How to Really Do the Kick Count in Pregnancy
One of the best ways to keep track of a healthy baby is to notice its movements, as pregnant mothers tend to do naturally. When you are wanting or needing to be intentional about monitoring your baby’s well-being, research has shown there is a best way to do ‘kick counts.’ Understanding kick counts can enhance a mother’s confidence, empower her to independently monitor the well-being of her baby, reduce anxiety, and improve outcomes. These are the directions I give my midwife clients, including the extra details for the most accurate kick test which are commonly missed in most directions to pregnant mothers.
In general, healthy babies are very active, particularly in the evening after supper. It’s also true that some perfectly normal babies may sleep quietly for as long as 60 minutes without noticeably moving. Babies who are having problems tend to be sluggish and move less, just like we do when we aren’t feeling great. Counting baby’s movements can provide an early indication of developing problems, which greatly increases your scope of response to help your baby remain healthy and robust. And also, since most babies easily pass their kick tests every day, this can also be a reliable and accurate tool to reduce mothers’ anxiety about the well-being of their baby.
I had the immense good fortune of learning these details from Dr. Cayle, who participated in the original research back in the 1990’s. He shared that it was essential to:
1. Do the test at the same time every day.
2. Start the test by looking at the clock when you are ready, NOT at the first movement of the baby. This is critically different from most versions of kick test directions!
The research showed that when mom followed these rules of the kick test exactly, that infant mortality was drastically reduced. Although I argued that we couldn’t “guarantee anything in health care”, I remember Dr. Cayle insisting that when this kick test was done daily as directed, statistically the babies were fine for 24 hours after each test. In comparison, near the end of pregnancy, non-stress tests are often administered twice/week in medical maternity care, which only get a picture of the baby’s well-being for the 24 hours immediately following the test. This leaves baby unchecked for five days. As a midwife, I usually bring up starting the daily kick test in the last 4-6 weeks, unless there are earlier concerns to be monitored. Some of my clients feel confident about their awareness of their baby’s movements and overall vitality, and opt to only do the kick test if they missed noting solid movement throughout the day.
One of the big things I try to share with clients also is that their connection to baby is enhanced by taking a deep relaxing breathe several times a day, and kindly checking in with baby, directly in your mind or out loud. Those little ones are also ‘having a day’ along with you, and a little information can go a long way towards helping them relax, which supports their growth and well-being. Kick test should not, in my opinion, be used as another test we worry about failing! Life is complicated enough. Ideally, the kick test will be used in a neutral way to gather end-of-pregnancy information about the baby in a busy world, hopefully reduce any anxiety, and provide real-time information that can change the course of care if needed. Don’t forget those deep, relaxing breaths!
DISCLAIMER-PLEASE REMEMBER! YOU ARE YOU AND YOUR BABY’S BEST EXPERT. DO NOT AVOID MEDICAL CARE based on information here, which is provided for educational purposes. Common sense is always a priority, and you should always consult with your own trusted health care partners with questions or concerns!