Pre-term Labour

Pre term labour, I’d never heard of it before, why would I? In July 2016 I found out I was pregnant, but sadly in August I misscarried.

 My partner and I decided to try straight away and with luck on our side, we conceived in October 16. My 12 week scan was perfect, private gender scan, perfect and our 20 week scan, again perfect! Nothing could prepare us for the horror we where about to face.

3rd March 17. 22weeks 3days.

A normal day, got up, went to work, came home, cooked and cleaned. I was about to get a shower when I felt the urge for the toilet, nothing. When I’d wiped, I noticed bright red blood everywhere, it looked like a murder scene. My partner was at work and I was in a state of worry, luckily my mum was downstairs and she rang an ambulance.

 I still had this pressure for the toilet and still, bleeding terribly. We arrived at hospital, on walking upto the ward, I left a trail of blood behind me. I was rushed straight in where I was scanned immideatly, it was an anxious wait. Was my baby alive? Why am I bleeding? What is happening? 

The lady showed us our babies heartbeat, beating away, nice and strong! What a relief. She turned off the machine and looked at me, and I just knew something was wrong. She said “I’m really sorry but your 5cm dilated and you’ll have to give birth, theirs nothing we can do.” At this point me and my partner where distraught. Our precious baby boy, how could this be. How could I be 5cm with no pains?! They must have it wrong!

A doctor at the hospital, who was off duty at the time had heard about me, he rushed up to my room and told me he was going to take me to theatre to stitch my cervix to give my boy a chance. He told me it would be a difficult operation and with my waters bulging, he could burst them at anytime whilst operating. The operation was a success.. all so we thought.

4th March onwards.

The day after the operation, we where in good spirits, happy that our baby had a chance to survive. But a few days later, my thighs where in so much pain, it felt as if the muscles where ripping apart. I was giving pain relief, but nothing worked. 

Eventually I was rushed to another hospital who specialise in pre term birth. At this point I knew my baby was going to be born early. 

23+2 arrived at specialist hospital.

On arrival I was taking to maternity ward where I was closely monitored and my baby was monitored daily. His heartbeat was perfect. I was giving tablets to stop my labour, even though I wasn’t contracting. 

A few days later, that dreaded pain was back in my thighs coming every 3 minutes, they checked for tightenings, but nothing was there. 

Nobody was sure what was happening or why I was in so much pain. I’d had no sleep, I’d had every pain relief imaginable but still, nothing would take the pain away. I got up to use the loo, when all of a sudden, I was dripping with blood again, My heart stopped!

23+5 delivery suit.

I was taking to delivery suit where all doctors where waiting for me to check my situation. Once again baby way fine and the stitch seemed to be holding in place. 

At 24 weeks, the pain was that severe they decided it was time to take the stitch out. They tried by hand but the pain was so bad, I was taking to thearer to have an epidural. The stitch came out and I went back to 5cm, what I was originally. 

A doctor came in to let me know how theatre went, where I was told the previous hospital had stitched my cervix to my vaginal wall and it was ripping. This is why I was in agonising pain and discomfort. But, I knew getting the stitch had it’s cons and with me being 5cm it was hard for them to see.

24+1 in the small hours of the morning.

I asked the midwife to check as I was having a bit of pressure – still no pains. She checked and said I was 7cm dilated, but she was confused why I’d not contracted. An hour later I told her the pressure was more server so she checked, and said I was 8-9cm and in rushed a full army of doctors, nurses, nicu doctors. 

I was told I was 10cm and it’s time to push, I told them I didn’t need to push, I just felt pressure. They burst my waters, which caused my baby to turn and became breech. I listened and I pushed only for my baby’s cord to drop out, which of cause isn’t good. 

They kept telling me to push and push and I was but my son wouldn’t come. I was rushed to theatre for an emergency section, I was put to sleep as the pain was agonising as a doctor had his arm up me trying to keep the cord up. When I came around, I was told the horrible news that my son didn’t make it. He died that day. The section didn’t go ahead, as his heart had stopped on my way to theater.

I decided I didn’t want my son to be sent away for a postmortom, I knew none of this was down to him. My placenter was sent away to be checked to find out why my body done what it did.

In hospital I got to spend time with my son thanks to the bereavement suit who looked after us incredibly. My results where ready, and it turned out that I had a weak cervix, which is why I had no pain and a lot of bleeding as the pressure of my son caused it to dilate quickly. I was told I had a blood clot on my placenter which also, could be a reason I dilated. 

Myself and my son had an infection, but this was likely to me dialating so far. I was also told on delivery I wasn’t 10cm I was only 7cm. As I was pushing my breach baby, his head became trapped behind my cervix which cause him to starve of oxygen due to my cord dropping. 

I go over it every day in my head and if I can help 1 person to not go through what I did, then that makes me happy. Their was no signs to look out for, it just all happened to quickly, too early and unexpectadly. But, If you feel something isn’t right, or a change in anything please go and be seen. I’d had a kidney infection prior to this, maybe that could of been the cause, who knows. I’m not suing the hospital, they where at fault on more that 1 occasion and have admitted partial blame for my son not being here today. The nhs is on its knees as it is and no amount of money will bring back my son.

Thankyou for reading my story, I’m currently pregnant with my rainbow baby, and being closely monitored to make sure if my cervix started to funnel, a stitch would be inserted early.