Reducing Stillbirth: Count the Kicks Campaign

[CarGirl]

I just want to promote "Count The Kicks"

Please read this, if it helps one Mum not suffer the agony of stillbirth it's worth it

countthekicks.org.uk/

[redwellybluewelly]

I am so sorry for the loss of all the babies on this thread and in fact the fact the NHS still refuses to be more proactive about preventing stillbirth and mitigating it. Count the Kicks would have also saved my DD from oxygen deprivation had i known about it.

I was one of the 'have some icecream and a cold drink', didn't want to bother anyone, knew I was in slow labour - also knew deep deep down something was very very wrong.

DD survived. Just. However there is a case for negligence because the MW/Dr on call at the delivery unit however left me on a monitor for two hours which showed no response and they then catastrophically induced me rather than carry out an EMCS which would have prevented a coma, weeks in NICU and a life long disability (CP).

I carry a lot of guilt over what happened to her, I was young, active easy pregnancy but I was overdue and nobody warned me that there was a higher risk. I am pg again now, and finding it extremely tough, not wanting to bond too much but feeling even more guilt if I ignore this bump as I loved being pg with DD (DC1).

I'll be buying a band this evening.

[redwellybluewelly]

(and I'm not allowed a home birth, in fact an ELCS is really only my current option according to my consultant. I would desperately love to have DC2 at home. Non smoked, active, no drink or drugs, etc etc

[FoofFighter]

BUMP

Very sad reading but essential for any pregnant woman/their partner. Being informed in your pregnancy is the best tribute you can pay to these babies x

[GaryBuseysTeeth]

Bump

I'm 21wks & ordered my band over the weekend. DS stopped moving twice, was thankfully fine, but I had no idea it was such a big deal the first time.
redwelly, congratulations on your pregnancy, I hope you manage to enjoy it.
Sorry to hear about your DD/your guilt over it all. x

[Lucky13ForBaby]

bump. Marking my place

[StuckOnARollercoaster]

p.s gary - the bands take a while to come through - I think they're a pretty small outfit with regard to shipping things out so just be patient! I'm sure I ordered mine over a month ago and it turned up out of the blue today.
(ps. I've gradually with time over the last month learnt my baby's patterns without the band - I just thought it was a nice way to make a small donation...)

[GaryBuseysTeeth]

Stuck, band arrived yesterday!
I guess someone in their office must've had some spare time over the Bank Holiday.

bumping some more.

[FoofFighter]

BUMP

[FoofFighter]

www.countthekicks.org.uk/mum/movements/

[FoofFighter]

No problem :) I have to agree that it's not the best set out website ever tbh

[rumtumtugger]

Do hiccups count as purposeful kicks? I feel a lot of hiccups but not as many kicks.

[rumtumtugger]

Oh. I've just seen here that hiccups don't count. Does anyone know why?

[Forgetfulmog]

I think rum it's because babies can have hiccups quite frequently & if you're counting each hiccup as movement then that can really skew the results.

So, for example on Monday, baby had 3 lots of 15 hiccups & moved 20 times (totalling 65 movements if you count the hiccups), but on Tuesday baby didn't have any hiccups at all & just moved 20 times. That's a massive difference.

I don't know for sure though, it's just a guess

[Bullets]

Bump xxx

[FoofFighter]

Hiccups are an involuntary movement rather than a purposefulone, so guessing thats' why?

[Forgetfulmog]

Foof that makes more sense than my garbled message

[Smerlin]

Bump- using the Count the Kicks app and going to download a chart as well

[GaryBuseysTeeth]

Bump.

It's warm, it's easy to blame the heat on having a lazy baby.

[LuckySocks13]

So sorry for all the losses on here. Sleep well angel babies.
I have just downloaded the app but bit confused. Can anyone offer advice? Gary? Do I just use in 10 min slots or record the kicks all day? I ordered some resources months ago from the website but they not arrived :( my friend lost her dear little baby girl last year so feeling nervous and want to be proactive.

[PoppettyPing]

I'm sorry but I find this whole thing really confusing. This is my first pregnancy (32 weeks) and I honestly can't tell the difference between kicks and movements? I feel movements all day, maybe some of them are kicks but I can't tell... but then movements don't count? Huh? I find the website very vague. It says there is "no average", so when am I supposed to be alarmed? My checkups are always good, I feel like my baby is very squirmy and active but I don't really feel very many strong "kicks" as it were. And what do hiccups feel like? Arrgh sorry for my confused ramblings but all the sad stories on this thread are frightening me! My heart goes out to all of them, it's so sad.

[FoofFighter]

as i understand it yes movements count, but not hiccups. some places still use ten kicks a day which to me is misleading as you could have 10 kicks first thing then nothing more all day, think its all ok but .....

[FoofFighter]

just learn your own babys routine as they are 0all different, then if there is anything out of the ordinary you will know its not typical and know to get advice asap from mw or triage

[WhatWillSantaBring]

Bump

I think its strong movements you're after, not the little fluttery ones. Its really just learning what is normal for your baby and telling your mw if that changes.