By Kneeland Windi, Fresno, Ca usa
PROM at 19 weeksDelivery at 22 weeks.
Story added: 2002-09-26

My name is Windi and I am a mother 3 children who are alive in Heaven. I lost my first pregnancy in April of 2001 at 9 weeks. I was told that as many as 25% of pregnancies ended as mine did. So I eagerly tried again and in Aug. of 2001 I was pregnant again.

I began spoting at 5 weeks and continued until 15 weeks when I had massive hemoraging. At this time I was put on bed rest by my regular OB and told there was nothing I could do but stay as still as possible. At about 18 weeks I noticed a clear liquid mixed in with my blood. I called my doctor and told him I thought I might be leaking amniotic fluid. He quickly assured me I wasn't but told me to come on in any way. I was in fact leaking fluid and by 19 weeks I had very little left around the baby. I was told my pregnancy would not go on.

I had lost most of the babies precious fluid and my cervex had begun to shorten. I went into labor 1 week later and had Carson on Nov 27th. On my follow up visit with by Ob I was told that I was "unlucky" and that there appeared to be nothing wrong with me. He could offer me no answers and the tests he ordered came back normal. My husband and I met with a high risk doctor to find out if she had any answers. She to believed it was a fluke and encouraged us to try again and whe would monitor the pregnancy very closely. When we got pregnant again we were very nervous and as a precaution I took off work from 7 weeks until 18 when I was assured by our doctor that everything was fine. The baby was healthy, I had no spoting, my cervex looked good so I went back to work. I'm a 1st grade teacher and after 2 days I started to have lower back pains and I just didn't feel right. My doctor suggested I work half day until I reached week 24. I never made it that far. At 19 weeks while geting dressed for church I felt the need to go to the bathroom. When I sat on the toilet I felt a wierd pressure. I looked down to see a bulge. I gently touched it popping it and fluid began gushing out.

I couldn't believe this was happening. Everything had been going so well. I told my husband I couldn't loose another child. I cried and screamed all the way to the hospital. After spending the morning in emergency we were sent home. My water had broke but my cervex still appeared closed and my doctor hoped I could make it until the baby could survive. For 3 weeks I never moved more than 2 feet from my bed to use a near by portable toilet. I thanked God for every day. I prayed that I would make it to atleast 24 weeks at which time I would be admited to the hospital. I was told it could be done and I was determined to have the baby.

By 21 weeks I was having labor pains but my cervex remained closed. By 22 the pain was so intense I went into the doctors office and was admitted to the hospital. 2 hours later I gave birth to Seth, weighing only 1 pound and without any signs of life. My husband and I couln't believe how beautiful he was. We didn't hold our first son and we weren't going to make the same mistake twice. So we held Seth for over 7 hours. Crying , laughing and remembering our boys. Our only comfort was knowing they were together in the arms of God. Every little boy I see reminds me of my children. My grief often overwhelmes me and each day I pray for understanding and to feel joy again. I also want to know there is hope of having a full term child. If there is anyone who has any information that might help me or would like to share their story please e-mail me at wrc13@csufresno.edu. For now I will seek compfort in the Lord and continue to pray for the desire of my heart, to have a child.