By Kellie, Worthinton, OH USA
PROM at 29 weeksDelivery at 30 weeks + 2 days.
Story added: 2004-03-20

I started with preterm labor around 25 weeks. I was in and out of the hospital for monitoring and Terb shots. I was admitted for 6 days (27w6d-28w5d) with preterm labor and a positive FFN. I was released on complete bedrest with bathroom and shower privledges. My husband and I went to bed around 2:30 the night my water broke. I remember going to the bathroom right before going to bed. I woke up right before 4 AM thinking that I had to use the restroom. I got up and as I walked to the bathroom I thought I couldn't control my bladder and was peeing down my legs. Once I got to the bathroom more fluid came out but it was clear. I was a bit susicious but the leaking stopped so I got up, put on new underware and sat on the edge of the bed. I halfway woke up my husband b/c I had a funny feeling. Then I just started crying. I walked into the family room to sit on the couch and the whole way there I kept leaking. I knew this wasn't urine. I woke my husband up all the way and told him through my tears that I thought my water had broken. He frantically threw things into a bag for the hospital while I called L&D and told them what happened and that we were coming in. We put a towel on the seat of the car and drove to the hospital scared out of our minds. That morning I was only 29w0d.

Once we got up to L&D we were given a room and I put on my lovely hospital gown. The nurse said it sounded like my water had broken but the doctor needed to check. The doctor inserted the speculum and said "Yep.....you ruptured alright" before even seeing the bright blue on the litmus strip. They did an ultrasound and found that I had around 1cm of fluid left at the most. They gave me 12 hours until I would deliver. Fortunately for Carson, we made it through 6 episodes of labor, three episodes of bleeding, tons of heparin injections, 9 days of IV antibiotics(GBS), inverted complete bedrest along with the wonderful bedpan, fever, infection, and finally the birth of our 30 weeker aided by Pitocin due to my uterine infection.

Carson Sterling was born at 11:47AM on June 17th, 2003 and spent a total of 31 days in the NICU. He weighed 3lbs 14oz and was 15 3/4 inches long(3lbs 6oz at lowest weight). He was vented for 1 1/2 days, CPAP for 1 week, nasal canula for 2 weeks, and had all of the "normal" preemie problems for a 30 weeker. He is now a thriving 9 month old who is consistant in development with his adjusted age.