By Amy, Lincoln, NE Lancaster
PROM at 17 weeks + 6 days. Delivery at 34 weeks + 1 days.
Story added: 2002-05-02

After 5 years of trying,lots of fertilely drugs and 4 artificial inseminations (this one being our last attempt) to have a baby we were elated to find out on Easter 2000 we were going to have a baby.

For the first 8 weeks I felt great and couldn't believe there was a baby growing inside of me. At about the 8th week I got to enjoy the morning, noon and night sickness but that made it easier to believe there was a baby growing. I kept complaiining about not being able to drink and being sick, but my doctor was not worried.

At 17 weeks I felt great and as I was waiting to see my doctor I thought about skipping out but something made me stay. They could not locate the baby heart beat and sent me for an ultra sound. The look on the ladies face said alot. She told me I had little fluid around the baby and that I needed to talk to my doctor. My doctor told me that this was very serious and I needed to go home and rest and drink alot of fluid. I went in 3 days and found my fluid had went up alittle. He told me you have about 10 ml of fluid and on Friday I had 1 now up to 3. He told me to stay laying down and drinking fluid and to come back in a week. Thinking back the day before my appointment I do remember feeling a gush but thought nothing of it.

I would remain on my sofa for the next weeks making little fluid changes. They just kept telling me to continue laying down and drinking fluid. My doctor sent me to a Peri-specialist who told us our baby had a 40% chance to surive and I could carry this baby to term but the baby still might not survive due to lung delevopement. He also told me that babies with low fluid could have club foot or hands.

At 23 weeks I felt a gush and went to the hospital to be informed I was again lost what fluid I a had. The doctor told my husband we need to get to 28 to have a chance to save our baby. He also told him things don't look good he excepted me to deliver in the next 24 hours. I didn't go into labor and the next day they sent me home to do nothing.

At 24 weeks I went to the specialist to have him tell me that I might go home with a baby and I might not. He told me my baby was breech and I would have to have a c-section and to except to be admitted to the hospital if things don't improve. I left feeling terrible and was very upset with that doctor but my a promise to myself that I would come home with a baby.

At 26 weeks the specialist was surprised my fluid was up and my baby had flipped (thanks to the flash light trick0 and I could go home and he would see me in 4 weeks. They had the NICU doctors come in to prepare us for what to except they stressed the need to get to 28 weeks but 34 weeks is equal to term to them.

At 28 weeks I felt very wet and my specialist told me to come in right away. I have once again lost the fluid and he thought I would be delivering soon. He admitted me into my new home room 875 (an hour away from my son and husband and famliy and friends). Nothing we can do but continue to wait he just wanted me close by. Good thing because 2 days later I started to bleed. They said that there was nothing to worry about that the baby was rubbing on my cervix to cause the bleeding.

At the hospital the doctors visited dailey, I was monitored twice a day (more when I would hook myself up), I had ultra sounds done dailey and was ordered to lay around, drink and keep the baby inside of me.

With no fluid you don't feel the baby move so I learned how to monitor myself and would do that in the middle of night to much sure I could hear the heart beat. I continued to bleed off and on for the next 6 weeks and leaking. They promised me at 34 weeks we would induce.

I made in to 34 weeks, they induced, my baby rolled on the cord which sent 6 nurses running into my room and sent me to the emerency room for an emerency c-section. When I woke my husband told me we had a baby boy who came out crying and was doing well. (Thank God).

Barrett Oliver Morrison was 4lbs 8 ounces and 17 inches long. He spent 8 hours in NICU and then moved to the feed and grow room. He didn't like to eat and had some minor set backs. He spent 4 weeks in the hospital and came home on a heart monitor, oxygen and in a body harness. Due to the low fluid his hip didn't form correctly but assure us he will be fine.

At 18 months he is fine!! He was on the oxygen for 3 months, the heart monitor 4 months and wore the body harness for 6 months. He is over 20 pounds, walking and distrorying anything and everything. He is the happiest and has the biggest and best smile.

Those 17 weeks of doing nothing gave us an awesome gift and we thank God daily.