By Laura, USABrenna's Early Birth
PROM at 33 weeksDelivery at 34 weeks + 5 days.
Story added: 1999-09-13
My husband and I tried for 3 years to get pregnant and finally after many rounds of Clomid - we found a combination (Humegon, Clomid, HCG, IUI) that worked. We were thrilled to find out that I was pregnant and so excited to finally be experiencing the joy of upcoming parenthood. My pregnancy was very nice even though there could have been problems. I have a double uterus and my OB checked my cervix every week after week 14. Luckily it stayed nice and closed and I did not need a cerclage. We know that I was at risk for preterm labor because of the shape of my uterus but I began relaxing after 30 weeks.
On November 30, 1998 at 33 weeks exactly I had a conversation with another teacher at my school about water breaking and that night I suffered PPROM. My husband was away on a business trip so my sister in law took me to the hospital and we both expected to have the baby that night. My daughter had another idea though and I did not go into labor at all. My OB kept me in the hospital though and I was given steroids to help her lung development and IV antibiotics for 2 days in case I had an infection. The fetal biophysical profile showed that all was well with the baby and the tests for infection came out negative so the decision was made not to induce me because the baby was fine and better off inside me at this point. The OB said that if I did not go into labor on my own by 36 weeks than I would be induced.
I laid in the hospital for 12 days on my left side and on December 12, 1998 my daughter decided it was time to make her appearance. My contractions started at 2:00 am and were about 15 minutes apart so I called the nurse about 3:00 am when they got to about 7 minutes apart. The nurses put me on the fetal maunder and called for the OB to come and check me. I had not had a cervical check the whole 12 days because of the risk of infection so when I was checked and 2 cm dilated the OB was not sure that it was labor. He came back in an hour about 5:30 am and I was at 3 cm and 100% effaced so they wheeled me to L & D. I received an epidural around 7:30 and was 4 cm and by noon I was at a 10. I had to wait for the OB to come in and my nurse helped me start pushing. She was so good with me I could not believe it! The OB came in and I was doing so well that I pushed once and Brenna's head came out and he had to tell me to stop pushing because the neonatal team had not arrived yet! I finally got to finish pushing and my daughter Brenna was born at 12:41 pm on 12/12/98 at 34.5 weeks. She weighed 5 lbs and was 17 inches long.
She was taken to the NICU where she received IV fluids for low blood sugar and spent 2 days there. Then she had jaundice and was moved to the step down NICU and kept under the lights for 2 more days. She came home 4 days after her amazing birth and is now a very happy 3 month old. I can't wait to do it again and give her a brother or a sister.