By Suzette, Indianapolis, IN USA
PROM at 14 weeks + 6 days. Delivery at 14 weeks + 7 days.
Story added: 2001-07-24

We lost our son at 6:15 a.m. July 21, 2001 after PROM. I woke up at 1:30 a.m. Friday morning because something didn't feel right. When I went to the bathroom I felt the gush of water and knew my membranes had ruptured. We called the ambulance immediately. By 7:00 a.m. Friday morning I was given a sonogram and told I had lost 90% of my ambiodic fluid but that the baby appeared normal and alive which didn't mean a hill of beans considering it would not survive or continue to develop without the fluid (My doctor and hospital staff were great EXCEPT on this point). My husband and I were counseled on the possibilities of this situation. My take was it was pretty much hopeless and we should just wait for the labor to begin, but once again as the luck of my whole pregnancy went it never started. So then we had to decide whether to wait until our baby died inside me and induce or just induce because it was hopeless (GREAT options) I hate my life. My temp started spiking and that was a God sent decision maker...we had to induce not only for my health (which I didn't really care about), but for the health of my uterus (because temp means infection and infection means potential scaring of the uterus lining which could further complicate future pregnancy). I was induced and after a slow labor finally delivered our son. He was so perfect..arms, legs, fingers and toes. I know everyone tells you not to blame yourself, but when you see that your baby was fine and normal and even after your water breaks you see it continue to hold on to life, who's left in the relationship to blame? I failed him. I didn't do it intentinally or want to hurt myself now for it, but a fact is a fact and I am so mad at my body for letting him down. I'm sorry Cal.
I had a perfect pregnancy with our daughter expect I had PROM with her at 34 wks. She came through it wonderfully. I had spotting with Cal during my first trimester not a lot, but it was there; had constant yeast (or what I thought were) infections and two days before the 20th I had an accute gastrointestinal attack that had me literally in tears. I couldn't release any gas for 24hrs. but I had bowel movements. The doctor doesn't think it is related. I want to finish by saying I'm a Capricorn and I tell my story very factually, but I am devistated right now about losing our son. I felt that if I could delay labor it was another minute he could live and I could still "hold" him in some sense. I had a bunch of complications after this birth but I just didn't give a damn about me. I let him down and let him go and that is just how I feel about it even after reading all the grief info. I'm sorry Cal. I am so sorry for each of your loses and you're in my thoughts.