We were very lucky to have been able to bring our little girl home. If I hadn't have known how important movements were because of Kicks Count, I wouldn't have gone in to be checked.

Being pregnant during Coronavirus and lockdown was a very different experience to what I was expecting.

The only time I had left the house was for midwife appointments, which I was quite anxious about, as I didn't want to risk getting the virus.

On the evening of Sunday 17th May, I was 35+2 and realised I hadn't quite moved my Kicks Count Wristband as much as usual. I went to bed thinking the baby must just be having a quieter day and I'd see how things were in the morning. I know I probably shouldn't have left it overnight, but I was reluctant to burden the hospital without seeing how things went.

The morning came and I still wasn't happy with her movements. I reluctantly phoned the hospital. I really didn't want to go to a high-risk place, but I knew deep down I had to be checked.

At the hospital, it took a while for the monitoring to be completed. The doctor advised they were happy for now but asked me to concentrate on my baby's movements over the next few hours and to go back if things hadn't improved. They also booked me in for a scan the following morning. By tea time the baby had moved a little and I was reassured that I had a scan in the morning to check everything was ok.

In the early hours of Tuesday 19th, I couldn't sleep and knew something just "wasn't right". I got up and thought I'd try a few things to get baby moving. Nothing worked. I couldn't decide if I should go back to get checked or if I should wait for my scan. I decided I shouldn't wait.

I arrived at the hospital around 8am. I went on my own as my husband wasn't allowed in due to Coronavirus, which was nervewracking. I was put on the monitor and they moved my scan forward. The scan was fine but the midwife wasn't happy with the monitoring and got a doctor. The doctor explained the trace was showing signs of a possible bleed and he thought it was best to deliver the baby via an emergency c section. We didn't know if my husband would make it in time.

I was prepped for the section and, luckily, my husband made it a couple of minutes before our daughter, Chloe, was born at 11.26 am.

She weighed 5lbs 5oz and arrived safely not needing any help considering she was premature. We were taken to recovery before being transferred to the ward and my husband had to leave.

That night one of the midwives came to do mine and Chloe's checks. She noticed Chloe was very pale and her skin was mottled. She got a doctor to come and check her over. The doctor agreed Chloe didn't look right and they wanted to do some blood tests. Our little girl was taken to the Special Care Baby Unit. Chloe had a severely low iron count and, eventually, the amazing doctors discovered she had suffered a feto-maternal haemorrhage whilst inside me. Chloe needed an emergency blood transfusion and spent 5 days in neonatal.

We were very lucky to have been able to bring our little girl home. If I hadn't have known how important movements were because of Kicks Count, I wouldn't have gone in to be checked. If it wasn't for the brilliant doctors and midwives, it could have been a completely different story, and our little girl might not have been here with us now.

---

Chloe's four-year-old brother Owen tackles 1k run to raise money for Kicks Count

Owen completed his Kicks Count Game challenge and raised over £400! He completed his egg and spoon race in 1min 2 seconds and his 1k run in 7mins 16 seconds! What a superstar 

Inspired to help us keep babies' safe too? Please make a donation today.