Rhea born at 34 weeks

Hi, looking through this FB page really helped me while at home with PPROM so id love to share my story to think even if it helps or comforts just one other person...

One morning at 32 weeks pregnant, i woke up, my partner & i lying in bed feeling our little girl wriggling around as normal! I got up to get ready for work and noticed that id had 'a show', in a panic i rang my mum and the hospital and we made our way, the hospital was roughly a hour away, once we got to the triage unit and id been monitored, the midwife had looked at more of 'the show' that id been loosing, and examined me seeing my sac of waters, she was happy with everything all ready to send me home and we joked about skiving work and getting breakfast on the way back. Thats until the test came back positive to me losing amniotic fluid. I was un aware of any fluid loss. I was straight away given my first steroid injection and started on a course of antibiotics incase of infection, and admitted on to the antenatal ward, i was given leaflets on PPROM and a midwife came and explained to me about how a baby would be born at 32 weeks. Hours passed and nothing happened, i was asked constantly if id lost any more waters, explaining i was unaware of any fluid loss in the first place. I was took for a scan and as soon as I saw our baby on the screen i broke down into tears, it all got to much, i couldn't see the screen properly through my teary eyes, but reassured all was ok with our little girl and she still had a normal amount of fluid around her, me thinking of course she had, iv not lost any water?! After 2 nights in hospital nothing else happened and i was discharged on the basis i was agreeing to 'self assessment'.

Keeping a eye on my babies movements , my temperate, and continue with my antibiotics, being seen every 3 days till my scan 2 weeks later to measure fluid loss. I couldn't go back to work so i kept myself busy but also had to much time to worry about the slightest thing. I constantly wanted to feel my baby move, and luckily she had always been active so this made it easy for me, it was very hot weather so i was paranoid about my temperature constantly! 2 weeks passed, 34 weeks pregnant ,seeming like the longest 2 weeks of my life!

But we got there, scan day! No sign of infection and a constantly busy babe, i should of been more relaxed, I could feel my nerves as i sat in the waiting room thinking we would need the hospital bags out the car! And finally there she was, my baby on the screen surrounded by lots of amniotic fluid. I literally felt the worry leave my body and reassured all was ok from the consultant ,the relief took over and i could enjoy seeing our little princess again.

I was told to go back to normal low risk pregnancy and continue with my normal antenatal care, and the consultant explained that the tests for amniotic fluid can be wrong. 2 days later I'd met a friend for coffee, walked around town gathering things for my properly packed hospital bag, even though I was given the all clear it gave me the push to get organised! I sat down on the sofa for a rest when I'd got home, the baby was very low from 30 weeks so I'd felt uncomfortable walking round for weeks anyway, I was about to take a little afternoon snooze, when woosh, there it was, my waters! Got to the hospital again, and I kept getting asked 'so you think you have lost some fluid now' .. no, this time my waters had definitely gone! With a examination the midwifes could still see my front waters, so I'd only lost my hind, she explained that i may have to go home as the baby is still protected, until mid examination her eyebrows raised surprisingly! I was 4-5cm and sent to the delivery suite!

I stayed calm with the reassurance that id had the steroid injections 2 weeks previous! There was a impressive looking machine in the room, i tried not to give it much thought! I had a good labour although being a small babe she took some extra pushing, but as she was nearly out the called the Neonatal Dr to the room, i couldn't really give it all much thought i just wanted to meet our baby girl, and then here she was, born into the world, weighing 4lbs 11, breathing on her own! She was put straight onto me and before i had time to take anything in the Dr had her on this impressive machine, I remember i just kept asking 'is she ok?' The Neonatal Dr managed to give her back to us for a short time for us to get another quick cuddle and then she was gone, but i knew i was in love! When i went to see her again the midwives pushing me along the corridor I just felt weird, what am i going to see? I didn't know what to expect. And then there she was! My beautiful girl, I was instantly in love! I almost couldn't see the wires & tubes as i was to in love staring at my gorgeous girls face! Sat next to her staring at my perfect girl, the nurses then convinced me to sleep as id delivered through the night i was falling asleep in the chair. The first few days seemed like the most positive, everything moved quickly, her Cannula was soon out as her bloods came back fine, no sign of infection! She started taking some bottle feeds, she moved down to the last bay as she was doing so well! She came off the monitors and I had home life in my sights! But with Jaundice levels on the rise it turned into a vicious circle. She would feed really well and come off the UV and into a normal crib and id think 'yes this is it'. But with in hours she would stop feeding as well, being sleepy due to the Jaundice going back to treatment and she would be back in the incubator and having more tube feeds.

This was so frustrating, it felt like a vicious circle that was never going to end. I had a good recovery i was desperate to be home, luckily i was able to stay in the Family Flats the whole time, i didn't want to leave my baby but also i just missed home, i felt a lot of frustration, cabin fever from the hospital but i could not bare the thought of going home with out my girl! 'Its down to Rhea' the Dr's would say! And it really was, on day 10 she decided to pull out her feeding tube!

A new one was put down and she did it again! Its like she knew she was ready and it gave the nurses a reason to keep up with the bottle feeds, they did and Rhea took to each feed well.. her Jaundice just kept dropping with out any treatment and literally from one day to the next it was a different story! On day 11, 'She can go home tomorrow' the Dr's told me on that ward round, as quick as that! I cried instantly and I felt like id won the lottery! A day i never thought would come and words i never thought id hear! We spent the night together in the flat and the next day when i sat in that car looking at my baby, i looked back at the hospital and cried 'what a journey' i thought.. my baby girl is now 7 weeks old, gaining weight well and perfect its all a distant memory till i look at photo's and realise how far we come! We will never know if the test was right or wrong, or if it was a coincidence! But im glad i took the precautions and advice anyway for my healthy baby girl.