Healthy Birth Day Inc

PREVENTING STILLBIRTHS AND INFANT DEATH THROUGH EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, AND PARENT SUPPORT

THROUGH OUR EARLY WARNING SYSTEM COUNT THE KICKS, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY OF MOMS WHO ARE IN TUNE WITH THEIR BODIES AND THEIR BABIES, LETTING PROVIDERS KNOW WHEN SOMETHING FEELS OFF. TIME AND TIME AGAIN THIS SYSTEM WORKS --- AND BABIES ARE BEING SAVED ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SINCE WE LAUNCHED COUNT THE KICKS IN IOWA, OUR STATE HAS SEEN A 32 PERCENT REDUCTION IN ITS STILLBIRTH RATE. WITHIN THAT, WE WITNESSED A 39 PERCENT STILLBIRTH RATE REDUCTION AMONG BLACK WOMEN IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF OUR CAMPAIGN. BASED ON SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE, COUNT THE KICKS EDUCATES EXPECTANT PARENTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TRACKING FETAL MOVEMENT IN THE THIRD TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY. RESEARCH SHOWS A CHANGE IN WHAT'S NORMAL IS AN INDICATION THERE MAY BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE PREGNANCY. THE TRAGEDY OF STILLBIRTH AND MATERNAL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY CAN BE AVOIDED IN MANY CASES WHEN AN EXPECTANT MOTHER ALERTS HER DOCTOR TO CRITICAL CHANGES. THE LIVING PROOF IS IN THE STORIES WE'VE COLLECTED FROM FAMILIES IN 25 STATES AND THREE COUNTRIES. OUR EARLY WARNING SYSTEM COUNT THE KICKS EDUCATES EXPECTANT MOTHERS TO TAKE TIME EACH DAY TO GET TO KNOW THEIR BABY'S NORMAL MOVEMENT PATTERNS AND TO SPEAK UP IF THEY NOTICE A CHANGE. JUST LIKE ADULTS, BABIES MOVE DIFFERENTLY, AND CAN BECOME WEAKER, WHEN THEY ARE IN DISTRESS. A VARIETY OF ISSUES MAY DEVELOP DURING PREGNANCY TO CAUSE A BABY'S MOVEMENTS TO CHANGE --- THINGS LIKE A FAILING PLACENTA, PREECLAMPSIA, UMBILICAL CORD COMPLICATIONS, MATERNAL FETAL HEMORRHAGE, AND INFECTION OF THE UTERUS. WE ARE A ONE-OF-A-KIND PROGRAM IN THE U.S. TEACHING EXPECTANT PARENTS THAT WHEN A BABY'S MOVEMENTS CHANGE IT'S AN EARLY RED FLAG, AND THEY MUST ALERT THEIR DOCTOR RIGHT AWAY.THE EVIDENCE-BASED COUNT THE KICKS PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGN PROVIDES A TURNKEY, SCALABLE OPERATION WITH ONE GOAL: TO PROVIDE ALL THE PROVEN TOOLS AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO HELP PREVENT STILLBIRTHS AND IMPROVE MATERNAL MORBIDITY IN EACH STATE. OUR SUCCESS STEMS FROM PARTNERING WITH MATERNAL HEALTH PROVIDERS TO ENSURE THAT ALL WOMEN IN THE THIRD TRIMESTER ARE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF COUNTING THEIR BABY'S MOVEMENTS, LEARNING WHAT A NORMAL MOVEMENT PATTERN IS FOR THEIR BABY, AND TELLING THEIR PROVIDER RIGHT AWAY IF THEY DETECT ANY CHANGES. BY REMOVING COST AS A BARRIER, DONORS AND FUNDERS HELP ENSURE THAT EVERY EXPECTANT MOTHER RECEIVES VITAL INFORMATION ABOUT TRACKING FETAL MOVEMENT AND USING THE ALWAYS FREE COUNT THE KICKS MOBILE APP (AVAILABLE IN 12 LANGUAGES) TO KEEP TRACK OF EVERY KICK COUNTING SESSION. MOMS CAN THEN EASILY SHARE THIS VALUABLE INFORMATION WITH THEIR PROVIDER AND WILL BE ALERTED WHEN SOMETHING IS OFF.WHEN WE LAUNCH OUR PROGRAM IN A STATE, WE IDENTIFY KEY PARTNERS TO GATHER CONTACT INFORMATION NECESSARY TO EFFECTIVELY LAUNCH THE CAMPAIGN. THESE PARTNERS INCLUDE: OBGYNS, BIRTHING