It’s been said that pregnancy can be a rollercoaster, and we’ve well and truly experienced that over the past few days. It started with a great weekend – our friends Graeme and Ruth from London were visiting and we had a wonderful time showing them around Dublin and chatting about life, vegan food and babies. After dropping them off at the airport, we made a quick trip past Ikea and spent the evening assembling the cot and changing table, full of excitement to see our baby’s room starting to take shape! The weekend was a high point.
Monday morning also started well, I headed off to the first day of work in the fancy new Google engineering building in Dublin. Around 11am Kat started noticing things weren’t right, and by 2pm it was clear it wasn’t just the baby bouncing around on her bladder, so she came into the Hospital (conveniently located 10 mins down the road from my office). By 4pm she was admitted, diagnosed with Premature Pre-term Rupture of Membrane (PPROM) and we were told that they had notified the newborn ICU and labour could begin at any point in time! Obviously a huge shock to us at 26 weeks and 1 day, we hadn’t even started to read the third-trimester/delivery/labour sections of the books, and our antenatal classes aren’t scheduled until March… Monday evening was a definite low point.
Today (Tue 25th in Dublin) has been a much better day, we received a series of good news:
- The antibiotics Kat is on are doing their job and warding off infection so far, they also managed to administer two steroid injections over the last 24 hours to help speed up the development of the baby (particularly the lungs) in case there is an early delivery.
- The baby is positioned perfectly, head down, and remains healthy, active and just the right size and weight for 26 weeks.
- There are still no actual signs of labour beginning (pain, dilation, etc).
We also met with a wonderful pediatrician to talk through what to expect if we do end up in labour in the next week, slightly intimidating, but still good information to have.
After having some time today to reflect, pray, talk and come to terms with the abrupt change in circumstances, we’re feeling roughly at a mid-point now. There is still a (small) chance that the baby will carry to term, or at least for another couple of weeks but we really just have to take each day at a time and be thankful for every day that passes uneventfully!
We’re also very thankful for our wonderful “family” of friends here in Dublin that have made sure we have all the support we need, our family and friends around the world who we know are praying for us too and the fact that we live in a part of the world where we have excellent health insurance and expert medical care literally just up the road. You can certainly imagine worse scenarios to be in!
We’d appreciate your prayers over the next days/weeks, particularly that Kat and the baby will both remain healthy (e.g. no infection and lots of growth respectively).
We will of course let you know when the next major developments occur… 🙂
Comment from Sandy on 2011-01-26
Hi Matt and Kat, I hope and pray that everything is alright, not easy times for you both and you may have more to come yet. I’m pleased you have great support from friends. We have been away for a fews days and haven’t talked to Gill yet but will call her tonite for an update. Take care of each other Love Sandy
Comment from Amy and Tim on 2011-01-26
Hey there,
We agree and pray right now that baby stays put in Jesus name. That you carry to term and baby and mum are completely healthy and the birth goes beautifully. Amen Jesus do your thing!
My Aunty had the same thing happen and she ended up carrying until the due date and beyond, Revelations says we overcome by the blood if Jesus and power of testimonies. So I pray that that testimony carries power and that it gives you faith to hope for the best case scenario.
lots of love to you three!
Amy and Tim
Comment from Tamsyn and Brian on 2011-01-26
Brian and I are praying and thinking of you! In God we trust, and from all the facebook and other comments, looks like a lot of people are praying with you at the moment.
Comment from rachel on 2011-02-05
hi my names rachel just read your story an want to say you have to stay strong like you my waters broke early 23weeks an 1 day it was the 13th of june 2010 i was kept in hospital and had my baby girl on the 5 of october my labour was induced at 35weeks she was tiny but perfect shes now 4months listen to ur doctor hope it all go’s well for you