By Inkan Renfors, Jönköping Sweden
PROM at 37 weeksDelivery at 37 weeks.
Story added: 2002-04-27

The pregnancy started as last time. I was bleeding on and off at around 12 - 16 weeks, and it scared me. I was tested for BV (Bacterial Vaginos) and treated at around 23 weeks. Shortly after that I also got antibiotics because I had GBS (UTI). None of those infections were possible to detect for me - no signs at all. As my uterus is shaped like a heart, I went to Ultra Sounds checking the cervix and the baby´s position. The cervix stayed long and cealed all the time, but as the shape of the uterus was a little unnormal, I had a previous C-section and because the baby was positioned "butt down" and no option to turn around (because of hte uterus) a C-section was sceduled.

We had planned a C-section nov 27 (due date dec 8) 2001, but when the water broke at 8 am a sunny sunday morning (nov 18 2001) we went in to the hospital.



I wasn´t surprised, because I had felt some changes the last week that I thought had to do with the body getting close to deliver:
I was hungry ALL the time
my feet were even more swollen than normal the night
before the water broke
my digestive system wasn´t working well (wanting
to empty my body)
I could breathe more easily than ever during this
pregnancy and I was for the first time in many weeks able to pee without problem (baby must have sunken down, getting ready).

In addition to that, the plug started to come out on monday a week before delivery. Now I am sure that was it!

We arrived at the hospital at 09.30 am. As it was sunday it was hard to get my C-section into the surgical scedule. With no food or drink we had to wait until 2,45 pm for the news that I was about to have the section at 3 pm. I was so hungry and thirsty that I was hoping that they could postpone the section until the day after so that I could at least have a glass of water.

As Anton was born with emergency C-section I thought that I was prepared for what was about to happen. But I was so afraid. The doc that was about to do the C-section was a young (short) man that I had never met before. I didn´t like that. Trusting docs is a big problem for me - I really dont trust strangers.

The epidural went high up, and I ended up unable to move at all. I couldt even move my fingers, and it was very hard to speak. It made me very scared. Magnus was by my side as they were working their way into the baby. It took quite some time - much longer than when Anton was born. And I felt that they had to do some hard work as they were getting him out (I was all brused afterwards).



Alex was born 3.47 pm and they immediately took him out to another room where they sucked the amniotic fluids from the lungs and checked that he was OK. I didnt know what sex the baby was by then, but I was so afraid and dizzy that it felt as it didnt matter. Magnus was with the baby.

Before Magnus, baby and some of the staff went down to delivery ward, I got to see the baby boy for a while. Magnus was holding him up in front of my face. I felt nothing - I was still so afraid that something was wrong with him that they hadn´t told yet. A very strange feeling to see his face - he was a copy of Anton! We were in the same surgical room as when Anton was born, and he looked the same. Unreal feeling.. like I was re-living Antons birth.

Now I was alone (no Magnus) and nobody told me what was happening, or why it took such a long time. I was so afraid, and tried to get someone explain to me, but it was very hard to speak and I had no one by my side to ask.

They had put me together again at 4.30 pm. The doc told me that it was a lot of scar tissue and tissue that had grown together after the last C-section and that made it take a long time. I didn´t understand what it meant.

I was moved to "post op" until the epidural was gone. Normally that time would be spent with dad and baby - but as they had so many moms delivering this sunday they said that they couldn´t do that. It was a BIG BIG disappointment as the only wish I had for this delivery was NOT to be separated from baby and Magnus. I was separated when Anton was born, and that was really hard. This time was even worse as they now didnt give me any picture to look at of the baby, and nobody could tell me what was happening.



But after all - we had a healthy baby and I am so thankful for that! The surgeon cut little Alex with the surgical knife at the back of his right leg, but besides from that he is all fine. He so much look like Anton, that I am having trouble at times separating them in my heart. It gives me a lot of flashback memories from when Anton was born.

Monday I felt terrible from the C-section. I tried to take a shower and managed allright, but walking back to the bed (20 steps) were a lot of pain, and they gave me a painkiller shot that made me dizzy for the rest of the day. This C-section was a lot more pain than after Anton was born. Tuesday was alot better though and I could move around a little, getting myself food, going to the bathroom etc.

Magnus bought me 2 nursing bras that he brought to me at the hospital. I totally forgot that I needed those. Getting about to nurse is not all pain free, but I am getting around hoping that it will be pain free in a couple of days or so.

I was lucky enough to share room with 2 very nice moms, and the 5 at the hospital ended very good. Besides missing Magnus and Anton a lot, it was a very nice time.

I am so glad that I was able to go to 37 weeks and have a full term baby that could go home with me! It is a gift and I am forever thankful!

/Inkan
Mother to Anton (PROM at 23+6 weeks, born at 30+5)
and Alex (PROM and delivery at 37+0)



My first PROM Pregnancy