It all started on March 27th when we
went for our 20-week ultrasound. I
was 20w4d. Everything was fine,
except the baby was positioned too low
to see the base of the spine, so we
were told to come back the next week.
Fast forward a week to April 3rd
(21w4d). Back we went for our ultra
sound and we were told that my water
level was a little low – not terribly
low, but low. We couldn’t figure out
how this was possible, as I had never
felt or seen any evidence of leaking.
We didn’t really like how the
technician and doctor were dealing
with our questions, so I asked my
doctor to refer us to someone
different at another hospital. So, on
April 6th, at 22 weeks pregnant, we
went for a third ultrasound, to see
what was really going on with my
water. It was even lower than it had
been 3 days prior. It was critically
low, but I still had not noticed I’d
leaked.
We were given an EXTREMELY dire
prognosis. The baby wouldn’t make it
another week. If it did make it to
viability, it would be born and not be
able to breathe. Its lungs would be
horribly underdeveloped. It will be
deformed from lack of space. It has a
10% chance of survival.
I tried to keep it together, but
couldn’t. I cried and cried and
worked myself up into absolute
hysterics while lying there listening
to all of this. While DH went to
settle the bill I tried to regain my
composure enough to walk through the
crowded waiting room. We went home
and cried some more and talked about
what to do.
My doctor called after she learned of
what transpired at our appointment and
asked us to come down to see her
immediately. We did, and she
basically repeated what we had already
heard. It seemed our only hope would
be to start on bedrest at home and see
what happens, unless of course we
wanted to abort. DH and I looked at
each other and knew that we could
never do that. We would let nature
takes its course and hope for the
best. How could we make the decision
to end our child’s life before it even
began? We at least wanted to give
him/her a chance.
So bedrest began at home. Five days
later, April 11th (22w5d), about an
hour after I woke up, I felt a tiny
trickle of water. We called my doctor
and she told us to come in and bring
an overnight bag. We were there
within 20 minutes and I was admitted
to the hospital for bedrest,
immediately. We continued to be told
about the slim chance our baby had to
survive for the next five weeks as I
lay there. I kept a positive attitude
as much as I could. I would love this
baby no matter what.
Jack was born at 28 weeks, on May
18th, via emergency c-section. He was
2lbs and 13.5" long. He was
ventilated immediately and took to the
NICU. He spent 13 weeks there and
came home 6 days after his due date.
He had lots of ups and downs, but is
doing wonderfully now.
Jack is my miracle.
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