On Oct. 17, 2015, my daughter Madison was born still. I was 34 weeks pregnant. I can remember walking into the hospital – my husband, oldest son, and I holding hands – and thinking this was the last time we would walk anywhere as a family of three. Hearing the words “we cannot find a heartbeat,” was such shocking and devastating news that shattered me in so many ways. The heartbreaking feeling of holding her after she was delivered and knowing we would never hear her laugh, see her smile, or watch her bound down the stairs after her big brother. Feeling cheated and sad that this world would not see the light that she was. Leaving the hospital with empty arms knowing all the plans we had were forever changed.
My name is Henderson Lafond, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to join this incredible group of women as a Count the Kicks Ambassador for the State of North Carolina. While I believed my story to be unique for a long time, I have learned through this amazing organization and Healthy Birth Day, Inc. that it is a path many of us walk.
I remember noticing a change in her movement. We were watching a Thursday night football game, and I remember feeling a very different pattern of movements and even remarking to my husband that I didn’t know what was going on in there. The next day, I never felt her move. I called my provider, tried the juice and laying on my right side. Nothing. I will always wonder if I had known about fetal movement monitoring or the Count the Kicks app if our story would have had a different outcome.
I launched my own non-profit in 2015 called Madison’s Closet, which supports women who have endured a perinatal loss by providing them with clothing to wear while their bodies recover. One of my most painful reminders in the months following the death of my daughter was the fact that none of my clothes fit my postpartum body, which in many cases forced me to wear maternity clothes. We began taking in donated women’s clothing and opened an online boutique where women can shop for what they need and receive the clothing at their home free of charge.
To be able to continue to tell the world about my daughter while having the opportunity to educate and empower expectant mothers and providers about monitoring fetal movement with Count the Kicks is truly a gift. We can save babies and help other families avoid the tragedy of stillbirth!
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