23 weeks and waters have broken...

[YorkieGirl18]

Hi, so if you have seen any of my previous posts I've not had the easiest of pregnancies to say the least!

My waters broke on Saturday but the hospital I was at wasn't convinced and sent me home twice without doing a scan until my consultant saw my notes and called me back in immediatelyscanned me and admitted me straight away.

Anyway, very long story short, I've been shipped off to a specialist unit at the other side of the country to wait and see... the labour hasn't started thank goodness and I am 100% in the best place possible but I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to think and feel.

Has anyone been in this position before and can offer any advice or insight?

Thanks!

You’re doing the right thing. Sit tight and try to stay as well as possible. Ask for what you need. People want to help but need to be told exactly what to do. Eat well. Try and get some fresh air or if that’s not possible, some daylight. If you ever wanted to learn to knit- now’s the time! Podcasts, music... any crafty project you wanted to do. Also: earplugs and eye mask for any hospital stay.

When dealing with medical staff:
Consultants are always in a rush so talk to them even if they are doing ‘busy face’.
I found BRAN useful when discussing medical stuff: ask what the Benefits, Risks & Alternatives are and ask what happens if you do Nothing.
Ask the same question to as many different medical staff as you can- they all sound like they’re sure but they all give different answers.

Be kind to yourself. You’re doing the best you can. This is no one’s fault. I hope it goes okay.

They’re lots of people walking around that started off life as tiny babies- I know a few. Take heart x

Hope you and your little one are ok x

@YorkieGirl18 yes I had the magnesium stearate during labour (before my cervical stitch was removed). How are you doing today?

Sorry I'm still not too sure how to reply to people and I'm falling asleep. I've made it to nearly 23 and 5! Baby is still inside and seems to be doing well although she isn't moving as much as I would like. I'm still looking waters and bleeding almost constantly but they don't seem too concerned here so that is reassuring! My stomach also went really hard earlier but we decided it was probably wind... just keeping my fingers crossed that we get through the night ok. Thank you all so much for your stories and support! I will write back soon! X

Hello love, no past experience but I'm currently 22 +5 so not far behind you.

Got everything crossed for you and it sounds from other people's advice you are at a good hospital.

Keep going one day/hour at a time, every moment your baby is still in you is worth it as baby is getting stronger.

Really agree re mindless but bit of concentration activities - home design app like candy crush if helpful xxx

Good luck @YorkieGirl18 and to your little one ❤️

My waters went at 26 weeks. Having steroids and magnesium (and they are right it’s given in labour or just before delivery, in my case a C section for it to have maximum effect). My 26 weeker is a bouncy two year old meeting all his milestones. I am convinced that those steroids made a big big difference. Drink loads and loads of water and stay on bed rest.
Also come and join us on the Parents of Preemies Support UK. Some very knowledgeable ladies and lots of mums of 23/24 weekers.

Hi OP

Somebody I know gave birth at 23 weeks and something days, this was over a month ago, closer to two now, and her son is very much alive, growing and doing well in hospital. She has been allowed to hold him for skin to skin. He's tiny but perfect.

Sending you lost of luck and positive thoughts x

Sending luck and positive thoughts, there’s so much they can do now.

I’d be so annoyed they didn’t check if your waters had gone sooner it’s just a simple swab test!!

But just keep thinking positive, for you and your little girl!

Hi @fuppy, i am very sorry for your loss. Were you in hospital that whole time? Like you I am trying to be vigilant regarding infection but hospitals are so full of them! Do you mind me asking which hospital you were in? And if the no intervention was your nieces parents decision or the doctors?

I had another big leak about an hour ago and they wanted to move me down to delivery due to blood content but I asked for a speculum exam instead and my cervix is closed still. I have a bit of pain but I think it might be wind so I asked for some peppermint tea and said I'd call for them if it doesn't settle. I'm so used to massive leaks and bleeds now that I think I'm a bit blase but every new midwife and doctor gets concerned.

What were the early warning signs of labour? I don't want to miss them or pass them off as something else as I'm burying my head in the sand and praying for anything but labour!

Hi @blueroses When did you get a cervical stitch and what was it for exactly? Do you mind me asking where you were and if you had PROM or did labour start for a different reason? Xx

Good luck to you and your baby op, you're doing everything you can, thinking of you

I hope everything goes well for u

Do not blame yourself, it's certainly nothing you have done and it's nothing you're doing now.
You're in the best place to be monitored. Have the been giving you scans to monitor the fluid levels?
My son was born at 24+6 and is now 9 years old, however I dont know much about this because my waters didn't break until just before birth. But the way it was explained to me in terms of viability (in my hospital at least) was that the cut off is 24 weeks, however doctors will attend the birth of a baby born before this and decide on how the baby is at birth on whether they intervene, your dates could always be out by a few days so they wouldn't refuse to help a baby born a few days before 24 weeks if baby is showing good signs. There was a 23 weeker on the ward with my son. There was also a 26 weeker who's mums waters had started leaking at 18 weeks. I think how long you have to stay in hospital and how long they delay birth probably depends on how much water is left and whether your body starts naturally going in to labour. But I'm no expert.

