Our 32 week old unborn baby has serious heart problems.

[Gordon Gekko]

Hi All,

Just wanted to let you know what is happening with our unborn baby.

This is our 5th child. We had the 20 week scan and all was "normal" My wife went into hospital at 31 weeks because she had a tummy pain, it turned out she had eaten too much Anyway, she ended up staying in the night because her blood pressure was a little high. The next day we had a ultrasound, just to check on things. They found "something", so we were asked to go see a Cardioligist (spelling?)

He dropped the bombshell that our baby had a serious heart problem, which the 20 week scan should have picked up. But it doesn't worry us because if we found out at 20 weeks, we wouldn't have terminated.

So our babys heart has a hole in the wall between the two chambers, the artery to the lungs is small and a few other issues. We need the baby to go to term, so it is big and strong. The specialists tell us when baby has a heart development problem, their are usually other issues.

Over the last couple of days, we have come to terms with what we have been given and are at peace with it all. We have been told that baby will have at least one operation in its first week, then baby will be transported to the Royal Childrens Hospital, no better place in the world to be.

I am sharing this story because I am interested in hearing from people who are / have gone thru a similar situlation.

Cheers

GG

 

[luckyone]

Geez I hope it all works out for you! I really feel for you.

 

[kathryn d]

Geez I hope it all works out for you! I really feel for you.

Can the doctor or hospital put you in touch with other parents who have gone thru this..like a support group?

Hope everything goes well for your family and new baby.

 

[mary&mat]

GG,

Have tears in my eyes as I read this...so sorry your lil one is having problems.

We had some difficulties as the placenta stopped functioning & ours had to come out about a month early. Went for u/sounds every day the last week to make sure she was still alive as I could hardly feel her kicking anymore.

Nothing else matters when you get news like this. Stay strong for each other.

Wishing your family & your lil one all the strength to deal with this hard time.

Our thoughts are with you.

 

[WillG]

My brother & wife went throgh a similar situation last year with twins. It was a tough time.
All I can offer is to take it a day at a time and concentrate on the positives.
Cheers

 

[pennyk]

Really sorry to hear your news.... how difficult to know that there is something wrong with your baby, and have to wait to do something about it.
As Kathryn mentioned, the hospital should be able to put you in contact with support grps/ other families.
I used to work with families with kids with disabilities, and one of the things the parents of kids born with disabilities said was the most difficult things was that friends/ family didn't know how to respond to the birth when there was something wrong with the baby. Its hard for people to know how to react. often they stay away, don't buy presents etc etc...
Since you know in advance the first week or so is going to be tough, I would ask your friends/ family to make sure they celebrate the birth, don't avoid you or the baby, etc etc, and give them some hints about what level of support/ visiting you want. (although as this one is your fifth, you probably already wouldn't have had so much attention!)
Hope the next few weeks go smoothly and that this little baby's entrance into the world is as smooth as possible!
cheers
Pen

 

[Gordon Gekko]

GG,

Have tears in my eyes as I read this...so sorry your lil one is having problems.

We had some difficulties as the placenta stopped functioning & ours had to come out about a month early. Went for u/sounds every day the last week to make sure she was still alive as I could hardly feel her kicking anymore.

Nothing else matters when you get news like this. Stay strong for each other.

Wishing your family & your lil one all the strength to deal with this hard time.

Our thoughts are with you.

We have shed our fair share of tears over the last couple of days. Today, I had the sads pretty bad but i got over it and i sure didn't show my wife. I need to be strong for her. We have a fantastic network of family and friends.

We have never thought why us, we have channeled all of our energy into keeping this baby warm and growing in mums tummy until at least 36 weeks, hoping for 38 weeks.

In the first couple of hours after we found out, we were thinking, what have we done wrong, my wife is over careful, doesn't smoke, drink, eat the "wrong" foods ....etc

We don't feel sorry for ourselves, we just want a baby to come home to us and then we will deal with all the on going issues,

cheers,

GG

 

[INVSTOR]

A girl I grew up with, that was a daughter of my parents friends had the same condition. She is about 30 now and just had her first baby. I'm sure it will go well! Modern medicine is fantastic! I hope for the best for you, don't give up!

 

[mary&mat]

I think it's great you're being strong for your lady. I agree that she needs to see you ok so she can deal with it too. I felt like I had nothing to give my partner in the way of emotional support even though I knew he needed it as much as me. But at the same time, it's ok for you to cry & fall apart & maybe talk to your friend/s or family to express what you're feeling too.

I felt very alone even though I knew my partner was there for me & was constantly reassuring me it was going to be ok.

I too questioned what I'd done wrong.

I think it was just as hard on him as we used to spoon & he loved feeling the baby kick his back. I think he was quietly freaking out not being able to feel her anymore too.
It's so hard not being able to do anything but wait.

