By Kristi, Lynden USA
PROM at 20 weeksDelivery at 24 weeks + 2 days.
Story added: 2000-03-01

I had some leaking at 14 weeks and was in the hospital for 3 days. The leaking stopped and I was sent home on strict bedrest. Everything seemed fine after that but at 20 weeks my water broke. I went to the hospital and was told that the biggest risk to me and the baby was an infection. I did not get an infection but my fluid levels were very low and I continued to lose fluid everyday.

After two weeks of hospital bedrest, my doctor said I could go home for the next two weeks because everything seemed fairly stable. I stayed with my mother-in-law because she was taking care of my other daughter (21 months) and I wanted to spend time with her. At 24 2/7 weeks I started having contractions and I went to the hospital once again. My daughter Emily Serena was born late that evening and she weighed one pound and four ounces. She was very beautiful but she only lived for half and hour. Her lungs were not developed enough for the doctors to do anything. She just was not ready to live in this big world. We are dealing with this difficult loss now and we find our comfort in our faith in God. He has our little girl in heaven and she couldn't be in a better place than that.