Waters have broken at 28 weeks - we're in America!

[Southsearocks]

I've come over to the US for a two week holiday to my partner's family. No problems at all in this pregnancy (my first). Then yesterday morning the waters broke! I've been admitted to a local hospital and although me and baby are fine we'll be here for the duration. It's likely to be three months! Baby could come any time between now and full term so we're keeping everything crossed (including my legs of course) it stays in as long as possible. Either way we're not able to fly home for a looong time...

Our baby will be coming back to the UK an American citizen - how about that?

Pray the insurance works out for us!!

I'm so sorry SSR, that is the absolute last thing you needed! I bet your DP feels a bit silly...
Shall we organise a whip-round? I can supply an envelope and about 30p [a bit broke emoticon]

I'd donate if we did a whip round :)

Poor you southsea! What a nightmare! As much as I love the US (I am American), they really do need to sort out the healthcare there. I know there are charities who help out in situations such as this, it would be worth contacting the payments department at the hospital for more info. My BIL had to have an emergency appendectomy and they had no insurance. They got a charity to cover a fair bit of it, and were able to get a payment plan for the remaining balance.

Poor you and DH! I suppose one way to look at it is that he could have managed a much worse injury. Imagine if DH had been hospitalised as well!

Ah southsea, lots of hugs-hope your DP is better and that he gets some pain medication sorted! Although he might make a fantastically sympathetic birth partner now......he will understand some of what you are feeling in labour!

Hi, I've not posted in a while, but have been checking in daily. If it comes to it we could have a whip-round via paypal. All you need is someone's email address to put money to their account. Easy peasy. I'm sure even if we could all only spare a quid, there are so many people on this thread you could raise loads.

Hope you can keep your sense of humour about this one SouthSea!

Thanks for your enormously generous offers, that is so lovely. I seriously think we're going to be ok money wise so don't worry too much about us and as DP is going to a different facility for plaster casting I'm certain he's not expected to have surgery now.

I dreamed last night that the baby came out through my stomach via a kind of osmosis. It was a bit freaky. And then I was trying to stuff him or her back in again! My nurse today, Carol, said she used to dream she was giving birth to kittens with all 3 of her pregnancies. She could see them and feel them clawing her insides!

I've been treated today to waffles and ice cream care of a doctor who makes it for the staff when he's in, and cold pizza from last nights dinner at BIL's. I've forgotten how lovely things can taste, I've got so used to hospital food. All I've done today actually is eat. I'm realising now how precious these last few days of relaxation are so will be making the most of it, including sleeping as much as possible!

I'm starting to get really excited about the birth too though and I've just bought a wrap because they look so snuggly and comfortable. I really can't wait now! Only 8 days including today. I think I'm getting mentally prepared because two days ago I wanted to put it off for as long as I could.

DP is clearly in pain but reluctant to take his tablet - that is such a man thing

Just caught up on your progress and staggered at the latest installment - so sorry about DH! Well done for keeping positive and how exciting about only having 8 days left. Very best wishes (from my DH too, who keeps asking for an update on your condition!). x

Tell DH he'll be useless to you if he's in too much pain and you need him to be able to think clearly so he needs to stop being a lamebrain and take his pain meds!! FGS there are no medals for suffering.

I'd definitely donate if you needed help :)

Enjoy the last few days of relaxation. I worked until Jan 31 and my labour started Feb 11. I wish someone had told me I would never get that "just me" time back. Well, I will, but not for a long while! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
It's 10:20 pm your time, I hope you're sleeping. It's 7:20 pm here and we've just finished dinner. It was gorgeous and sunny but arse-freezing cold (well, by our standards - but I don't mind because the mountains were out in all their snow-capped glory) and I took DS to the playground to run off the squirrelies. We came home chilled right through and jumped in a hot bath... now, having been well fed, I hope he'll run out of steam before I do! :o
Sleep well! A week tomorrow you'll meet Pebble! xxJM

South - he's lucky it's you he's married to!! I think I would have had a SOH bypass at that stage and gone off on one about playing football in the ice/snow (unless it was indoors??). I can see you coming through the airport now, DH in a wheelchair carrying Pebble, being pushed by the airport helper while you push all the luggage... not quite what you had in mind I suspect!!

At least you have a date now :)

I have just spent an hour reading this thread as somehow it had passed me by.
Southsearocks, you are amazing, I am amazed by your strength and how well you seem to be doing, the support from the people on here too is incredible.
I will definitely follow this thread and keep updated on how you are doing.
I was in hospital for 16 weeks on traction for a badly smashed leg after a car accident and can really sympathise with the frustration of not leaving one room/bed and getting frustrated and emotional over tiny things, because when your whole world is one room, these things seems enormous!
Good luck and I hope all goes well

DP has just phoned and won't be in until much later today. He has to go to a clinic to have his leg plastered at 3pm and they are querying the insurance so have said they may not do it. I said to tell them we'll pay cash (might as well just get it done and we've got enough saved from not going out spending). It's just more hassle....

Still, on the bright side baby is still looking wonderful on the monitor and is moving loads, and it's only 7 days to go!! Everything else pales into insignificance when I think about what is to come next week. I randomly bought a Mobi wrap yesterday as I love the idea of holding the baby so close and thought it would be good for breastfeeding on the plane. I don't know whether I'll get on with it or not but it seemed the best option as I'm quite big on top. Looking at the pictures of the snuggled up babies made me so broody! I can't wait to kiss and cuddle our Pebble.

