By Laura Sizen, Vermont USAPROM #2: Paige
PROM at 33 weeksDelivery at 33 weeks.
Story added: 1998-02-24
My second baby was due March 20, 1991. Before this pregnancy, I had joined a health club, and had become a water aerobics instructor. It was after teaching my water aerobics class that I noticed regular contractions, about 3-5 mins apart, lasting for 1-2 hours. I was only 29 weeks! I went to my regular 30 week appointment a couple of days later, and the doctor did an internal exam. I was already 3 cms. dilated! He told me to go home on "modified bedrest", which to me meant that I couldn't work teaching aerobics or milking our cows anymore. 3 weeks later, on February 2nd, I had PROM. I was at home, alone with Becca, then 2, when it happened. My husband had gone to his brother's house, 15 minutes away, to visit that afternoon. I tried calling over there for an hour or more, and I am nearly frantic by this time with worry. Well, an hour and a half after my PROM, he shows up at the door, with a PUPPY!! He said, "guess what Honey, I have a surprise for you". Well I said, "guess what Honey, I have a surprise for YOU!!" We were off to the hospital.
To this day, I am thankful for Paige's prematurity. Because I was at 33 weeks, they didn't induce labor, I was able to avoid Pitocin. They did the test to see if her lungs had surfactant, which took hours to complete. By the time the test results were in, I was into full- fledged, NATURAL labor. I absolutely did NOT want an epidural, either. Well, she did have the surfactant. She was very large for a 33 weeker, weighing 5 lbs 13 ozs. She was only in the NICU for 5 days, and was home at 7 days old. She was so healthy!
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