Healthy Habits: Count the Kicks

I recently had the chance to interview one of the founders of Count the Kicks about fetal health and the importance of monitoring fetal movement.

1) Why was Count the Kicks created?

We launched Count the Kicks to save babies. Every mom-to-be and dad-to-be should be educated on the importance of counting the kicks daily during the third trimester of pregnancy. It is easy to do. It’s a great way to bond with your baby. And most importantly, it could save your baby’s life. Counting the kicks helps you get to know your baby’s normal movement pattern. If you notice a significant change in your baby’s movements, you should contact your provider immediately. Don’t wait. It could be an indicator that something is wrong. Get in and get checked.

We launched Count the Kicks in Iowa in 2009. Since the campaign began, the stillbirth rate in Iowa has dropped every year, now down by 26%.

2) Why is it so important to monitor fetal movement?

Studies have shown that monitoring fetal movement daily during the third trimester of pregnancy can help prevent stillbirths, which occur more frequently than anyone would like to believe. Each year in the U.S., we lose 26,000 babies to stillbirth (one out of every 160 pregnancies).

While it is great to know your baby is a kicker, it is more important to get to know his or her normal movement pattern. A baby’s movement shouldn’t change significantly. If it does, you need to contact your provider immediately. Don’t worry about bothering him or her. They want you to have a healthy baby too. It is important to make the call.

  

3) How can people help support the campaign?

Before I lost my daughter Grace to stillbirth, I had no idea that so many women in our country and throughout the world were still losing babies to stillbirth. We have the power to change that. Spread the word about the Count the Kicks campaign. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Tell your coworkers.  Tell your social networks.  Every mom-to-be and dad-to-be deserves to know about the importance of Counting the Kicks. It’s free. It’s easy. It’s lifesaving.

Tell your doctor, midwife or healthcare provider about the Count the Kicks campaign. Ask them to order the posters and brochures and educate their patients on how to Count the Kicks. It just takes a few minutes. Every patient deserves to know about the importance of Counting the Kicks. It could save their babies’ lives.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Consider making a donation. Your gift will be put to good use saving babies in the U.S. and around the globe.

If you are pregnant, download our free Count the Kicks! app for your smartphone. Set a reminder on your phone to Count the Kicks every night. Be sure to contact your provider if you notice a change in your baby’s movements. Don’t worry about bothering your provider with your call. Make the call. It could save your baby’s life.

We hope someday soon, every mom-to-be knows the importance of counting the kicks. We believe by doing so, we can reduce preventable stillbirths by one-third. That would mean saving more that 8,600 babies in the U.S. every year.  

Every mom counts!  You can help us teach them how.