While studies into potential prevention strategies for stillbirth are ongoing, following are some helpful strategies for pregnant women to follow to help reduce the risk of stillbirth:

  • Get to know your baby by tracking their activity beginning at 26 weeks.  Especially take notice of both decreases or increases in movement and inform your doctor.

  • Sleep on side in last trimester.

  • Request an ultrasound at 20 and 28 weeks. 

  • Do not smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs (unless prescribed by your doctor)

  • Report any vaginal bleeding, leakage or sharp pain

  • If you are post-term, discuss options with your doctor. Pregnancies longer than 42 weeks may be at increased risk for stillbirth

  • Do not hesitate to request a second or third opinion anytime during your pregnancy if needed to put your mind at ease.

  • Participate in the See Me, Feel Me campaign.

This is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace your doctor’s advice.

 

PREGNANCY iPHONE APP

If you have previously experienced the stillbirth of a child, are pregnant again, and currently use an iPhone, contact 1st Breath about receiving the SPROUT Pregnancy Essentials download. The developer has teamed with 1st Breath to provide some of the app downloads for free to those affiliated with 1st Breath.  This is a great app developed by both technical and medical personnel.  Let us know if you would like to obtain a free download for your iPhone.

 

text4baby

Text4baby is a free mobile information service designed to promote maternal and child health. 

An educational program of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB), text4baby provides pregnant women and new moms with information they need to take care of their health and give their babies the best possible start in life.  Text messages will be sent each week, timed to your due date or baby's date of birth.

Registration is easy and can be done from your cell phone. Simply text the word BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to 511411. You’ll be asked to enter your baby’s due date or your baby’s birthday and your zip code.

Once you are registered you will start receiving free messages with tips for your pregnancy and caring for your baby. These messages are timed to your due date or your baby’s birth date. If your due date changes, you can text UPDATE to 511411 and enter your new due date.

If you want to stop receiving messages from Text4baby, you can text STOP to 511411. If you want to start the messages again, you will have to re-register by sending BABY to 511411 (BEBE to 511411 for Spanish messages).