I spoke to the medical team from the insurance company yesterday and told the woman about DP (bless him, he didn't mean for it to happen and has had a lot to deal with too in all this) and asked if we could have bulk head seats for the plane back. She has made a note but said they hadn't decided yet whether we'd be getting a commercial flight or air ambulance home..... Air ambulance please! That would be amazing! I don't know how likely that is though, I expect it depends on the health of the baby. Since DP is not actually covered by my travel insurance I don't think they will take that into account. We'll just have to see. At the end of the day, so long as we're all able to fly home together we can manage an 8 hour journey, one way or another.

I'm still leaking loads and it still makes me cringe but now I know I'm going to be induced I kind of feel that if contractions start this week it's no bad thing, so I'm moving around a bit more and worrying about it less.

Propercrimbo - ooh, 16 weeks! I can't imagine.... I'm just thinking about the day ahead and what to do with myself now DP won't be here till tonight probably. Time to rummage through the DVDs again...

You must be so bored!! I developed an unhealthy obsession with making little things out of a lump of blu tac I had from cards being stuck around the bed! The man who rented the tv's (before the posh ones that are at each bed) bought me some plastacine and I used that! It was completely ridiculous, but filled time!! wish I'd had a iPad, I could have gone angry birds crazy!

One Born Every Minute is on tonight in the uk, Channel 4, not sure if you can watch online or if you have any desire at all to watch but it's my fave program ever at the moment, I am pg with twins due in July, have a nice day

Hi SouthSea just checking in with you, sorry to hear about DP, hope it does not cause too much trouble.
Amazing that your little pebble should be out with you next week.
I can vouch for how amazing 34 weekers are, Cormac is feeding really well and almost 6lb now, he sleeps for 2-3 hours at a time and does have little periods of being awake now.
I use a sling all the time, in fact he has not been in a buggy/pram yet.
Mind you we dont go out that much at the mo.
It is still quite cold here and I dont have to worry about his temp when we are out and about, also I think he is further from everyone elses bugs when he is snuggled up with me

Hi Southsea I've been reading along with this thread since the start but have not posted as I have no relevant experience to offer any pearls of wisdom! Now I feel that I just want to add my admiration to that of the other posters' as I can't believe that you are still able to post positive and funny messages given everything that has happened over the last month or so.

I love that you are going to meet your baby soon and have this amazing story to tell him or her when s/he is older. What a start to life!

South Sea another email from a random lurker. Lady you're a star! My only breastfeeding advice is to put your DC to your boob everytime they squeak when they are small as bless them their tums are the size of a thimble when they are born! The more they feed the more you make and before long you'll look back and discover it's been 17 months - hmmm that might just be and my boobmonster DS - Really good luck.

How are you today and how's DP's leg? Thinking of you!!

Another random lurker here who found this thread while up in the early hours with DD. Bit strange to be excitedly anticipating a relative stranger's birth announcement but I am and will be checking in to see how you're all doing.

You sound like one of life's copers taking this all in your stride and I'm pretty sure you have the admiration of everyone on this thread!

DS was born at 35 weeks and was lucky enough to only spend one night in special care. He is now a gorgeous 3 year old and it's impossible to believe he was once a tiny little thing.

Thinking of you and also happy to contribute to a whipround towards medical bills should it become necessary1

Hiya Southsea, just caught up with the latest soap opera installment. Your poor dp - you couldn't make it up!

Fingers crossed for your last six days.....

Hi all and hi Jacksmama!

Yesterday was SO boring but DP did eventually turn up with a leg brace on (like a ski boot type of thing - all buckles and Velcro) and has been told to go back in a month for x-rays. His appointment cost $200 (we're not sure if that includes the brace or not but hope so!) so he probably will wait now until we get back to the UK rather than pay any more here. His insurance don't want to know despite our complex situation . We've yet to pay the A&E bill but can mange that so long as nothing else crops up.

Suffice to say we're now a right pair! He's hopping around the room, I'm telling him to stop doing things and to sit down, then I get up to do it and he tells me to stop doing things and to sit down....... We're in competition for moaning and groaning about our bodies and feeling sorry for ourselves. It's quite funny.

I've started to do a little more because I'm hoping contractions might start naturally. The doctor I saw this morning said she wouldn't have told me to do this but didn't think it was a bad idea at this stage. But if I leak loads I'm to stop, which seems fair enough. She talked a bit more about how they are going to induce me so it looks like they'll start me off on Sunday night with something that softens the cervix and see how that goes. I'm actually quite excited about it! I'm sure that will change once contractions kick in though

Latest past time is World of Goo and series 2 of Mad Men. There's loads of channels on the TV here but nothing I want to watch, except Storage Wars which is about people who bid for the contents of up old lock-ups and storage rooms They have 5 minutes to peer in then bidding starts and it's dog eat dog. They're not allowed to see anything in detail so there's a risk involved but they own whatever they win. It's great! Well.... Actually it's not that good, but it has kept my attention for a few hours. Every other channel is repeats of sitcoms or criminal law dramas or real life divorce courts

So only 6 days to go including today - wow... It's going to fly by.

Oooh exciting! I have been popping in to read your updates, you will be a mummy so soon! Labour's a breeze, you'll be fine

Hi Southseas, I have been another lurker since the start of your thread and haven't posted before, but I also just wanted to add my admiration of how strong you are being throughout this and am sorry to read about your DH.

Thinking of you xx

just checking in good luck

Just catching up and sorry to read about your DP, alhough seems you have got your head around the situation. I suppose you have no choice but to given the unusual circumstances.
about telling each other to sit downand take it easy. Im guessing the nursing staff and doctors don't get many cases like yours.

Great news with the due date, not long to go now until you meet little pebble.
Looking forward to hearing the good news...and the sex...and a name.

I did ask before but have you chosen names yet?

5 days now!! I'm so excited for you Southsea!