Conversations with Nneka Hall

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nneka Hall.

Hi Nneka, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory. 
Becoming a mother has taught me that you can have a healthy baby and they can develop an illness in childhood; a child can be born with a chronic illness and be made well, a healthy baby can be born still, and a baby can be born healthy after a stillbirth. 

I am the mom of four. Three who are with me and one who has reshaped my world. My third pregnancy was an easy routine one until it wasn’t. I noticed a change once I was able to feel and become familiar with my daughter’s movements. I was told that nothing was wrong. I was told that my concerns were due to mental fatigue due to my history of major depression. I was also separated from my husband, so my provider used this as a reason to explain my concerns away. 

Months later, I visited my provider expecting to hear, “It can be any day now,” but instead heard the words, “I’m sorry there’s no heartbeat,” and my life was forever changed. 

Flash forward eleven years. I invited the Boston Ambassador and other members of the Count the Kicks to speak at a Pregnancy and Infant Loss virtual event in 2021. I was sold when I heard them say that in their first ten years, they were able to decrease the stillbirth rate in Iowa by 32% but decreased Iowa’s black stillbirth rate by 39% in their first five years. I immediately emailed to become an ambassador. 

Kick counting can save lives. By counting kicks, daily expectant parents will learn their child’s pattern and document it so that if something should go wrong, they’ll be aware and alert their provider. 

I believe that if we can put the materials directly into the hands of those who need them, collectively we will be able to preserve more families. If I had known about this wonderful tool, I would have been able to advocate for my daughter. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Getting people to understand the need of this information has not always been easy. I also find that in spite of my work that as a black woman, I am not heard. I often have to allow a person of a different race to take the lead, even if my credentials is what got us into that space. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Maternal Health Advocate / Full Spectrum Doula who focuses primarily on black maternal and infant mortality. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Losing my daughter was bad luck, but I look at all of the difference she has made in the lives that she has touched, and I am so proud. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://countthekicks.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nnekahall/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Annaya0827/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nneka-hall-01891435/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/NnekaHall
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9gvOc7Go9_ti-a39hIP8gg