By Angie, Winchendon, Ma USAThis was my fourth pregnancy, but my second PROM.
PROM at 29 weeks + 4 days. Delivery at 31 weeks + 6 days.
Story added: 2007-02-01
In the 28th week, I lost what I thought to be my mucous plug, but the nurse dismissed it when I called the Doctor's office.
One evening after using the bathroom, I felt this gush and knew instantly that it was my water breaking. I called the Doctor's office, and was told that it was probably not serious, but to come in anyway.
At the hospital, they quickly confirmed that the membranes had ruptured, and made arrangement for me to go to a different hospital. I was taken by ambulance to the nearest NICU hospital, where I was to stay until the birth of my baby. They administered two doses of corticosteroids, 24 hours apart to mature the baby's lungs.
During the two weeks that followed, I was on bedrest with bathroom priveledges. I was monitored closely for infection, fetal distress, and had daily U/S to measure amniotic fluid. I had no contractions, and thought I would be there forever.
At 31.6 weeks, on what seemed like every other day of my hospitalization, something changed. I had a very slight fever, and the baby's heartbeat indicated fetal distress. My daughter had also changed position FREQUENTLY, and was now breach. In what seemed like an instant, It was decided that I needed an emergency C-Section. I was terrified, but felt reassured by the competence of my doctors.
My daughter was born soon after, and I was able to catch a glimpse of her before they whisked her away to the nursery. She looked like she was folded in half, which they told me is common for C-section babies. Her appearance was heart-wrenching when I first saw her. So tiny, with tubes and wires everywhere.
In the NICU, she did very well. She weighed 3'5, and her lungs were great. No As or Bs, but she was too small to maintain her body temperature on her own.
The nurses wouldn't let me nurse her, but planned on giving her gavage feedings. I had to protest strongly & meet with the doctors during rounds to convince them to let me attempt nursing. Much to thier surprise, she did great! Nursing ( and Billi Lights) helped her jaundice, and after 10 days she was transferred to a hospital closer to home. I was able to stay there, too, because I was nursing. She stayed there forseven more days, and as soon as she was able to regulate her temp, we went home. Vivian is now three years old, and even the Doc calls her his miracle baby. Without Early Intervention, she is one of the most accomplished kids in her gymnastics class, in the 90th percentile for height and weight, and is, IMO, absolutely brilliant.
I am now in my 28th week, and terrified that my baby boy will be too early. I lost what I am sure was part of my mucous plug last week, but the doc dismissed it. They are going to do the fFN test at my next visit, and if it is positive they will start steroid shots. I am particularly nervous because I have heardthat boys don't do as well as girls. I just want him to be ok.