HOSPITALS, DOULAS, MIDWIVES, HOME VISITORS, WIC CLINICS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, FIMRS, PQCS, STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, ACOG AND AWHONN.PROVIDERS AND INDIVIDUALS WILL BE ABLE TO ORDER COUNT THE KICKS EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AT COUNTTHEKICKS.ORG, AND WILL RECEIVE MATERIALS WITHIN 7-10 DAYS. MATERIALS INCLUDE COUNT THE KICKS BROCHURES, POSTERS, AND APP DOWNLOAD REMINDER CARDS. CURRENTLY, ALL COUNT THE KICKS PRINTED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. THE MOBILE APP IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN 12 LANGUAGES: AMHARIC, ARABIC, CHINESE, ENGLISH, FRENCH, HAITIAN-CREOLE, HINDI, MARSHALLESE, RUSSIAN, SPANISH, SWAHILI, AND VIETNAMESE.- PRINTED MATERIALS CAN BE TRANSLATED INTO ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES TO MEET THE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OF EACH STATE.- THE COUNT THE KICKS APP CAN ALSO BE TRANSLATED INTO ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES. THE APP IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR FREE TO ALL USERS.PROVIDERS CAN ORDER MATERIALS ON OUR WEBSITE, HAVE THEM SHIPPED TO THEIR OFFICES, AND IMPLEMENT THEM WITHIN THEIR PRACTICE. COUNT THE KICKS CONDUCTS A CALL AND MAIL CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCING THE LAUNCH OF THE PROGRAM IN EACH STATE, PROVIDING FREE SAMPLE MATERIALS AND DIRECTING RECIPIENTS WHERE TO ORDER ADDITIONAL MATERIALS ONLINE. - MAIL ANNOUNCEMENT LETTER AND SAMPLE COUNT THE KICKS EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO PROVIDERS INCLUDED ON CONTACT LIST OF PROVIDERS ACROSS THE STATE.- 14-21 DAYS AFTER THE SAMPLE MATERIALS GO OUT, CALL EVERY PROVIDER ON THE LIST WHO HASN'T ORDERED AND ASK IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO ORDER COUNT THE KICKS MATERIALS. CALLERS INSTRUCT PROVIDERS ON HOW TO PLACE ORDERS ONLINE AND WILL OFFER TO PLACE AN ORDER FOR THE PROVIDER RIGHT ON THE PHONE. AN EMAIL CAMPAIGN IS SENT TO ALL ADDRESSES ON OUR CONTACT LIST. COUNT THE KICKS WILL ALSO PROVIDE A DRAFT EMAIL TO BE SENT DIRECTLY BY PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS WILLING TO SHARE ABOUT THE LAUNCH TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS. THIS EMAIL ANNOUNCEMENT ALLOWS RECIPIENTS TO CLICK DIRECTLY THROUGH AND ORDER MATERIALS ONLINE. - PERSONAL NOTE FROM A DESIGNATED LEADER ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF KICK COUNTING, THE EVIDENCE BEHIND IT, AND HOW COUNT THE KICKS WILL HELP EMPOWER MOMS AND SAVE BABIES IN THE STATE.- CLEAR DIRECTION TO ORDER MATERIALS ONLINE. - LINKS TO FREE DIGITAL TOOLS WE WILL PROVIDE THAT WILL HELP THEM IMPLEMENT COUNT THE KICKS WITHIN THEIR PRACTICE: O 55-SECOND COUNT THE KICKS HOW-TO ANIMATED VIDEO O STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO COUNT KICKS IN THIRD TRIMESTER O STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO HAVE THE KICK COUNTING CONVERSATION WITH PATIENTS O LINKS TO DOWNLOADABLE KICK COUNTING CHARTS O LINK WITH A FREE CODE TO TAKE OUR CE TRAINING O EASY-TO-USE LESSON PLANS FOR CHILDBIRTH EDUCATORS O TESTIMONIAL VIDEO OF BABY SAVESIN ADDITION TO THE CALL, MAIL, AND EMAIL CAMPAIGNS, AWARENESS OF THE COUNT THE KICKS CAMPAIGN IS INCREASED WHEN WE HIGHLIGHT THE LAUNCH OF THE PROGRAM IN THE MEDIA AND ONLINE.