By Maria, Orland, CA US
PROM at 19 weeks + 6 days. Delivery at 29 weeks + 2 days.
Story added: 2013-11-08

I can't believe I am actually sharing my story here. I remember being on bed rest and reading over and over these stories. Specially the ones close to my gestation. They gave me hope and I hope mine does the same for others... It was my first pregnancy I had no major complications. No bleeding no contracting. A few things to note though, I don't know if they had anything to do my Pprom. 5 weeks into my pregnancy I had discomfort and a small peach barely noticeable spot when I wiped. This happened again at 10 weeks. I was told it was completely normal. I remember one time on a walk I coughed and felt a wetness in my underwear. I thought great I'm peeing myself now. When I reached my destination I felt more wet..My obvious warning signs were right before I Pprom. I was coming close to 5 months when after a friend's daughter's birthday party I started cramping. Just like a period but different and I definitely knew this should NOT be happening. I went to the bathroom and saw a mucus pink discharge. The second time I used the bathroom I saw more mucous with a yellow brownish glob. I didn't know at the time that this was my mucus plug. I freaked though. I told myself it was so far into my pregnancy nothing could go wrong and took a nap. 4 days later I had my 2nd ultrasound and we found out we were having the precious boy we had wished for. That same night my belly harden on one side. Just like it had been for the last couple weeks. I thought braxton hicks were so normal in the 2nd trimester and went to bed. The next morning I soaked my underwear 3x. I knew this was not pee and on my way to the hospital I told myself it would all be ok. It was a hospital and they would fix whatever was going on. Tests were done and they tell us there is nothing they could do. I had not reached viability and my baby would more than likely come within a few days. If I kept pregnant he would be born premature and face a life with countless disabilities. They adviced us to terminated the pregnancy but my son had a strong heart we decided to let nature take its course. I spend 4 weeks at home bed rest. It was hard not knowing we would make it each day. I was given steriod shots at 23+4 an +5 for his lungs and admitted to a hospital with a level 3 NICU 2 hours away from home. I delivered my son at 29+2 days on Fathers day by c-section. No infection. My body had just had enough. Benjamin weighed 3lbs 5oz, considered a big preemie. He had a smooth ride in the NICU. No major set backs just took his time. He spend a little over a week on the ventilator, 5 weeks on the cpap and a month on the nasal cannula. He was a miracle in his NICU. No one not even his pareatnts could believe that he was beating the odds. With only 2cm of fluid ever measured he was thriving. He came off oxygen 4 days before his due date. He was transferred a week later to a university hospital for a hernia repair and came home 2 weeks later. A total of 100 days spent in a NICU. We've been home for 2 months now and hes doing amazing. He's on no lung treatments. We've had no scares and he's growing at least an oz a day. Well over 12 lbs he is right on track for his adjusted age of 2 months. You would never know he went what he went through just to be here.