High Maintenance Mom

During pregnancy, moms are accustomed to a variety of screening tests for conditions such as Down syndrome and diabetes. The rationale for these tests is not to make moms anxious about their pregnancy but to identify potential pregnancy problems to allow for timely intervention.

What is kick counting?
Kick counting, a daily systematic record of moms’ perception of their baby’s movement during the third trimester, is a reliable, harmless, simple and effective screening for the baby’s well-being. Kick counting can document changes in the fetal movement pattern and can help moms-to-be alert their healthcare provider of potential problems. A timely evaluation can allow intervention and prevention of potential problems, including stillbirth.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Pregnancy Association (APA) recommend that expectant mothers note the time it takes for their baby to complete ten movements, at approximately the same time each day when the baby is usually most active. Kick counting can be started at 28 weeks in normal pregnancies and as early as 24 weeks for high-risk or complicated pregnancies. The understanding that babies have sleep cycles can alleviate mothers’ anxiety toward kick counting. In general, healthy babies should complete ten movements within two hours and most babies achieve this in less than 15 minutes. The healthcare provider should be alerted immediately of changes in the baby’s normal pattern or if the baby takes more than two hours to complete ten movements.

Who should be doing kick counting?
All pregnant women should be aware of kick counting and should discuss kick counting instructions with their doctor.

About decreased fetal movement
Recent Harvard Medical School studies have found that decreased fetal movement is associated with increased risk for stillbirth and concluded that health care providers should be educating women about the importance of fetal movement in an effort to reduce delay in intervention.

About Stillbirth
Stillbirth is the unexpected death of a baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy and according to the National Institutes of Health, claims the lives of 26,000 babies in the United States every year.
More than half of all stillbirths happen after 28 weeks and most of those happen after 36 weeks in an otherwise normal pregnancy. Even though a stillbirth may not be avoidable, families often feel outraged to learn about kick counting after the fact, as this simple method may have altered their outcome.

About kickTrak
Designed by an obstetrician, the innovative kickTrakTM smart kick-counter is a safe, non-invasive, hand-held device, which enables moms-to-be to keep a reliable diary of their baby’s movement pattern rather than rely on memory recall. kickTrak makes kick counting easy and convenient. Moms can count and time movements, store and recall recent kick count sessions. Noting significant changes in their baby’s movement pattern empowers moms to work with the medical team to ensure a safe pregnancy and healthy baby.

“The goal of kick counting is not to make moms anxious but to have it be a part of their daily prenatal care,” says Dr. Nguyen, the creator of the kickTrak.

Named as one of the outstanding products of 2007, kickTrak is an honored recipient of an iParenting Media Award and recipient of Creative Child’s 2007 Seal of Excellence. kickTrak has surpassed extensive screening by iParenting’s and Creative Child’s experienced reviewers and the industry experts have confirmed what many moms have experienced and shared

KickTrakTM is small enough to fit inside a small purse, and solves the problem of searching for papers, pencils and misplaced kick count charts. The screen is bilingual, in English or Spanish, and kickTrak is built to last through multiple pregnancies. As soon as a woman knows of her pregnancy she can begin using kickTrak to track her progress. At 24 weeks to 28 weeks gestation she can begin her daily use of kickTrak to keep a reliable diary of her baby’s movements. The kickTrak has been touted as a revolutionary way for moms-to-be and their partners to bond with their baby. And, kickTrak will time contractions when labor begins. kickTrak is recognized by the American Pregnancy Association as a safe and simple device for expectant women to track the health of their pregnancy. for more infor

"kickTrak is a proven methodology, and when used on a regular basis as suggested, will provide increased mother, baby and physician communication, which is beneficial for everyone. I am confident that kickTrak will become standard of care," says Dr. James Caillouette, Clinical Professor Emeritus of the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine.

To learn more about kickTrak and pregnancy health, please visit www.babykick.com or email info@babykick.com.

About Dr. Nguyen:
Diep Nguyen is a Los Angeles-based, board certified obstetrician/gynecologist and mother of three. She founded the BabyKick Foundation and established www.babykickalliance.org to join forces with national and international organizations to promote a healthy pregnancy and prevent stillbirth through awareness, education, and advocacy of kick counting. Dr. Nguyen was the former medical director for the Oscar Romero Free Clinic and serves on the Board of Directors for First Candle/SIDS Alliance and www.groupbstrepinternational.org. A portion of proceeds from sales of the kickTrak is donated to the BabyKick Foundation, First Candle/SIDS Alliance and MISS Foundation.