By Gail Steinhobel, Johannesburg South AfricaI was leaving home to pick up my 2 year old from creche when I suddenly felt a little water leaking... initially I thought that I had an accident - never would have imagined it to be my amniotic fluid. I quickly tried to read up about the situation but couldn't really find anything that would help me identify whether it was my waters, so I left to pick up my daughter. When I got to the creche I had a huge gush of fluid - confirming that it was indeed my waters that had broken. I was taken the the gynae's rooms, at the hospital. The baby was fine.
PROM at 28 weeks + 3 days. Delivery at 32 weeks + 3 days.
Story added: 2009-12-14
I was admitted to hospital where my gynae shared the various scenario's with me, I could go into labour within 48 hours, 1 week or usually deliver by 2 weeks. I was given one course of cortisone. That was the start of exactly 4 weeks of bedrest in hospital. I continuously leaked/drained amniotic fluid. My baby was however well. I was put on progesterone and adalat (spelling!) retard to prevent contractions. I had nst's run three times a day. I also had weekly scans. Blood tests were preformed every 2 days to monitor my white blood count for any signs of infection. I was only allowed walk for toilet breaks and to shower. My husband and daughter would push me around the hospital on a wheelchair to get me out of the room. About 2 and a half weeks after the prom my amniotic fluid was slightly pink, I shared this info with the sisters and gynae who weren't at all concerned. About 3 and a half weeks after the prom my baby turned into a breech position and that's when the leaking of the amniotic fluid got a lot worse, I seemed to leak most of the day. On the day of my baby's birth she was particularly quiet. I went to the toilet and saw that the pink amniotic fluid was back - I shared this with a nurse who said that it was fine. But the whole day the pink amniotic fluid continued. I found another nurse and informed her that the blood was definitely coming out with the amniotic fluid and not when I was urinating. They then contacted the gynae, he informed me that we would deliver the baby that evening. When he was stitching me up he said that the cause of the bleeding was placenta abruption due the the lack of amniotic fluid, the uterus shrinks causing the placenta to come away from the uterus.
My little girl was born weighing 1.96kg's with Apgars of 8 and 10. She was sent to ICU where she was only on oxygen for a day. She is still in High Care (3 and a half weeks later) but she is incredibly healthy, the only problem is with her sucking. She is now on 2 bottle feeds a day, and we're hoping that she will be home for Christmas. The gynae said that the stress in the womb after the prom aided in her lungs maturing!
The bedrest was worth every minute. I was the longest 4 weeks in my life... I think that the worst part of it was not knowing when things would go wrong... and the fear of whether my baby would have long term problems. The gynae would also not commit to when he would draw the line and deliver the baby, in hindsight I think it was to prevent me from building up my hopes and being let down...