By Dolores, PA United StatesI found out I was pregnat with my third child in October 1999. I had two miscarriages previous to this pregnancy so I was a little nervous. I had some slight bleeding in the 12 week and again in the 15. AFter these were checked and found to be okay I expected a "normal" pregnacy from here on out.
PROM at 25 weeksDelivery at 32 weeks + 2 days.
Story added: 2001-03-29
Around the 23rd week I thought I was leaking urin in the morning. It wasnt much so I really didnt pay any mind. After a few days it got heavier and I called the doctor and they told me to go to the ER to get checked out. The fluid level was fine and the fern test came back negative. SO they sent me home and told me to come back if I feel a huge gush. Well about 1 week later I started leaking continually throughout the day. SOaking up pads. Then one day I got out of the shower and a huge gush came. I had to stand there with a towel because so much water was coming out. I called my husband and off to the ER we went.
The checked my fluid level and believe it or not it was within the normal range. This was odd because in my earlier ultrasound they had told me my fluid was a little on the low side. But the fern test came back positive. And thats when they told me I would be staying in the hospital until my baby was born. I just broke down in tears. I had a 4 and a 5 year old at home and my husband worked 6 days a week. Not to mention I was only 25 weeks into my pregnancy. I was really scared.
Well I was wheeled into a huge delivry suite where I stayed for the next 8 weeks on strict bedrest. I know hate even the word bedpan. I was allowed only 2 showers during my entire stay.
Things were fine almost my entire stay. The baby's fluid level was normal for about 5-6 weeks but I was still leaking. Around the 6th week the fluid level starting dropping and around week 7 the fluid level dropped to none at all and stayed that way for the rest of my pregnanyc. The doctors and nurses were amazed that all the baby's NST's were coming back great. So bedrest continues.
I began leaking a pink-tinges fluid a week before deliver. It gradually darkened. I was monitored more often and did NST's daily to 3 times a day depending on how much I was bleeding.
The day my darling daughter was born was the Saturday before Memorial day. I was looking forward to some barbecue when the nures came in and asked if I wanted to do my NST early. I said sure because the kids were coming and this way I could spend time with them without worrying about wires. She hooked me up and the baby was fine. Then while she was putting some info into my chart the heartrate dropped to 60. I felt the baby move so I figured it was just picking up mine. She checked my heartbeat and it didnt match. The baby's heartbeat was dropping. I was put on oxygen and switched from side to side to see if the baby was laying on the cord but nothing helped. Then the calvary came in. I was stuck with an IV , had papers thrown at me and quickly was told I would have to be put completly under because I was on blood thinners. It was wierd because they just did the test early that day to check my blood clotting factors which came back normal.
I begged the nurses to page my husband which they did but told me the beeper service was down. I really started getting upset. Then I remembered thta my husband was food shopping so we had him paged. He did make it to the hospital in time to kiss me as I was wheeled into the operating room.
The surgery went excellent and my daughter was born weighing 3 lbs. 11 oz. She had some problems breathing for the first day or two but was much better after that. She had to stay for about a month just to gain weight and learn how to suck swallow and breath. She is now 10 months old weighing 20 lb.s and measuring 28 inches. She is actually in the normal range for her birth age and above average for her corrected age.
In the end we found out the my placenta begin to detach and abrupt because of going so long with no fluid.
It was a very hard experience but something I would do over again in a minute for my little miracle baby.
If anyone has any questions, needs support, or just wants to talk about their experince please feel free to email me!
Dolores
bodeca@geocities.com