By Sharon Green, Aldershot England
PROM at 29 weeks + 4 days. Delivery at 30 weeks + 2 days.
Story added: 2007-09-02

Having had a previous PROM premature baby getting pregnant the second time i was hopeful that i would go full term and it was a one off.By now i wasn't working, i was a stay at home mum to my 18 month old daughter Chloe and was loving every bit about her, and was not as stressed as i would be if i was working.Though i found myself gradually getting more and more worried about this pregnancy,even though it was going smoothly.I worried everytime i went to the toilet,would my waters break?.Every cough and sneeze,would it make my waters break?. i was becoming obsessed!i worried about every pain and twinge.My midwife wasn't worried about me having a early delivery.I was,though i never mentioned it and i should have done.At about 16 weeks i found out i have anti small c antibodies in my blood and it could cause jeundice and the baby might have to have a blood tranfusion when born or even in the womb.So yet another worry.I tried to keep positive and none of my worries were founded as yet.I was having monthly bloods done to keep an eye on my anti-bodies and doctor seem convinced i wouldn't have a premature delivery.I know now that after researching on the Prom website i should have had a test for infections and my cervix checked etc for funneling.Well i got to 29+4 weeks and i was thinking im nearly 30 weeks,my baby could survive if i had it at 30 weeks.I got up to go to the toilet at 7am and then Whoosh! they went! all on the floor and i just stood in the bathroom in shock.My husband was in bed and i remember how effected he had been about seeing his daughter in the scbu. i stood there for 5 minutes just to prepare what i was going to say to james(husband).I knew what lay ahead but we would get through it.My bump had shrunk alot and the baby looked like it was in a hammock in my womb! i was scarred the baby wasn't going to make it.My mum drove from kent to help with chloe and to take me to the hospital.Why i didn't call an ambulance i don't know.i probably thought it wasn't much of an emergency!.Now i would have called the ambulance,it is an emergancy,they told me at the hospital i should have done.Well i had my son 5 days later(same as last time)in a different hospital.I had to be transferred in labour in an ambulance for a 2 hour journey.They gave me medicine to stop contractions but it made me breathless and my heart beat very fast.They didn't have a cot for my baby at my hospital!i just wanted my baby safe wherever i gave birth.They had to break another bag of water in front of his head for him to be born,how ironic!that was the reason i was having my baby early in the first place.My son cried and he was handed to my husband,i wanted him to hold him first.Our relationship had become strained over the past few months.We just didn't talk about how we felt and we grew apart.You must talk to each other about how you feel.The father sometimes get forgotten.I become so wrapped up in this pregnancy and being a mum i had no time for him.We are over it all now,we are stronger for it.Our son joshua had no problems other than he needed a little oxygen to get him pinker.Joshua was being tranfered to our hospital 2hours away and the ambulance was so old and the cot wasn't the right temp,i should have put a stop to it.It just didn't feel safe.Anyway he had an apnea(forgot to breath)in the ambulance.Ive never been so scarred.The nurse revived him and i was releived to get to the hospital.They said he was running a temp.It was because of that old incubator was to hot.I should of complained but i was just glad that he was safe now.i was breast feeding but he had trouble putting on weight.He couldn't go home until he was.He went home on being bottle feed with formula.After 5 weeks in all he was home.What a relief.We realise that the outcome for one or both babies could have been alot worse and i really feel deeply for the families that arn't so lucky.I am now 14 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child.I am worried,but im hopeful after getting good advice from this website it will help me through it. im seeing my consultant at the end of the month.Im going to see what his plan is.But i am going to insist to be checked for infections and i would like my cervix monitored at least monthly.Well we will see.im alot wiser now and i ready for anything this pregnancy throws at me!Good luck to you all and i hope my stories help you in your PROM journey.