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Mind over Mama

Discussing the ups and downs of parenthood, whilst promoting positive mental health

Birth, Pregnancy

Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes

March 25, 2022 Leave a Comment

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional and I have written this post based on my experience of preterm premature rupture of membranes. The information I have included, is from what I was told by professionals at the time and what I read on NHS sites. If you have any concerns about your pregnancy or baby please seek immediate medical advice.

Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes, or PPROM for short, is something I had never heard of. In layman terms, it simply means that the waters have broken before labour and before being classed as ‘full term’. There is also Premature Rupture of Membranes (PROM), which is where the waters break before labour, but the individual is classed as ‘full term’.

Both preterm premature rupture of membranes and PROM are treated slightly differently. With PROM, my understanding is that if an individuals water breaks and they are over 37 weeks, they are given the option to be induced within 24 hours if they do not go into labour naturally before then. With PPROM, if the individual does not go into labour naturally within 24 hours, they are offered extra observations until they reach 37 weeks where they can have the option to be induced. There is more information on the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists here.

So what did preterm Premature Rupture of membranes look like for me?

preterm premature rupture of membranes

I was 35 weeks pregnant at the time and painting my kitchen cupboards. Because what else do you do in your first week of four weeks annual leave before baby arrives? I noticed a slight trickle that went down my leg. I was texting my friend at the time (I liked to give her regular in detail updates ha!) and said I’ve either just wet myself or my waters have broken.. We made light of the situation as we did not expect it to be my waters. But as I do in any major life decision.. I rang my Mam. Again, we dismissed that it was my waters, as I did not have that big dramatic gush of water you see on TV.

I had an appointment booked at the hospital for a check up and scan, as I had experienced reduced fetal movement the weekend prior. I mentioned the trickle to the sonographer, again downplaying the situation and saying I was probably being over dramatic. She consulted the midwives on shift at the pregnancy assessment unit, who said they would be able to check if it was my waters or something else. I was told to put on a pad, so that the midwife could examine the fluid, however there was hardly anything there to show.

I was met by a lovely midwife called Claire, who by the end of my pregnancy, practically became my own personal midwife as you’ll see why below. She carried out a vaginal examination and collected a swab of the fluid. Liam was with me during the examination and we’d all discussed what we were having for tea and what we’d do when we got home, again not thinking anything of what had happened. It wasn’t until Claire came back and announced that my waters were leaking that it hit us. I remember hyperventilating slightly at the thought of impending labour as I thought still had five weeks to prepare for this!

My Hospital Stay

We discussed a plan of action and it was agreed that I would stay in hospital for the night to see if labour progressed naturally. The reason being, is if I was to go into labour, there was a chance my baby would need specialist care and therefore being in the hospital seemed like the safest option. I also had to be observed for any signs of infection. As due to there being a small hole somewhere in the amniotic sac, it not only meant that amniotic fluid could get out, but anything could get in as well. This meant the baby was at risk of infection. During my stay the baby’s heart beat was observed regularly, bloods were taken to check for signs of infection and I was given antibiotics (to reduce any potential infection developing).

preterm premature rupture of membranes

After a few hours of cramps and twinges, everything settled and I did not go into labour. I was examined by the consultant in the morning and sent home with appointments to come back every 2-3 days for observations. I also had to continue to take antibiotics, which unfortunately made me extremely sick and suffer with an upset stomach. This apparently is quite common with antibiotics, so if you are concerned about this, please speak with your GP/Midwife team.

A date for induction was set for 37 weeks, as it was discussed that delivering the baby at this time would be a safer option. If I was to try and wait for natural labour, the risk of infection was still there. Of course, I could have declined induction, however I was so anxious about talk of infection, I just wanted baby out to see she was okay. There was also a chance I could go into natural labour before 37 weeks, so I was hopeful this would be the case, as I had always been against the idea of induction (unless absolutely necessary).

Waiting For Induction

During the two weeks wait to 37 weeks, my emotions were all over the place. Each day I was happy that baby was safe inside and staying put, but then equally as anxious that something might go wrong and hurt her. I was told to avoid baths (due to risk of infection) which was my way to unwind, so I felt like I had lost my go to way to relax. There was a lot of relief and a lot of tears each day. Although I had been against induction before this experience, I was so ready for it as it approached. Looking back I feel sad that I wanted my pregnancy to end so abruptly, but under the circumstances I couldn’t feel anything else. The uncertainty definitely got to me. You can read how the birth went here.

preterm premature rupture of membranes

On each visit to the hospital, my bloods were taken to check for infection, baby’s heartbeat was observed and my own observations taken. By the end of these visits my arms were black and blue from all the blood taken! However it was lovely to get to hear baby’s heart beating away on every visit and there were never any concerns raised. And we made it safely to the 37 weeks for induction! *cue happy dance*

I thought it would be helpful to share this experience, as like I mentioned I had never heard of PROM before this. I didn’t even know it was possible for your waters to break before labour?! Annnd I certainly did not know that a little trickle could be my waters, I was waiting for that big dramatic gush you see on TV. So if you’re reading this and unsure, please speak to your midwife team/GP immediately. It is such a quick procedure to check, but could help reduce any potential infections and any extra observations on baby are always worth it in my eyes.

