Fall While 37 Weeks Pregnant

Parents are nervous enough during pregnancy, the last thing you need is an accident to add to the worry, but that is exactly what happened to us when Clare was 37 weeks pregnant.

Clare had a nasty fall not long ago. I was at the pub (400 meters from our house) and got a call from Clare saying she had tripped and fell, she was very calm but less than 1 minute later I was at the scene. There was a car at the side of the road with it's doors open containing Clare and another Girl. I thanked the girl, asked her name, and quickly took Clare to our Car and went straight to the hospital. I did not handle this well at all, surprising myself with how very uncool I was.

Clare had eaten next to nothing all day and it was a record breaking temperature on that day. I'd tried to get her to eat but she is such a superwoman she always puts herself last. I was ranting and raving in the car like a madman about how stupid she had been, I regret this now and wish I'd remained more supportive and calm instead of making the situation worse. I didn't want to waist time parking so barked at her to get out of the car at the entrance while I parked up.

The hospital staff were incredible and within minutes she was hooked up to monitors and been given the emotional support I should have given her. We were there for hours and it was so hot and humid but everyone was calm and reassuring.

Clare had massive bruising on her cheekbone, knees, and arms. I'd been unconscious on a few occasions during my life and most times there was some warning and I knew I'd fainted. It thought it was odd that Clare simply blacked our immediately and didn't know what had happened. Her story sounded so fake when she had to recount it to every doctor and nurse we saw. Her bruising looked like the result of domestic violence and I was paranoid that was the conclusion everyone was drawing.

Eventually we were told all was well with the baby but Clare had to be admitted for her injuries. Clare elected not to stay and filled in some forms so sign herself out, even then the staff didn't make us feel like were being reckless. They supported the decision and told me to keep an eye on her and bring her right back at the slighted sign of anything unusual.

This was a pretty bad fall which I guess shows how well protected the baby must be during pregnancy. The only advice I can give to any Father to be is not to panic if something like this happens, get her to Hospital and don't worry about looking like an idiot, but try not to be one like I was and keep her calm and give her support. It's all too easy to lose it when the stakes are this high, everything you have been working on for the best part of a year has been focused on this pregnancy. So if you are a woman reading this, and your usually placid partner has the odd rant, it's probably down to worry so don't take it personally.