Kick This: Another Pointless Device for the Paranoid Parent

Every 21 minutes a baby is stillborn in the US; 70 babies each day.

Scared? Get a medical device to track your baby’s kicks. This piece of electronic junk product records the number of kicks per day. And if your baby sometimes kicks noticeably less, you can totally freak out and head to the OB for an unnecessary appointment. Whee!

With marketing like

Help Mothers protect their unborn babies!

what’s not to love about the kickTrak?! I mean, besides using scare tactics to sell more useless stuff?

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Yes, stillborn births are indeed a serious and tragic occurrence. But most pregnancies are low risk. It’s this kind of device that perpetuates the myth that pregnancy and childbirth are dangerous medical conditions which must be constantly monitored.

The kickTrak claims that it can help lower the risk of a stillbirth because tracking kicks is a good measure of fetal health. It also tracks how far along you are in your pregnancy, and counts down the last 99 days until baby arrives. The testimonials include these puzzling quotes:

My babykick kickTrak device takes the tedium and much of the tension away. This handy little electronic unit has made what used to seem like a chore, almost a pleasure. $39.95 is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

It helped to build a stronger relationship between my husband and me and the baby girl we were expecting. kickTrak helped me to get to know my baby before she arrived. I recommend it for all pregnant women.

Wowwee! You met your baby through a handheld electronic kick counter! You know what else could help you bond with your baby prenatally? Buy a journal for $10–or even make one–and write to him or her. Record your baby’s kicks with–gasp!–your own hand. If you must, spend that $40 on cloth diapers and natural toys instead.

Image: via Unisar’s marketing e-mail.

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