Sarah & Crew

• Mom Saves

• 05.22.22

“As I was approaching the 30 week mark, I realized I started feeling him less. I was starting to swell, but because my blood pressure was completely normal, it was chalked up to an annoying side effect of pregnancy. No one was worried. I was asking everyone I knew about their babies movement and what was considered normal. I started to get really anxious again. Many well-meaning people were trying to placate my worry by telling me the baby was running out of room or maybe he was just content and comfy.

On Dec. 3, I went to work with a sugary drink in hand. I told myself that if he didn’t move, I would go in that night. My baby shower was the next day, and I knew I wouldn’t enjoy myself if I first didn’t make sure all was well. 

Labor and delivery hooked me up to the monitors. I heard his heartbeat and assumed I would be told everything was fine and sent on my way. They decided to do a biophysical ultrasound.

He scored a 0/8 on that exam, had only 1cm of water left, and needed to be delivered immediately. Crew was born 25 minutes later, weighing only 2 pounds, 9 ounces. It was determined that I had severe and sudden onset preeclampsia. 

My blood pressure was 175/110 and my protein was four times the diagnostic amount. Doctors felt that in my case, I had preeclampsia impacting Crew first. His placenta was shutting down, he was growth restricted, low amniotic fluid, brain injury, etc….I didn’t start manifesting symptoms until a few days later, and had I waited any longer, Crew and I both might not be here! The doctor told me multiple times that if I didn’t come in that night, he was hours away from passing. 

I speak to every pregnant person I know about the importance of kick counts and how it saved my son’s life. Trust your gut and the movement!” -Sarah K., Crew’s mom

Read Crew’s Story