I believe that every mother deserves access to the information and tools that can help them advocate for their babies before they are born, and I’m committed to sharing the simple yet powerful impact that kick counting can have on the pregnancy experience and stillbirth prevention.
The events that led me to Count the Kicks were devastating and transformative. My first daughter, Marie Evangeline Pike, was stillborn at full term in May of 2018, with no cause identified.
Just five months after Marie’s death, my second pregnancy with twin girls ended in a miscarriage. While navigating these inexplicably painful losses, I became pregnant again and began the harrowing journey toward meeting our living daughter, Freya.
Counting kicks during my third pregnancy became an essential way for me to connect with my baby, get in tune with her movement patterns, and learn to trust my intuition over my anxiety. This daily practice fostered a confidence in my ability to know and care for her, long before her safe arrival in September of 2019.
As kick counting became part of my daily routine, I started engaging in conversations about it with other pregnant women and learning more and more about the incredible role it can play in reducing preventable stillbirths. I knew that someday I wanted to become a Count the Kicks Ambassador and help get this essential resource into the hands of pregnant women and healthcare providers everywhere.
Some of the endless, boundless love and longing I have for Marie will always be poured into my work with Count the Kicks. If our story encourages even just one mama to realize the benefits of kick counting, it will be worth it.
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