If you’ve read here for any length of time, you know that my pregnancies are not easy. Since we unexpectedly lost our first child at 38 weeks, pregnancy has never been the same for me. Pregnancy after a loss is hard – there’s really no way around it.
Fortunately, my doctors have rallied around me and been extremely supportive. In subsequent pregnancies, I have seen by my normal doctor, but also a maternal fetal medicine specialist {which is just a fancy name for a high-risk obstetrician}.
Starting at 32 weeks, I see the MFM specialist for a weekly biophysical profile, where they measure the health of the baby. Needless to say, these weekly appointments have been very helpful in relieving some of my fears of another full-term stillbirth.
In addition to the weekly monitoring, one of the things they encourage me to do is daily kick counts. And at the end of each appointment, they always ask me the same question, “How are baby’s movements at home?”
What exactly are kick counts?
A kick count is exactly what it sounds like – counting the number of baby’s movements. Doctors may differ regarding the specifics, but the idea is that Mom should feel a certain number of movements within a given period of time. My physicians recommend I do them twice a day and that I should feel 10 movements within an hour.
**I am absolutely, positively not a medical professional, so please consult your doctor if you have questions about what kick counts are, when to start them, how to do them, and how often to perform them.
With that being said, I am a BIG proponent of kick counts. Certainly my medical history plays a role in that, but I still think there are valid reasons for doing them even if you don’t struggle with anxiety during pregnancy or have never experienced a loss or other complications.
Here’s why I think every expectant mother should do kick counts, regardless of whether you are high-risk.
1. Mom is the best fetal monitor there is
While weekly monitoring is great, not everyone has that option. And even if weekly monitoring was offered to every expectant mother from 32 weeks on, Mom is still the only 24/7 fetal monitor there is. While this could be a little scary and put a lot of pressure on Mom to be paying very close attention, performing kick counts can help Mom to have a specific “method” for keeping track of how much baby is moving.
2. Allows Mom to learn baby’s movements
Doing daily kick counts allows Mom to learn baby’s movements. Mom will likely discover when baby is most active or how baby responds to certain foods Mom eats. When Mom has learned baby’s movements, it’s easier to determine if/when there is a change in them. A change in the movements might not mean anything, but if Mom notices a change in the number of movements, then it could be a sign of distress.
3. Forces Mom to concentrate on baby’s movements
I don’t know about other women, but it became even more challenging to keep a check on baby’s movements once we had other children at home. My kids are constantly on the go, which means I’m constantly on the go, making it harder to pay close attention to baby’s movements. That might sound bad, but sometimes it’s hard to remember that last time baby moved when I’m so busy keeping up with my older kids. Kick counts force me to stop my activity and focus on baby’s movements.
4. It’s better to be safe
I know that kick counts do not mean unexpected, traumatic losses will cease to happen. I do believe that God is sovereign and that some tragedies are unavoidable, however, kick counts are just another way to alert Mom to any possible fetal distress. They are not foolproof and I don’t want to suggest that they are, but they are just another option for fetal monitoring in the comfort of your own home. The worst that can happen is that you suspect a lack of movement, go to your doctor to get checked out, and then get told that all is well. Better to be safe, in my opinion.
I am not a medical expert. I’m just a mother who believes in the benefits of performing daily kick counts. I did not perform them with my first baby (who was stillborn) and while I do not blame myself or feel like I was the cause, I do think I could have been more aware of movements or lack thereof along the way. There’s really no harm in them, and they are a great excuse to kick your feet up a couple of times a day. What expectant mother doesn’t like that idea? 🙂
I could not imagine loss at 38 weeks. I lost a baby at the beginning and that was hard but I can only imagine how much harder it would be so far along. I wish you the best of luck and agree with kick counts even though I had not done them.
They have been so helpful to me personally, but I think they are a great way to keep tabs on baby's movements for ANY expectant mother!! 🙂
I will definitely talk to my doctor about this with my next pregnancy. We lost our son at 39 weeks.
I am so very sorry to hear of your loss! I will definitely pray for your broken heart.