On Nov. 17, 2015 when I woke up I was having contractions, but hadn’t felt my baby move that morning. I called my doctor and they told me to go to labor and delivery at the hospital since I was almost 38 weeks. I went to the hospital by myself and left my husband with our toddler, as he was planning on joining me when our older kids got out of school. When I arrived and checked in, the doctor connected all the monitors, including one to find the baby’s heartbeat. She could not find one. My baby was gone.

Four days earlier I was in my OB/GYN office. They had asked me if my baby was moving. I told them that he was, but I didn’t think he moved as much as my four previous pregnancies. I was told he was big and running out of room. I was very swollen and measuring big, so they sent me to ultrasound. They determined he was measuring 40 weeks and was over 8 lbs. I begged my doctor to induce me, but she treated me like I was just an uncomfortable pregnant lady wanting my baby out. To my regret she convinced me that is what I was. She told me everything was fine. I went home and prepared the nursery for our new baby.

I know that if I had been educated about monitoring my baby’s movements, or simply asked, “How much is your baby moving?” or “Are you counting kicks?” my son would be here today. I think this empowering, educational message of counting kicks and getting to know your baby’s movements is so simple, and yet it saves lives!

Please join me in the movement in Oregon in getting the word out about Count the Kicks and monitoring kicking during pregnancy in order to ensure babies will be born alive and well. Mothers know their baby best. Help us educate and empower mothers to speak up when they know something isn’t right.