Meet Meryem

• Baby Saves

• 06.13.25

“Having a prior miscarriage and being high-risk at the beginning of my second pregnancy motivated me to research what I can do to maximize the possibility of bringing my baby safely into this world. This is when I learned about the Count the Kicks app on Instagram.

We were so excited to start a family. After our loss, I got pregnant again, but early on we faced complications due to a subchorionic hematoma (SCH). I was placed on complete bed rest for the entire first trimester, which brought a lot of anxiety about the viability of the pregnancy. I followed every bit of advice I could, slept on my left side, and tracked everything closely. Luckily at 12 weeks, the hematoma had resolved!

Right at the beginning of the third trimester, I downloaded the Count the Kicks app and began counting daily. Count the Kicks educated me that monitoring movements is the best way to assess the wellbeing of my baby in the third trimester. It was comforting to have this resource. 

I used the app to track movement and even kept notes during each session to learn what was normal for my baby.

Towards the end of my pregnancy I was getting ultrasounds and non-stress tests (NSTs) about every two weeks. After a low movement NST, I was told to “be aware of my baby’s movements” with no further education or information to guide me. Thankfully, I already used Count The Kicks, which taught me what awareness means and helped me learn my baby’s normal movement pattern. I knew that if anything changed, I would go to the hospital. 

When I went in for what would be my final NST at my maternity clinic, my baby was not moving so I was told to drink tea and eat chocolate to encourage movement. However, thanks to what I had learned from Count the Kicks (that I shouldn’t need sugar to prompt my baby to move) my husband and I decided to immediately go to labor and delivery at the hospital for further evaluation.

After reviewing the results, my birth team decided that a cesarean section would be the best option. I delivered my daughter Meryem on Jan. 13, 2025. During the operation, they discovered meconium in my amniotic fluid. While this doesn’t always need an intervention, I feel relieved that Meryem arrived Earthside before any issues arose and that I was prepared for the situation and did not leave it up for chance. 

My advice for others would be not to feel silly about speaking about changes in your baby’s movements. Your local hospital is open 24/7 and will not turn you away if you have any concerns.

Thank you, Count The Kicks!” -Lisa G., Meryem’s mom