Child #2 also kicked things off by breaking my water, 1 month early. No doubt on that one, but still not a gush. More of a steady trickle. Contractions started soon after, and the bug showed up 5 hours later.

Tracee – I think it’s amazing that we all have these stories. My husband’s sister also had open heart surgery as a 2 lb preemie. Amazing.

SFP – Yep, half the space for me as well. Thanks for sharing your story. I love swapping these stories. It shows that each child is precious and that it really is a miracle to get them here. I don’t know how we do it! I for one, am glad to live in this time period. I often think, what if I was born a 100 years ago, 500 years ago? No wonder it was so dangerous to have kids.

I’m fascinated by uterine abnormalities. My daughter (graduates from college tomorrow) was delivered by C-section three weeks early after my water broke–she was breech with the cord very close to her neck–at which time my doctor discovered that I had a septum in my uterus–she’d had to grow in half the space. I’d had a miscarriage before I’d gotten pregnant with her, which my doctor assured me had been related to the septum.

He cut the septum out. I had difficulty getting pregnant a second time, then had a miscarriage at ten to 12 weeks. I got pregnant with my son, developed preeclampsia, had another C-section (doctors said the placenta was right next to some of the septum scar tissue) and my son, 2 lbs 6 oz, spent eight weeks in the hospital before getting to come home. Lots of developmental delays for years and years disguised just how bright he really is.

Had to have a hysterectomy about seven years back due to fibroids–reached the point where I was trying to bleed out a couple times a month. From what I was told, my uterus looked pretty hideous! I haven’t missed it a bit.

Like you, I’ve spent a lot of time wondering who would have survived without modern medical procedures. I expect we’re all lucky to be here.

Good luck next time around, Natasha.