By Andrea, Grand Rapids, MI United States
PROM at 18 weeks + 4 days. Delivery at 19 weeks + 4 days.
Story added: 2007-09-19

On Friday Morning August 31st, I was getting out of bed when I had a little leaking. I figured I just couldn't hold my bladder for some reason. I didn't really think much of it and went about my day. Then next morning the same thing happened, again I didn't think much of it until later that night. When using the bathroom I had a clear discharge. I called my doctors office who advised me to go to the ER.

In the ER I was given a pelvic exam and saw the look on the doctors face when he asked the nurse to please come out in the hall way with him. I over heard him say to her to please call the on-call OB down asap. In the mean time they sent me for an ultrasound. All looked good on the ultrasound. The OB on-call did a steril exam and said that I was dialated 3cm. and the my membrains were poking out. He then mentioned when he did the exam that he felt the baby kicking his fingers. He at that point said that they were sending me to Spectrum Hospital where the specialists I was sent via EMS.

Once at Spectrum they did some tests one which was to see if the fluid that I was leaking was in fact amneotic fluid. The test that they did was 99% acurate. Well it showed negitave that it wasn't amneotic fluid. This was a releaf to my husband Ryan & I. They sent me upstaris to a private room and put me on strict bed rest. By this time it was Sunday morning.

The doctors came in and wanted to keep me there to see what happened. I was able at that point to use the restroom and then right back to bed.

On Monday at about 4:12 pm I felt a pop and a big gush of fluid and called for the nurse right away. They tested again with this 99% acurate test which showed that it was again NOT amneotic fliud. However the on call OB said that she beleived the test was wrong and ordered an ultrasound. The ultrasound had proven that there was very little water around our baby. The heart beat was still very strong.

I was still on bedrest w/ bathroom privlages until Thrusday night I started having very bad craping. Not ever having a child before (this was our 1st) I didn't realize these were contractions. I kept telling the nurse that I was having bad craps. She said to take a sleeping pill and that would take the edge of the craps off. I did this. The next day they were gone for the most part.

On Friday September 7th they released me from the hospital to go home on strict bed rest only bathroom and quick showers. I was home for 5 & 1/2 hours when I went to the bathroom and saw blood. I called the specialist who said to come right back.

After getting back to the hospital the specialist checked me and said that I was completley dialeted. They tried to listen for a heart beat for the baby and were unable to find one. They let us beleive that our baby had died.

The doctor asked me to push a few times and then the baby was out. I felt her kick my inner thigh. She was alive. Our beautiful baby girl was alive. I was 19 weeks and 4 days when I gave birth to Lilly Jane. She was 8" long and weighed 8.3 oz. SO little. She was with us for only a short time. But we are greatful for every small minute that we had her.

We will try again for another baby but no one will ever replace our little Lilly Jane.