Has anyone taken you to have a look round the NICU?

You must be absolutely terrified, every case is so very different but the doctors will know exactly what they're doing. The best thing you can do is relax, you sound like you're doing amazingly well. Will be thinking of you.

Wishing the best of luck op!

Most hospitals will revive from 23+5/6 weeks. Sometimes they will not revive a 23 weeker if the baby is far too small because it is impossible to intubate. Don’t worry about resuscitation. It sounds like they do actively want to do everything for your baby.
What does labour feel like? Tightenings, cramps, in waves. You’ll know it when you feel it to be honest. In my case they put me on a drip to stall labour which worked for 3 days so my baby was fully steroid mature. I will say that my pre term labour when it began felt like I was constipated at first and then it progressed v quickly. They still held off delivering for half a day because baby was fine and every hour baby spends inside is a bonus. It is when his heart rate dipped that they took action, which was correct.

My local hospital states:

24 weeks – Resuscitation and intensive support is usually offered unless parents and doctors agree that
there is little hope of survival or baby’s level of suffering would outweigh the baby’s interest in continuing
to live.

• 23 weeks – At this stage of pregnancy, there is greatest uncertainty about the outcome for an
individual baby. Intensive support will be offered if parents specifically request it and the senior paediatrician/
neonatologist (baby doctor) present feels it to be appropriate. Otherwise comfort care only will be given to
your baby with no active intervention to support life.

• 22 weeks – At this very early gestation the chances of survival without severe long term problems are so
low that active intervention to support life is not recommended and comfort care is given to a baby.
An experienced neonatologist will be close at hand if appropriate, though the baby would not usually be
given active support because the chances of survival are so low

If that is reasonably standard, then you can request intensive support if your baby is born now and hope that baby is well enough for it. You are so close to the 24 week mark though, hopefully baby can stay put at least until then. Every day makes such a huge difference at this stage. Every hour your baby's chances improve.

It's a good sign that they have transferred you to an appropriate hospital and are giving steroids etc - they wouldn't do that if the situation was hopeless and there was nothing they could do.

Hang in there x
You're in good hands

@YorkieGirl18 the no intervention was the doctors decision not the parents who are currently asking for an investigation. Afaik they were just informed what was happening, with no tangible explanation given.

My hospital was in the SW, I can pm you if you want more specific info. Yes I was in hospital that whole time, (and almost another week after) I was transferred during that time, interestingly the first place did a speculum and second said they don't because of infection risk.

I didn't go into labour at all so I can't tell you anything about symptoms other than what other people have told me and what I've read.

There really isn't anything you can do other than make sure you do nothing but rest.

Every day they stay inside you counts, and as long as there is some fluid still in there the baby can keep going a while longer before they would try and get her out. Drinking lots of water will help.

You should have regular scans and fluid measurements to determine the best course of action as time goes on.

Sit tight and be as positive and stress free as possible. Once you get to 24 weeks there is a huge difference to the outlook for a prem baby. Though I know somebody whose waters broke at 20 weeks and delivered at 23 weeks, and while the future is unclear in terms of any medical and development problems, the baby is doing incredibly well a year on

Really feel for you OP, thinking of you and baby, wishing you all the very best.
Keep as positive as you can, take care.

This happened to my friend. She delivered at 24 weeks and her darling girl is now 9 years old. Very best of luck x

I had a cervical stitch on my second pregnancy (24w DD) because I lost my son at 21+3 in my first pregnancy. I went to hospital with cramps and bleeding (actually contractions and water breaking) and gave birth 3 hours later. That was PPROM. I had the preventative stitch in my second pregnancy but didn’t PPROM, I had contractions at 24+0, had the stitch removed to prevent damage to my cervix and gave birth 3 hours later... DD was born in her sac so my waters didn’t break that time.. from what I remember.

The parents of preemies UK group is very good, as is the Incompetent Cervix UK group.

Good luck, every day inside helps xx

How are you doing OP?

Hi, I wrote an update yesterday but it didn't post! We are doing ok! Still in hospital and still cooking which is amazing!!! They have said that if everything calms down they will look to discharge me next week under strict observation which will be interesting as the hospital is at the opposite side of the country to me and due to last weekend I don't exactly have much faith in my local hospital to keep us safe.

We are trying to get a plan together at the moment for what we do if we are discharged.

I am also trying to work out how long after PROM people have gone into labour? Apparently after 48 hours it is unlikely but a lot of people seem to be a couple of weeks. Does anyone know any statistics?

Thanks,

Delighted ye are ok
I don’t know about the statistics, sorry
Just wanted to post to say I’m thinking of ye.