CHRISSY George started to feel something was far from right with her baby. Three times she raised her concerns with doctors and each time she was told there was a heartbeat and not to worry. Each time, she was encouraged to not be so anxious, even though she felt her baby was moving less and less.
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Isabella was stillborn at 30 weeks.
The pain of losing a child never leaves Chrissy. She hopes her heartbreaking experience can help spark more talk and awareness among expectant mothers to better understand their baby’s movements in a bid to save lives. One of her friends did seek further medical attention and was closely monitored to ensure a safe pregnancy after initial concerns.
For Chrissy, knowing she helped a friend was a bittersweet moment.
“I feel mostly let down by my medical team. I feel I've failed my baby,” Chrissy said.
If one good thing can come out of something so terrible, I want it to be hopefully helping to save another baby.
- Chrissy George
Chrissy tried different support groups and found a connection with not-for-profit organisation Still Aware, which aims to change the way we talk about stillbirth in Australia in the hope of improving prevention.
Still Aware founder Claire Foord said the key to changing Australia’s high stillbirth rate, which was double the road toll, was as simple as listening to the mother – and mothers had to trust their instincts.
Ms Foord had a similar experience to Chrissy – each with an IVF baby, each told all was fine from listening to a heartbeat, each left feeling like they were over-anxious first-time mums. And we had to talk about stillbirth more, no matter how uncomfortable a subject it might seem.
“We’re told let’s not talk about it because it might make some mums too anxious,” Ms Foord said.
“...Often I hear mums say ‘I just wished I’d listened to my baby more’. We’re not wanting to work against the medical system, we’re trying to fix it whether you’re with a doctor or a doula.”
Stillbirth does not discriminate.
- Claire Foord, Still Aware founder
Still Aware urges women to get to know their baby’s movement patterns from about 16 to 24 weeks, when the baby starts moving more, right up to and during labour.
The organisation is also working to dispel common pregnancy myths, like having something to eat or drink to get baby moving, or a baby slowing down before birth as it ran out of room. Ms Foord said mothers should call a doctor or midwife immediately if concerned about movements.
Stillbirth is the leading cause of death for children aged under 14, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, and by far eclipses the rate of sudden infant death syndrome, brain cancer, drownings and road accidents for this age group.
Six babies are delivered stillborn in Australia daily.
Ms Foord said there was often no identifiable cause but Australia was lagging behind in preventative and bump-bonding moves for mother and baby promoted in other developed nations, like Norway, which has experienced a 30 per cent reduction in still birth.
Fore more: stillaware.org.
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