My Story
I had been trying for several years and even had some fertility treatment, before I got pregnant in January 2002. Totally unexpected but very much wished for.
An early scan showed that I was 9 weeks pregnant and that I would be due on the 14th of October 2002.
We were so excited, we'd finally have our little family and the heartache of having to go through fertility treatment seemed unjust since we at the time thought that we'd concieved naturally. Though by now that has been doubted, it might still have been the medication I had been on, but basically that doesn't matter. We were expecting a baby.
All went well and I didn't have many complaints during the pregnancy. I didn't feel sick much, I just felt quite tired but even that got better after a while.
On Saturday the 8th of June, at 21 weeks and 5 days of pregnancy I had some cramps in my tummy. I didn't think much of it. Thought it would probably be gas or indigestion. But that night I started to bleed. At first only slightly but it got more and by 5.30 am on Sunday morning we were in the maternity ward to have things checked out.
Once in hospital they checked bloodpressure, listened to baby's heartbeat, (it felt so good to hear the heartbeat since we were pretty worried) felt my tummy and took blood for tests.
We were told that bleeding occurs more often during pregnancy and that we shouldn't worry too much. I'd need to rest and once the bleeding had settled I'd be able to go home 24 hours after. I'd be having a scan on Monday morning to see what caused the bleeding. Basically we were told it'd all be ok.
Little did we know that things wouldn't be ok.
Later that day the cramps in my tummy got worse. I saw another doctor who checked me over again and was given paracetamol for the pain and told again not to worry. They couldn't do much untill they'd see the scan and see what caused the bleeding so all we could do was wait and try to rest and relax.
By 7 pm that evening the pains got real bad. John went to get a doctor and again my belly was checked and again we were told that they couldn't do much at the time.
They would do a scan in the morning to see where the bleeding was coming from and to determine whether they could do an internal or whether the placenta was too low for that.
This doctor told us he thought it was a uriny infection. He mixed the word cramps with contractions a few times, which made us worry that there was more going on then we were being told.
He prescribed me some heavier painkillers for the pain and then left at around 7.15pm / 7.30pm.
After that things deteriorated quickly. I was in so much pain I started throwing up. A few minutes later there was a flush of my waters breaking and within seconds after that Kayleigh was being born still.
She was too young to survive labour.
The pain we felt was and still is so intense.
We were parents of a little girl, but she couldn't stay with us.
We felt like parents,
but we don't have a baby here now to care for and cuddle with.
Yet we are proud parents,
Parents of a beautifull tiny little girl.
By now we know that it was a bacterial infection that reached the womb and caused premature labour, that caused us to loose Kayleigh.
We also know that the hospital has made mistakes and misjudgements.
They say the outcome would have been the same but we'll never know the answer to that. It's too late for our little girl now. In our opinion however there would have been things they could have tried.
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