- IN PARTNER STATES, COUNT THE KICKS DISTRIBUTES AN ANNUAL SERIES OF PRESS RELEASES SURROUNDING MAJOR DATES (THE LAUNCH OF COUNT THE KICKS IN EACH STATE, MOTHER'S DAY, BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK, ETC.) TO KEY JOURNALISTS IN EACH OF THE SIX STATES AND NATIONALLY.- WE ALSO IMPLEMENT STRATEGIC PLACEMENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM TO REACH EXPECTANT MOMS IN EACH STATE, ENCOURAGING THEM TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE COUNT THE KICKS APP TO BOND WITH BABY IN THE THIRD TRIMESTER.IN ADDITION TO MAKING COUNT THE KICKS EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AVAILABLE AND DIRECTING EXPECTANT MOTHERS TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE MOBILE APP, TRAINING FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ON HOW TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT THE CAMPAIGN AND HAVE THE KICK-COUNTING CONVERSATION WITH PATIENTS HAS PROVEN TO BE A KEY COMPONENT OF AN EFFECTIVE LAUNCH. COUNT THE KICKS CURRENTLY OFFERS THREE TYPES OF TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES: IN-PERSON TRAINING, LIVE WEBINARS AND CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES. PARTICIPANTS LEARN:- HOW TO HAVE THE KICK COUNTING CONVERSATION WITH EXPECTANT PARENTS- HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND CHECK THEIR BIASES WHEN SERVING A PATIENT OF COLOR- THE HISTORY OF MEDICAL RACISM IN THE U.S. AND HOW IT BUILDS DISTRUST AMONG PATIENTS OF COLOR- HOW TO BEST UTILIZE THE FREE PREVENTION TOOLS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE- HOW TO DOWNLOAD AND USE THE COUNT THE KICKS APP- HOW TO RESPOND IF AN EXPECTANT MOTHER SAYS THEY ARE EXPERIENCING REDUCED FETAL MOVEMENT- HOW TO ANSWER THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS RELATED TO KICK COUNTING- HOW TO SHARE THE POWERFUL STORIES OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN EXPECTANT PARENTS LEARN TO KICK COUNT AND HOW THEY CAN USE THAT KNOWLEDGE TO HELP SAVE THEIR BABYOUR ORGANIZATION CARES ABOUT THE WHOLE HEALTH OF EXPECTANT MOTHERS. THAT'S WHY OUR FREE KICK COUNTING APP ALSO OFFERS AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE AFTER USERS COMPLETE THEIR SECOND KICK COUNTING SESSION. ONCE THE SESSION IS COMPLETE, USERS IN IOWA AND KANSAS (DUE TO FUNDING THERE) ARE SERVED A SURVEY WHICH ASKS THEM FIVE CRITICAL QUESTIONS RELATED TO SUPPORT AND CARE. IF AN APP USER INDICATES THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, THE APP GIVES THEM A DIRECT LINK TO FIND LOCAL HELP IN KEY AREAS: SAFE HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, FOOD ASSISTANCE AND TRANSPORTATION.WE ALSO WANT TO KNOW IF THE APP HAS BEEN A HELPFUL TOOL IN THEIR PREGNANCY. AT THE END OF EACH PREGNANCY JOURNEY, OUR APP USERS ARE ASKED ABOUT THEIR KICK COUNTING EXPERIENCE AND THEIR BIRTH OUTCOME. WE USE THIS DATA TO HELP UNDERSTAND IF THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE, AND IF BIRTH OUTCOMES HAVE BEEN POSITIVE FOR MOM AND BABY. AS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO WOMEN OF COLOR, WE ASK FOR THEIR RACE AND ETHNICITY WHEN THEY CREATE A PROFILE ON THE APP, AND MONITOR THE SUCCESS OF THEIR BIRTH OUTCOMES, AGGREGATED BY RACE.