How a Student Midwife’s Warning Saved a Baby’s Life

This expectant mum thankfully knew her baby’s movements were something she should be conscious of, having been warned by her doctor and student midwife.

Her student midwife urged her to go to the hospital for foetal monitoring when she mentioned she had decreased activity.

Doctors quickly discovered the baby was in distress and needed to come out, so she underwent an emergency C-section.

“I wasn’t expecting to go down the way it did,” the new mum admits to 9 honey.

“I expected a natural birth, so I hadn’t really researched anything or prepared my hospital bag for the C-section. It was a little harder than I expected, but it’s how it had to be.”

“He’s my first child, and the experience definitely wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was good that the hospital was on top of it all and made sure he was safe.”

Her story highlights the importance of mums-to-be, and their healthcare providers, paying close attention to changes in a baby’s movements during pregnancy.

The mum credits her student midwife, who’d been following her pregnancy and accompanying her to the various appointments, for urging her to act fast.

“I probably wouldn’t have gone to the hospital until the hospital had told me to go in. But she told me, ‘No, that’s not normal, you need to go in,’” she says.

Glad it was a positive outcome!

I had decreased activity in the late stages of pregnancy with my first son (14yrs ago) who was actually diagnosed with a heart condition 6hrs after his birth.

But doctor’s always kept telling me the lack of movement was NOT a sign of anything sinister and had nothing to do with his condition.

Hopefully they now watch closer and take it into account much more seriously.

Did you notice a change in your babies movement in the late stages?

Share your comments below.

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17 Comments

- - mom111059 said
  - 21 Nov 2018
    12:03 pm
I’m glad their story ended up a happy one.

- - cherz said
  - 16 Nov 2018
    5:45 pm
Well done indeed student midwife. So glad it was a good outcome.

- - ehooper said
  - 16 Nov 2018
    9:56 am
Good on midwife and good on mum for listening and noticing her own body.
I had decreased movements as well and I am so glad I listened to my body as well or my baby wouldn’t not have been with us today.
- mom93821 replied
  
  17 Nov 2018 , 6:21 am
  Similar situation – intuition kicked in!
- - mom93821 said
  - 16 Nov 2018
    9:41 am
Definitely noticed a marked change in movement.

- - natct said
  - 16 Nov 2018
    7:08 am
Mine kicked up a storm but had a sleep wake cycle developed well before bub was born.

- - Ellen said
  - 16 Nov 2018
    4:09 am
Sounds the student midwife was on to it, but the mum herself just as much, by paying close attention to changes in a baby’s movements !

- - mom7108 said
  - 15 Nov 2018
    10:21 pm
I think they suggest to monitor the movements over a period of time in case the baby is sleeping hence little movement. Student midwife is definitely in the right field of work!

- - mom101628 said
  - 15 Nov 2018
    9:37 pm
Good on the student midwife and the mum for following her advice. Afraid mine came out kicking and screaming as the saying goes.

- - MuthaNita said
  - 15 Nov 2018
    7:34 pm
Thankfully never have had this happen to me. Really good her student midwife was onto it!

- - BellaB said
  - 15 Nov 2018
    7:23 pm
She’s got a good attitude to it all, too.

- - Amanda Holland said
  - 15 Nov 2018
    5:13 pm
I never noticed any changes in movement. So glad the outcome for her was a good one

- - mom74005 said
  - 15 Nov 2018
    4:42 pm
Glad this student midwife was on the ball, well done!

- - Cookfromscratchmum said
  - 15 Nov 2018
    4:31 pm
Every time I felt that there a decrease in movement or activity I would inform my Dr and they would do ultrasound and tests it’s serious

- - mom81879 said
  - 15 Nov 2018
    1:16 pm
I’m confused, it says this baby was her first, then later mentions she has a 14 yo. I remember being given a chart to write down times of when baby was active and how active. That was with my first baby in 1990, so surely it’s run of the mill information now to monitor baby’s movements…….

- - becstalou said
  - 15 Nov 2018
    1:00 pm
Great work student midwife and so happy it was a happy ending.

- - Mum2archer said
  - 15 Nov 2018
    12:52 pm
I was always told by the midwives at each visit, if I was ever worried about anything like this, to call them or go straight in. When I said I would feel bad wasting their time if everything was ok, she told me that it’s their job, and in no way would I be wasting anyone’s time. I’d rather be safe than sorry in these situations anyway. Glad there was a happy outcome in this situation