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What we used E V E R Y D A Y on our holiday 🏝 What we used E V E R Y D A Y on our holiday 🏝

β€’ Pacifier clip. We use the Mam pacifiers, but you can get different brands with different clips to fit. I’d stick to using the same brand for the clip as the pacifier you use, just to ensure it fits properly. These are lifesavers as Indie took to throwing her dummy out of the pram (quite literally πŸ˜…)

β€’ Pool float. We got this before travelling as we wanted to make sure we had the correct size. This little crab float was from Amazon (I’ll link it in my highlights) 

β€’ Swimsuits with a built in nappy. Inbetween swimming, we used a normal nappy, but when Indie was in the pool we relied on the swimsuit nappy. I wasn’t sure how it was going to work, but it went well! No accidents to report and easily cleaned πŸ˜…

β€’ You may have seen my @joie_global pushchair on a previous reel, but it really did make life easier whilst travelling. I’d recommend a lightweight, easy to fold down pram. One that fits in the overhead of a plane is even better. 

β€’ Clip on pram toys are a must. They kept Indigo entertained for hours whilst we ate out, or relaxed. She loves them! 

I’ll link the products to my highlight. What are your travel must haves? Leave a comment below and save this to come back to.
DIY IKEA highchair hack πŸ™ŒπŸ» I’d seen a few DIY IKEA highchair hack πŸ™ŒπŸ»

I’d seen a few people on here doing this and thought I’d give it a go. I am not in the slightest bit good at creative/putty together things, so I didn’t have much hope πŸ˜… But @mycovebaby have you covered with a really simple way to give your IKEA highchair a much needed glow up! 

Products we used:
β€’ @ikea Antilop Highchair: Β£15 
β€’ @mycovebaby splashmat (colour apricot): Β£12
β€’ @mycovebaby cushion insert: Β£6
β€’ @mycovebaby vinyl leg wrap (colour beech): Β£14
β€’ @mycovebaby footrest (colour beech): Β£20
β€’ @mycovebaby cushion cover (jungle safari): Β£20 

The total time putting it all together, including the chair assembly, took around 15 minutes (if that!) and I like the idea that we can change designs easily if we wanted to. I’m also impressed at how the vinyl legs wrap look like actual wood, as I wasn’t sure how they’d turn out. 

Have you done a highchair glow up? Save this as some inspo ✨
Indie’s last week at @bloomnorthumberlandandtyne Indie’s last week at @bloomnorthumberlandandtyneside πŸ₯² These classes were a bit of a lifeline in the earlier days. Those 45 minutes of entertainment and venting to other Mam’s really did the trick, so I’m pretty sad it’s come to an end. 

If you’ve followed me a while, you might have seen those first few weeks were not smooth sailing. Indie was hugely overwhelmed, tearful and appeared hesitant to join in. It took a while, but eventually we started to get through the class without tears πŸ˜… I was torn between feeling like a bad Mam for putting her through it and trying to teach her to adapt to new environments.

I would feel worried that she was β€˜behind’ all the other babies, even though logically I know all babies go at their own pace. It’s hard not to worry about those things, isn’t it? As a parent, it’s hard not to feel completely responsible. Was I not doing enough? Was I a bad Mam? 

Well, I’m so pleased we preserved. Even up to the last class Indie was building her skills and confidence. It’s as if she knew yesterday was her last, as she showed me there was never any need to worry as she joined in with all of the activities. Her confidence bloomed (pardon the pun πŸ˜‚). A special thank you to Anthea for all her patience and kindness shown in the classes, she always made us feel very calm and welcome. 

NGL I felt teary when I left. I was relieved that we pushed through the challenges and in the end she enjoyed it. However, ten seconds later the guilt set in that I ever doubted her. And that my friends is motherhood πŸ˜… 

It can feel like anytime we feel a positive emotion, it can be quickly offset with a worry or guilt. I quickly reminded myself that these are just thoughts, it doesn’t make them real. If it was someone else in this situation, I’d be compassionate and empathetic to their situation. So I tried that with myself instead. 

Learning from this experience: Motherhood can feel a bit like β€˜you’re damned if you do, you’re damned if you don’t’. The guilt we feel is probably based on unrealistic expectations. Try to understand where they come from and alter these to be manageable. Do your best, it’s all we can do. 

Save as a reminder ❀️
We’ve been enjoying the sunshine this weekend at We’ve been enjoying the sunshine this weekend at @helloworldclasses fest πŸŽͺ🎸

As Indie gets older and is showing more interest in things, it has become very apparent that she loves music. I mean most babies probably do, but I like to think she’s heading for that Pyramid stage at Glastonbury πŸ˜… That being said we’ve registered for next year and wondering are we completely mad for attempting a huge festival with a one year old? Stay tuned to find out πŸ˜‚

Have you done a festival with a baby before? Leave us some inspiration below ⬇️
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