Stay positive & keep channelling that good energy.

I think this baby is very lucky to have two parents as loving as you sound.

 

[Y33]

Sorry to hear about your situation. We are expecting our second in 2 months which makes reading your situation difficult.

 

[twobobsworth]

Hi GG,

Sorry to hear your circumstances.

We have a 1 year old that has kidney issues which were also identified during the pregnancy ultrasounds. I guess though we are lucky we live in an age where these things can be indentified and planned for prior to birth.

Regards
TBW

 

[Lil Skater]

Our thoughts are with you, your wife and your little one on the way!

Hopefully it'll all go smoothly, modern medicine is brilliant!

I knew a guy who was born with a whole in his heart and a few other complications and he turned out fine, played lots of sport and everything too

I'm sure everything will be fine, but let us all know.

 

[marg4000]

GG, firstly congratulations on the coming baby. Sometimes in the concern about health problems we overlook what a blessing a new baby is.

The biggest thing you have going for you is that the medical staff are aware of the issues, and will ensure that this child is born with full knowledge of what has to be done to fix things. And I am sure there will be a crowd of specialists in attendance at the birth so that your little one has the very best chance of top medical attention as soon as possible.

The danger is to kids born when the doctors are unaware of problems, and it is only a few days later when things start to go wrong that investigations begin, by which time the baby is weaker. You are way ahead of that.

Your baby has already won the lottery in life - being born in Australia to caring parents.

I pray everything goes well for your family.
Marg

 

[RumpledElf]

Hope it works out ok

I'm about 34 weeks pregnant and our most pressing concern is what to name the little beastie .. they don't do any more ultrasounds until 36 weeks here so now you've got me worried they'll notice something at that one ...

 

[Perp]

Best wishes, GG. As others have said, modern medicine is truly amazing, so be confident in those amazing doctors, and grateful that everything can be prepared for in advance. Big hugs to you all.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Good luck with it GG. I'm familiar with many of the associated issues, but it's better you discuss in detail with your doctors, rather than take note of others' experience. The prognosis is highly variable, with multiple inputs - ASD vs VSD (presume yours is vsd), patency of valves, state of arteries/veins, 1st and 2nd trimester genetic screening....

 

[Mandy Mac]

GG

All the best. I'm so sorry you are going through this. The Royal Chilren's is fantastic - you will get the absolute best treatment there.

A

 

[kissfan]

All the best GG.

Nothing to add that hasn't already been said. Agree with the thinking of support group/s just to discuss things and please keep us posted on updates.

Know only too well how distressing it is when your children have 'health' issues.

Regards
Marty

 

[JennyP]

Hi All,

Just wanted to let you know what is happening with our unborn baby.

This is our 5th child. We had the 20 week scan and all was "normal" My wife went into hospital at 31 weeks because she had a tummy pain, it turned out she had eaten too much Anyway, she ended up staying in the night because her blood pressure was a little high. The next day we had a ultrasound, just to check on things. They found "something", so we were asked to go see a Cardioligist (spelling?)

He dropped the bombshell that our baby had a serious heart problem, which the 20 week scan should have picked up. But it doesn't worry us because if we found out at 20 weeks, we wouldn't have terminated.

So our babys heart has a hole in the wall between the two chambers, the artery to the lungs is small and a few other issues. We need the baby to go to term, so it is big and strong. The specialists tell us when baby has a heart development problem, their are usually other issues.

Over the last couple of days, we have come to terms with what we have been given and are at peace with it all. We have been told that baby will have at least one operation in its first week, then baby will be transported to the Royal Childrens Hospital, no better place in the world to be.

I am sharing this story because I am interested in hearing from people who are / have gone thru a similar situlation.

Cheers

GG

Hey Gordon. When I was born sixty three years ago, I was what was known as a 'blue baby'. Although, I cannot know completely, I think I was born with the same condition that your baby has. I was operated on at six months old to temporarily repair the hole and then again at two years old to fix it. I underwent another op at five years old, but I am not sure why.

I am here and healthy all those years after, so don't give up hope. If they could do that for me so long ago, when medicine was not anything like it is today, who knows what they can do.

I actually think they did not do anything until I was six months old to see if I died beforehand or not. I obviously passed the test.

Good luck to you and your little one.

 

[Gordon Gekko]

Thank you everybody for your kind words. I have just got home from the hospital, she is back in again with high blood pressure but its not prea clampsia (spelling?)

She is very comfortable, TV, mobile phone for that little bit of contact with the outside world, munchies and plenty of Mills and boons to read

So now it is a waiting game, keep the bun in the oven for as long as possible.

We are both "amazed" at each other of how well we have taken the news. We are sure things will be a lot tougher when the baby is born but we are at peace with what we have been "given"

Time for some me time

Cheers

Jay