By Jackie Rixon, England
PROM at 18 weeks + 1 days. Delivery at 27 weeks + 6 days.
Story added: 2009-07-12

This pregnancy had always been an eventful one from the very start. Intermittant bleeding/spotting (plus a history of recurrent miscarriages) caused me to have an early scan in which the sonographer initially thought i had a blighted ovum as no embryo could be seen at almost 7 weeks but right at the last minute while she checked other measurements we spotted him down in the corner with a good strong heartbeat pumping away! I suffered with dreadful nausea up until 16 weeks morning noon and night, sometimes unable to tolerate sips of water and a heavyish bleed at about 10 weeks was reassured with another scan and then a nuchal scan gave us much more reassurance, the consultant advising that i had a subchorionic haemorrhage but baby looked good and strong along with the placenta etc.
My waters broke at 18 weeks and a day, no gush just a trickle that for a few hours i thought maybe urinary incontinence. My worst fears were confirmed at hospital and following a couple of scans we were given the worst prognosis. My husband and i truly believed it was all over that day and i fully expected to go into labour that night, but i didn't. Weekly blood tests, low vaginal swabs and a scan gave me a milestone each week to get through (i insisted on the scans my consultant didn't want to scan me until i reached 28 weeks!)He also said i could return to work and didn't advise rest as it wouldn't change the outcome! I luckily have a very supportive family who helped with childcare and housework etc which enabled me to take it easy (not bedrest though) and my gp signed me off work . At 27 weeks i had steroid injections but the day after the 2nd injection i didn't feel particularly well and following the night in hospital and some blood tests it was obvious i had an infection. My son was born 2 days later, ventilated and taken to intensive care. By the evening he was extubated and put on cpap and is currently doing pretty well in the HDU 3 weeks later. He is stable and now putting on weight, tolerates being off cpap for 4 hours at a time, has had a few problems tolerating increased milk feeds but is alert and absolutely beautiful. I can honestly say that the people who gave me hope were the sonographers who each week told me how good he looked on the scan and told me to remain positive as there is always hope no matter how bad it seems.The doctors never made me feel that giving birth to a live baby was achievable although the consultant did say it was possible in fairness to him but i never saw that belief in his eyes.
Dont give up hope, i used a bit of common sense and took life a bit easier, took a multivitamin, ate and drank well and kept myself as clean as possible. It may or may not have helped but i now have my 2nd gorgeous son all be it in special care so i have to assume it all helped to get him to a reasonable gestation.