Whenever I think of the charity Count the Kicks, I think of the above photo of me and Dan, new excited parents walking out of hospital with newborn Lucy. Tragically, everyday in the UK, 16 sets of parents do not get to do this as their baby is born sleeping. 

Only 10% of stillbirths are caused by a fatal congenital abnormality which means that potentially 90% of these babies could be saved...that's maybe 14 sets of parents every day in the UK not going through this heartache. 

Count the Kicks are working hard to educate and empower expectant mothers on the importance of monitoring their unborn baby's movements and learning what is 'normal' for their baby and NOT listening to old wives tales that "babies run out of space" at the end of pregnancy or "as long as you get 10 kicks a day, that's ok". The success stories they receive daily from new mothers saying their baby is here safe because of the advice they received from the charity is inspiring and showing that it's working. 

I am here today because my mum realised my movements had changed. She mentioned during a normal doctors check up at 38 weeks that my movements were different, so they gave her a kick chart to keep an eye on me. The following week on Tuesday at her hospital check up, the midwife asked about movements and my mum showed her kick chart, a doctor was called in and mum was told to go home, get her hospital bag and come straight back in. I was monitored constantly and on Thursday, mum was told she would be induced the next day. On Friday 13th July 1984 (bang on my due date) at 2.57pm I arrived with a huge blister on my hand where I had been chewing on my hand  so much as my placenta had died and I wasn't getting any nourishment, hence the reduction in movement. If mum hadn't of noticed this change in my usual movements and mentioned it, maybe I wouldn't be here today. 

Any donation would be gratefully received.