09/30/2026
My baby stopped moving at 38 weeks. I almost waited until morning to go in.
If I had, she wouldn't be here.
That day started normal. I went to work. Early morning I noticed Maddy wasn't kicking much. I brushed it off. She'd had quiet days before. Around noon I felt her shift, so I told myself she was fine.
By 7 p.m., my husband Dalton put his hand on my belly and asked, "Has she been kicking today?"
My stomach dropped.
She hadn't. Not all day.
We tried everything. Warm bath. Cold orange juice. Poking my belly. We could hear her heartbeat on the Doppler.
Heartbeat, but no movement.
I Googled it. Half the internet said go in immediately. Half said babies "run out of room."
I texted my mom. She didn't hesitate. "Go in. Or at least call your midwife."
I called and left a voicemail. They called back and said there would be a room waiting for me at the labor center.
They hooked me up to monitors. More orange juice. Ice. Rolling me side to side. At one point my bed was tilted so I was almost upside down.
After 30 to 40 minutes, they said my midwife was on her way.
My mom knew that wasn't a good sign and rushed everyone to the hospital.
When my midwife arrived she didn't waste time. Things weren't looking how they should. I would likely need an emergency C-section that night.
I was shaking so hard I couldn't process it. They told us if Maddy had life-threatening issues she would be life-flighted to Randall's.
They rushed me into surgery. I got my spinal and before Dalton could even get in the room, they started.
Maddy came out crying. She needed oxygen, but she was here.
40 minutes later we were back in our room. That's when I learned the truth.
My placenta had aged prematurely. It was calcified. It had essentially stopped working. Nothing I did caused it. Nothing I could have done prevented it.
Maddy wasn't getting enough oxygen or nutrients, so she conserved energy. That's why she stopped moving. She also had low blood sugar and needed a glucose IV for her first few days.
My mom asked the question I was afraid to ask: "What would have happened if she hadn't come in?"
The answer was simple.
"She wouldn't be here. She wouldn't have made it through the night."
I almost didn't go in.
Please hear me on this, especially if you are pregnant or planning to be:
You know your body. You know what is normal for your baby.
Babies do NOT run out of room. They will always move.
A sudden stop in movement is not normal.
If you have doubts - GO IN. Go in. Go in. Go in.
I am sharing this because I have heard too many stories where warning signs weren't taken seriously enough.
If this helps even one person, it was worth sharing.
— Ayla Heller
