Baby Lucas story of PPROM

I lost my son at 24 weeks due to PPROM. At my 20 week scan we had lots of fluid. I was to have growth scans, so just before 24 weeks I went for a routine growth scan. First question that the sonographer asked me, was I leaking fluid? I said not that I was aware of. In hindsight now I recognise that I had in fact been leaking over the weeks, where I blamed a weak bladder, third pregnancy and a low lying baby. That scan was on a Friday. I was diagnosed with oligohydraminos and told to go on bed rest, drink plenty fluids and they would check again in a week. Unfortunately, on the Sunday night that week, I got out of bed and felt a pop and a gush. My membranes had completely ruptured. I went in to hospital and they told me that there was nothing that could be done due to gestation (23+5) and that I would have my son there and he would be left to pass away. I was on amoxicillin for a urine infection and so they continued those. By the Monday morning I was still in a stable condition although constantly leaking amniotic fluid. My consultant spoke with a professor in Glasgow and they decided to accept me to a hospital with a high care NiCU, where Aberdeen was the only one with a bed and a cot available. There, being extremely high risk of infection, I only seen a midwife maybe twice a day. They continuously forgot to give me antibiotics, which had been changed to a more appropriate one. Now, being a nurse myself I knew the importance of what was going on. I constantly buzzed and asked for my meds and yet they were still forgotten about. I informed the midwives that my leakage now contained blood and I was told it was normal. I said my womb felt sore and grumbly, they said it was normal. Baby's heartbeat was good and he was still moving. I was sent for a detailed scan of my placenta, where the sonographer only dopplered the cord and said it was working. No checks were done on my placenta. On the Wednesday morning at 4.30am I woke with a pain. It was mild but quickly built up to being very uncomfortable. I was told that his feet were in my cervix and to move positions to get him to move. Nothing worked and they couldn't get his heartbeat with the Doppler. Drs came in with the scanner and his heart rate was good. They decided something was untoward tho and I was to be rushed for a section. I don't know how long I waited for the consultant to come in for my section that morning. I had a large dose of morphine which made me very drowsy. When the consultant came in and scanned me, my baby had no heartbeat. What I know so far is that an infection in my womb caused the failure of my placenta, and my Lucas to die. He never had the chance to fight. I gave birth to my son naturally and got to keep him with me till we were ready to say goodbye. I was totally unaware of PPROM. I was totally unaware of what should be done or what I could do in that situation. There are so many what ifs. They will never bring my beautiful baby back though. This was all only two weeks ago, so still very raw. We are waiting on the outcome of a critical incident investigation as I almost lost my own life too.

I am sharing my Lucas's story because if it helps even one person it will be worth it.

Sign our petition in memory of our PPROM angels too Beautiful for Earth, Sign to make a difference for our future pregnant mums and dads to be, unless you sign nothing will change, here is our change petition here, https://www.change.org/p/jeremy-hunt-treat-pprom-as-it-states-as-emergency-saving-babies-lives