Finding out my waters had broken (pPROM)

This is what happened on Friday when I found out my waters had broken (known as pPROM).

I had Friday off work. M was in nursery all was fine. I went to a maternity shop and tried on loads of clothes and got some jeans and tops. I had a good day. S came with me to pick M up from nursery and then we met some friends in the pub. I left early with M. Just before I left I popped to the toilet and noticed my knickers were wet. I assumed it was discharge. So left and went to the supermarket with M.

We got home and had some food. I felt a little gush and again my knickers were wet. After a third gush i knew something was wrong. I called the Labour and delivery ward. But I was only 21 +1 weeks pregnant and they don't take women until they are 22 weeks so they said call my doctor.

It was about 9 in the evening by now. I called the out of hours GP number. I spoke to a nurse who was concerned and said she would call some people and get back to me. She called me back as did a doctor. They had terrible trouble getting anyone to see me. The hospital was eventually persuaded to see me in the gyno ward.

By now S was home. He was to put M to bed while I drove to the hospital alone not really believing I would get bad news.

At the hospital the nurse took my details. It took ages for a doctor to see me. I asked the nurse if she sees this happening a lot, she said no i was the first case like this she had come across. Hours later... They had me lie on my back for ages then examined me doing a sterile speculum exam. The junior doctor told me I had lost my waters and was about to go into labour (later I found out this is known as pprom), then he just left me. The nurse gave me something to wear and antibiotics. I called S saying I would call again if I went into labour.

I tried to sleep but couldn't. I cried and cried. I could feel my baby moving and he was going to die soon. It was also my first night away from M. I had told him I would see him when he woke up and now I wouldn't be there.

After a few hours a more senior doctor came to see me. She was lovely. She took my blood. She said there was still hope and that months ago she had seen a women who's waters broke at 22 weeks and whilst I was being diagnosed with pprom earlier that evening she had helped deliver the women's baby by c-section and the baby was ok.