To Tell All Moms Or Not ~ That Is The Question???

It's that time of the year for some women ~ a positive pregnancy test!!! WHOO HOO!!!


So, being the great friend you are, do you share the informational website, See Me, Feel Me or not? You certainly don't want to jinx this new pregnancy. Do you mention to your friend that becoming her baby's "in utero" advocate will alert her and her health care team to the possibility of a compromised baby by noting a decrease or increase in fetal movements? Should you also mention to this mom that she schedule an additional ultrasound around 28 weeks because this is the time baby will show a tendency to develop an umbilical cord problem?

What should you do? It's simple. Make a decision now to educate and empower all moms to be!!! Stillbirth is not an uncommon or rare event, and should be watched for in the last trimester of pregnancy especially. This needless tragedy happens 30,000 times a year in the USA alone ~ that is 82 times a day ~ each and every day.

Maybe you don't think you can make a difference in stopping stillbirth. Maybe you have never known anyone who has had a stillbirth or maybe it doesn't run in your family ~ yet!!! I know I was oblivious at one time. My husband and I are part of the medical community and we were uneducated.

But ~ now we know. We are now committed advocates for the stillborn. We will do whatever it takes to enlighten the medical community and parents to be, as well as, to find a cause as to "WHY" when there are or are not any answers. Let's all link arms and begin to fight the fight for those born still. Together is the only way we can begin to stop these tragedies.

The Starfish Story

Original Story by: Loren Eisley

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed

a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”

The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean.

The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?

You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,

and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…”

I made a difference for that one.”

King Tutankhamen ~ Call Him ~ “DAD”...

It is amazing to me to learn nestled with King Tut in his tomb were two fetuses. One was at least seven months gestation; I guess a 'stillbirth" by today's standards. The second fetus, a tinier more fragile female, was also tucked alongside her dad; I wonder, stillbirth vs. miscarriage?
Were these two little girls the pharaoh's daughters? DNA testing, to confirm true lineage, is the key needed to unlock this vexing scientific question. Although the data is somewhat incomplete, the study suggests one of the infants is truly Tutankhamen's daughter and, most likely, the second infant is as well. Whilst it was believed this King had no heirs to succeed him ~ I guess maybe he “almost” did.


Stillbirth has been around since the beginning of time. The pain and heartache associated with babies who never draw their first breath is as devastating today as it was back in the Golden Age of the Pharaohs. Educating and empowering parents to be, as well as, health care professionals with the tools to end this needless tragedy, is our goal.


Just how precious and irreplaceable is a stillborn baby to grieving parents and family? I guess we only need to look at King Tut ~ as this child king chose to embark on his journey into eternity with his two baby daughters snuggled closely by his side.

U.S. News and World Report ~ Read It, Digest It, Fight It...

Finally, this week we are seeing in this U. S. News and World Report link , in national print, the tragic global journey of stillbirth which 3 million families embark on each and every year ~ 30,000 in the USA alone.

Read it. Digest it. Fight it. Join us as we strive to educate parents and the medical community to the proactive measures available to stop these needless tragedies...  

AMAZING NEWS ~ Michigan House Passes STILLBIRTH / KICK COUNTING Legislation « First Candle

Amazing news promoting Kick Counting! Representative Kevin Green (R-MI) lost his sweet daughter, Skylar Anne, to stillbirth in 2007. Skylar's cause of death is unknown. Green states, "Stillbirth is an equal opportunity destroyer...Getting this information to expectant mothers early on in their pregnancy could help them prevent stillbirth. Kick counting is such a simple thing to do that could save your child's life."

This legislative measure is a huge step in stillbirth and kick counting awareness. We do know approximately 30% of stillbirths are caused by umbilical cord accidents (uca). In passing this very important piece of legislation according to Rep. Green, "It allows women to have ownership in their own healthcare by being informed about this potential risk." As we always stress to parents to be and healthcare professionals, it is all about becoming informed and being your baby's, "en utero" advocate.

Michigan House Passes Stillbirth/Kick Counting Legislation « First Candle

Spice It Up With "Food For Thought"...

I received my cookbook today, "Food For Thought." This culinary endeavor boasts the recipes of those touched by the life of a child born still. All the recipes are those special kind of ones ~ the ones you don't usually share ~ but decided to just this once as the cause is so dear. 

So, why not decide to boost your kitchen bookshelf or a friend's? Be creative and give a copy with a pie dish or set of pans for a wedding gift? Like I say to all my pregnant moms, "just go with your gut" and cook up a storm. I promise you, you will not be disappointed one little bit. 

A Previous Stillbirth But a Normal 28 Week Ultrasound!!!

It is important to know your baby's patterns of movements from 20 weeks onwards. If you have had a previous stillbirth and your ultrasound around 28 weeks is normal ~ meaning no problems are seen with the umbilical cord and placenta ~ what's next?

Following Dr. Jason Collins protocol of The Pregnancy Institute, http://www.preginst.com/, discuss with your OB the possibility of daily home fetal heart rate monitoring. Monitoring baby for 30 minutes every night and sending the results to Dr. Collins or your own OB will let you and your doctor keep a close check on baby. If any variations are noted in the monitoring, your doctor will be aware of the changes and can investigate further.

Hmmm ~ An Abnormality with Baby's 28 Week Ultrasound...

So, you have your 28 week (or thereabouts) ultrasound; there's an abnormality with the cord. What happens next? You"ll have to discuss the possiblities with your OB. Will home fetal heart rate monitoring, frequent ultrasounds or kick counting be the plan? You and your medical team will choose the best approach to keep a daily check on baby. Visit http://www.preginst.com/ to watch home fetal heart rate monitoring in action...

Springing Ahead...

Hello to All,

I have a new page up on Facebook for the Family Advisory Council of The Star Legacy Foundation (SLF), same title as this, Families Need to Know! One of the greatest things about being pregnant these days is the information available for all the parents to be. Back in the day when I was pregnant, who knew about keeping track of your baby's movements ~ who knew about kick counting??? Today, it is a whole new day and age. The information is available for you, and there are lots of people there to help you if you don't quite understand what is presented to you.

At the SLF, we believe when you have your 20 week ultrasound, it is a good thing to have the doctor and ultrasound tech visualize the baby's placenta and umbilical cord for normalcy along with the baby's anatomy. This is the scan you will be able to see if you are having a little girl or little boy! After this scan it is time to begin to keep track of what your baby is doing. Keep a log and write down when baby is awake and moving around and when baby is sleeping. It is easy to do and fun at the same time.

My daughter in law was telling me her little son was always up from 10 pm - 11 pm. Then one night he was quiet at 10 pm - not up to his usual tricks! So, she monitored for 30 minutes (per Dr. Collin's protocol of The Pregnancy Institute) -- and after another 30 minutes - there he was - moving around. What had happened? Danielle forgot to take into account daylight savings time. It was spring so we "spring ahead." So, baby was on his own 24 hour clock and no one told him he had to "spring ahead" as well!!!

For further information and to be added to the SLF newsletter, please go visit, www.starlegacyfoundation.org.