It had not been an uneventful pregnancy. I had been admitted several times with irritable uterus and bleeding from 19 weeks.
My dd2 had been born at 28 weeks from what seemed to be incompetent cervix and I was scared of going through it all again..
I talked to my OB about a cerclage (cervical stitch) but he decided it was unnecessary….i got other opinions and they disagreed but because I was in a public hospital no one would override him. I had to push to get internal u/s done to at least check on my cervical length.
Each check it was getting shorter but they wouldn’t do anything unless it was under 2.5cm. 5th Jan 2010 - I went in for an u/s at 23w5d to have my cervical length measured...it had shortened to 2.3cm with half of that funnelled I would need and emergency cervical suture. 6th Jan 2010 – I went into the hospital in the morning. I was terrified a stitch this late in pregnancy posed a lot of risks. When I got settled in I enquired about steroids…I received my first shot and hour later.
At midday I was wheeled down to surgery…I had a million things going through my head.
The epidural was put in and I was taken into theatre. The last time I had been in that room was to deliver my daughter 12 weeks early so it brought back some very strong emotions.
The stitch was placed successfully.
That night my body tried to go into labour…I was given nephedipine, morphine, phenergan to try and stop it. I was not allowed to get out of bed at all…not even for the toilet. It finally stopped in the early hours of the morning. 7th Jan 2010 – I got my 2nd steroid shot and they wanted to keep me in another night to ensure I was steroid current. I was so pleased to be 24 weeks. 8th Jan 2010 – I was discharged and I went home a little more positive of getting closer to full term now my baby boy was on lock down. 12th Jan 2010 - 24w5d and I got bleeding, pain around my cervix and some tightenings...the hospital told me to come in by the time we got in there the tightenings where 5 min apart and quite strong...I was taken straight to L&D.
Things seem to be getting serious even after morphine and phenergan they didn't stop...finally about 6 hrs later and three quick doses of nefedipine they finally settled.
I was admitted and taken up to my room and they kept me in overnight for observation. 14th Jan 2010 - 25w ctx started about 9am in the morning about 6 min apart...after 1.5 hrs of this they took me back down to L&D...I was thinking this will all tapper off again like it had before.
I was contracting all day and had several bright red bleeds and they were concerned that either my stitch was ripping thru or my classical c-section scar was rupturing.
It got to about 6pm after giving all the drugs they could to stop labour the contractions where still coming...I was exhausted.
I hadn't eaten since breakfast just in case they had to rush me to theatre...but about 6.15pm she said I could have a light salad and see if the ctx stopped. I ate a small amount but then threw it straight up...they all started to look very concerned then saying that it was a sign things where really getting serious. I was terrified. DH wasn’t there…I had been on my own all day.
Then it was noticed that Maxx's heart rate was dropping down to 108-112 (from 140-150) with each ctx...he was tiring out to.
That is when things got serious...the room filled up with people and it was decided that he was coming out right away. Just as the decision was made DH walked into the room...like me he had expected all of the day’s events to fizzle out. It took a minute to register that our baby boy was about to be born 15 weeks early.
It all happened fast from there...jewellery off, gown on and wheel up to theatre. DH was taken to gown up while they took me into the prep room...I was shaking all over.
It took about 20 min to prep me and give me the spinal/epidural.
I was then wheeled into theatre and there where people everywhere….anaesthetist, midwifes, surgical nurses, peads, OB’s. DH came thru all gowned up.
I just wanted to shout out leave him in there…he is safer in there…this is not happening but I knew this was real and he had to be born.
I could feel them tugging at me, they only had to do a bikini line cut and not a classical like last time.
He was born at 7.20pm.
After about 10min he was out and taken straight over to the 'big bertha' table to be worked on….I didn’t hear him cry I kept asking if he was ok…I could feel the panic in the pit of my stomach.
I could only just see him...DH was taking photos and reassuring me that he was perfect. He came out really pink and the anaesthetist reassured me that all the peads where smiling so that was a really good sign.
His apgars where 6 and 7…he was already proving he was going to be a fighter.
They wheeled him over for me to see and have my first little touch...I just wanted to hold him and it broke my heart to see him and DH leave and I could not follow.
They finished stitching me up and took out the cervical stitch.
I was then taken into recovery...I felt surprisingly well, I was moving my toes within minutes...the whole thing was quick but it didn't seem as traumatic as dd2’s birth...maybe because I had been through it before.
DH then came into recovery (I was the only one in there) and showed me all the photos and told me he weighed 920g...I just about fell of the bed. He is great weight for his gestation.
I was taken up to the ward after about 40 min the nurse was amazed as I was already moving my legs.
I just wanted to go see my baby but was told I could not go down until I could stand and get into the wheel chair myself.
DH came back up to my room and showed me more photos.
I keep moving my legs to get feeling back.
While I waited I did what any modern mummy would do and jumped on the laptop to announce my precious boys’ extremely surprising arrival.
After DH left I was determined to see by boy…a couple of hours after my section I needed something out of bed so I decided to test my legs and get it…no problem
My midwife came in ( a lovely Irish lady) she notice a little drop of blood on the and knew I had got out of bed and said with a smile ‘you are determined aren’t you…we can go down now)
The trip seemed to take forever but well worth it! My baby boy was gorgeous…he was tiny and had tubes and wires everywhere. My wedding ring could fit over his tiny hand.
It was not until 3 weeks later that I got my first precious cuddle but I savoured every touch.
He went through a lot in the nursery and we came close to losing him…but he fought really hard and amazed the medical staff and us with his tenacity.
It was the best day finally bringing him home after nearly 4 months in the hospital.
He is now our gorgeous happy little one year old boy.
Thank you for taking the time to read my long story.
He certainly taught me a thing or two on how to face life
I am thankful every day to have him he is such a delight and all his big brothers and sisters love him.
Thank you for reading.
He certainly was determined to make an early entrance!
His name Maxx has a xx because x is a strong letter and it helped give him the strength to fight.
Apart from being tiny (5.5kg) he is happy and healthy...we are very lucky.
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Birth of my miracle boy at 25 weeks
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