My rupture occured at 20 weeks on a
Friday. It was the worst day of my
life as we thought for sure I was
miscarrying.
We rushed to the hospital where we
found out the baby was still alive. An
ultrasound later confirmed that I had
very little amniotic fluid left...
approximately 4cm. I was kindly
advised to terminate as I would for
sure go into labour any day. The
doctors were also very nervous for
infection.
I resisted termination and asked to
stay at the hospital and to let nature
take its course. After all, if I were
to lose the baby any day now, it
wouldn't survive. I just did not see
any reason to take action myself.
The doctors told me several times over
the weekend that I should terminate.
The more they told me that, the more I
held on to my decision to wait. What
was the rush? I just couldn't
comprehend the extent of the risk of
the infection. I still don't. It is
still unbelievable to me.
When my OBGYN showed up on the Monday
and I shared with him that we wanted
to wait it out, he supported our
decision and told me that there would
be nothing to do except lie in bed and
not move and continue a course of
antibiotics. It was not promising but
it gave us a little hope and something
for me to "do (lie and wait)".
So I lay there for 1 week, which
became 2, then 3, 4... the fluid
increased and stabilized...
But I laid there with constant fear...
I bled like crazy for weeks. Had
episodes of heavy bleeding... ended up
with a hematoma... which showed that
there was a separation of the
placenta.
4 weeks became 8... then 10... then
12... and when I reached 32 weeks I
let out a sigh of relief as my doctor
gave me permission to get up to use
the bathroom.
Laying in bed for 3 months... I was
not even able to walk. I had to
relearn all over again. But I did it.
I built my strength to walk for 4
weeks and when I reached 36 weeks and
some, an ultrasound confirmed that the
fluid had dropped again so I was
induced.
I was actually scheduled to be induced
a week later (37 weeks) since my
condition had stabiliized but
considering the new risk, they offered
to induce me earlier, which I
took.
She was born vaginally at 6 lbs 3 oz.
She was never admitted to the NICU.
Her only imperfection was what looked
like a club foot and a hyperextended
knee. I am happy to report that her
legs fixed themselves on their own.
We are very blessed to have such a
healthy baby. I was reminded again and
again during my 16 week hospital stay
that my outcome is really really
rare.
My heart... I could not, would not
give up... we had just found out a
week before the PROM that it was a
girl. Our first baby... we had not
even been trying to conceive, but she
was special! As corny and cheesy as
this may sound: Hope is all we had to
keep us going and several fuzzy
ultrasound pictures of our tiny little
baby.
It was a rough journey but I would do
it all over again because the reward
is priceless and worth a million times
more than 4 months of my life.
I look at my daughter every night when
I cuddle her to sleep and can't
imagine life without her and thank God
that I listened to my instincts and
said no to termination.
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