grow the company to an IPO in 2014, when it became Workiva. Dave recently joined Next Level Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Des Moines, as a Principal.

“My position on the board of Healthy Birth Day, Inc. is a logical step in my journey as it combines my interest in community service with my career in technology. I consider Count the Kicks to be an interesting new challenge and another example of the type of thing that is uniquely possible in Iowa,” Tucker said.

Julie Fuller joins our organization as Board Treasurer, taking over the role from Brian Pattinson, who has served as Treasurer since 2009. Julie co-founded Generations Wealth Management in 2009 after spending 17 years with Deloitte Tax and FBL Financial Group. Julie has a degree in accounting from Iowa State University and holds the CPA and Certified Financial Planner designations.

“I have been so impressed by the grassroots efforts of the amazing group of Healthy Birth Day, Inc. founders.  The passion and advocacy they have instilled in this organization is second to none.  I am honored to join the board and be a small part of an organization that is relentless in its efforts to improve birth outcomes and maternal health for all women,” Fuller said.

“We are thrilled to welcome these two experienced professionals to our organization and grateful to Dave and Julie for their commitment to saving babies with us,” said Emily Price, Healthy Birth Day, Inc. Executive Director. “The Count the Kicks app is the hallmark tool of our campaign, and we are grateful to have Dave’s tech expertise to guide our work to make Count the Kicks the best kick counting app for more than 30,000 active users across the U.S. Julie is a longtime supporter of our organization, and we are thrilled to draw on her financial expertise to guide us as we continue to grow our impact.”

In addition to the new board members, Healthy Birth Day, Inc. welcomed a new slate of leaders governing the board in 2021. Amy Adkins, who previously served as Vice President, will now serve as President of the Board. Adkins is the Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the SHAZAM Network. Tira Mays, Government Programs Coordinator for Broadlawns Medical Center, will serve as Vice President. Deidre DeJear, owner of Caleo Enterprises, takes on the role of Secretary, and Julie Fuller will serve as Board Treasurer.

“We are deeply grateful for these leaders, and our entire Board of Directors. Their efforts will help Healthy Birth Day, Inc. to raise awareness about stillbirth prevention and provide important oversight to all of our work year-round,” Price said.

Learn more about the Board of Directors and the entire Healthy Birth Day, Inc. team on our Team Page.

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