My name is Emily, and I’ve been a midwife caring for mothers and babies for the past 10 years. In 2019, I welcomed my first son, and in 2021, our second son, Harry, joined the family.

Becoming a mother has transformed me in countless ways, but my experience with Harry has profoundly reinforced the importance of monitoring a baby’s movements.

Just before I conceived Harry, I contracted COVID-19, which resulted in a seizure. Due to this, I was under the care of an epilepsy consultant throughout my pregnancy, and we made plans to put me on medication during labour. Despite this, my pregnancy was fairly smooth! Life was busier than before, as I was chasing after my two-year-old while my husband was away working, but it was a joy to feel our new addition growing.

Around 32 weeks into the pregnancy, I started feeling quite uncomfortable. At the time, I was still working, and colleagues frequently asked if I was alright because I was constantly out of breath from the Braxton Hicks contractions, especially at night. I hadn’t experienced them with my first pregnancy, so it was all new to me. Suspecting a UTI, I went to the maternity assessment unit for a checkup, but everything was fine. I was 2-3 cm dilated, but since my cervix still had length, we assumed it was simply a normal progression for a second pregnancy.

For the next 10 days, I managed the Braxton Hicks with paracetamol at night, and they would subside. I continued going about my daily routine, waddling after my toddler. But when I reached 33+5 weeks, something felt off. My toddler was at nursery that day, so I went to do the grocery shopping in the morning. After lunch, I realised that I needed to head to the maternity assessment unit. My baby’s movements were different - not as frequent or lively as usual. When I poked my belly, he would roll over, but it felt sluggish compared to his typical energetic kicks. I had never experienced anything like it.

The unit was very busy, but I was triaged immediately and the baby’s heartbeat was fine. When I saw the midwife - a colleague and friend - I told her that, "something doesn’t feel right, but I can’t put my finger on what it is." I was thoroughly checked over, my baby was monitored, and my cervix was re-examined and still at 2-3 cm. We scheduled a growth scan and I was discharged with clear instructions to return immediately if I had any concerns. My midwife took my worries seriously and really listened.

That evening, I still couldn’t shake the feeling that something still wasn’t right. I barely ate and just felt off. I went to bed, snuggling up with my toddler. At 9 p.m., like clockwork, the Braxton Hicks contractions began. I took two paracetamol and drifted off to sleep. An hour later, I woke up startled, quickly realising that my waters had broken.

We grabbed our bags and rushed to the hospital. The baby’s heartbeat was monitored, and thankfully, it was stable. I was given steroids and started on antibiotics, with plans to stay in the hospital for at least 48 hours for monitoring.

The following day, my baby’s movements still weren’t normal. Twice-daily monitoring showed that his growth had reduced significantly, and during one scan he only had two small movements, with no measurable amniotic fluid left. Subsequent CTGs revealed his heart rate had decelerations. After a discussion with my husband, the consultant and the midwives, we agreed that I would be induced as soon as a space became available in the neonatal unit. In the meantime, the midwives monitored us closely.

That night, the Braxton Hicks contractions returned as usual, and I was hooked up to a monitor to check on the baby. He wasn’t coping well, so the decision was made to transfer me to the delivery suite.

Harry was born incredibly quickly at 2:36 a.m. on 12/12/21, weighing 4 lb 12 oz. My husband and the midwife were incredible, and I couldn’t have done it without their support.

Harry was healthy after birth and fed immediately. His blood sugars stabilised quickly, and we were moved to transitional care to be supported by the NICU nurses.

However, 12 hours after birth, Harry became very jaundiced and had to start phototherapy and antibiotics. He endured many tests and blood draws because of his prematurity, but thankfully, he remained with me in transitional care and never needed NICU admission. His feeding was excellent, and he only lost 1.9% of his birth weight initially.

After what felt like the longest seven days in transitional care, we were finally discharged home in time for Christmas. We were overjoyed to be together as a family of four. Since coming home, Harry has thrived. At the time of writing this, he's 13 weeks old, weighs 9 lb 10 oz, and I couldn’t be prouder of him.

As a midwife, I’ve witnessed both immense joy and heartbreaking loss in my career. I am acutely aware that my story could have ended very differently. It’s vital to trust your instincts and always be mindful of your baby’s movements.

I want to extend my deepest thanks to my incredible colleagues and friends at Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust for their exceptional care throughout Harry’s pregnancy, birth and postnatal journey. We are forever grateful and will never forget the compassion and kindness they showed us during this experience.

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If my baby's movements change does it mean my baby is definitely unwell?

Not at all. Checks by medical professionals usually find that everything is OK. Most women who report one or less episodes of reduced movement go on to have a healthy baby and straightforward pregnancy.

However, it's important to be checked to make sure the change isn't because your baby is one of the few that are unwell. Reporting concerns about your baby's movements could save their life.

LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR BABY'S MOVEMENTS