By Denise, Stratford Canada
PROM at 24 weeks + 6 days. Delivery at 36 weeks + 2 days.
Story added: 2000-12-05

I had a wonderful first pregnancy, absolutely no
complications. Sumner was born February 15, 1999. My second
pregnancy was the opposite, very complicated and confusing.

On March 3,2000 we discovered I was pregnant, we figured I was 4 weeks since I had a period (or so I thought) in early
February. We were so excited because we wanted our babies to
be close in age. On March 27th, I felt that dreaded gush, I
was sure I was losing our baby. I went to the hospital and
dicovered that I was actually 11 weeks rather then 7 weeks.
They felt I was having a threatened miscarriage. I contined
bleeding for 6 weeks then it stopped. I was on strict bedrest for a month. Then gradually I was able to do some activity. My doctor advised me not to get overtired and not to work more then a few days a week. I had one day of bleeding during week 21. Then I was feeling really good and so relieved when I hit 24 weeks on June 24th.

My relief lasted only a few days. On June 30th while lifting
my son, I felt that dreaded gush again. I was sure I was
bleeding but when I checked it was fluid. I couldn't beleive
it, I was only 24 weeks and 6 days. I went to the emergency
room but they couldn't detect that it was amniotic fluid. I
was sure because I just knew. My Ob sent me home, I leaked all night and returned in the morning. This time it was confirmed.

I was airlifted an hour and a half later to a family health
center. I was so scared. I was told that the baby only weighed approx 1 lb. and 10 oz. and only had a 50% survival rate which decreased if it was a boy. It was a boy. I spent the next 7 weeks in the hospital, some days on bedrest, other days I was allowed to walk our floor or go in the wheelchair. I was monitered 4 times a day and had planning scores weekly. It was such a scary time because not only was I worried about the baby but my family was 5 hours away and I was apart from my little boy. It was a long summer. I contined to leak fluid daily after my water broke until I delivered.

During week 32, my grandfather passed away and I was able to
return to my home town. I was to stay in the hospital for 2
weeks then go home for 2 then they would induce me at week 36. At week 36, I was induced and delivered a healthy 7 pounder. I couldn't believe how beautiful he was. We had some complications after he was released. He was put back in for jaundice then again a week later because he wasn't responding to us. He even had to have a spinal tap.

He is doing well now. He is 11 weeks old. I feel so lucky to have a healthy baby. I get so emotional when I think about all we went through then I feel guilty because so many others didn't have such good outcomes. PROM really scares me.

Thanks so much for letting me share my story.