Fetal Echo Update
(When things are getting a little crowded in there!)
Giant sigh of relief from yesterday’s appointment. Thank you again for all of your heartfelt comments, thoughts and prayers leading up the echo. We appreciate it so much, and I wanted to share an update with ya:
Baby’s VSD is “very small.”
Our fetal echocardiogram was yesterday morning. Leading up to it, I tried to focus on what was in my power, instead of the what-ifs and everything that was out of my control. I researched like crazy, so I’d be familiar with possible scenarios and the terminology, tried as hard as I could to “relax,” and during my meditations each night, I spent some time praying and picturing the tiny hold closing. Despite my best efforts, I was still a bit nervous/anxious this past weekend leading up to the appointment. The Pilot had to work, so my friend Betsy offered to go with me. Not only did she go to the early appointment, but she drove. She didn’t want me to worry about driving if we got unsettling news, and didn’t want me to be alone. She’s amazing.
We got there nice and early, and the ultrasound tech lead us back to the room. She was the kindest and most gentle of the techs (who have all been wonderful), with all of the ultrasounds and testing we’ve had. We got to see the baby, she commented on how active she is, and she moved onto the standard measurements, gently pressing on my belly as the ultrasound wand moved around. Every wand movement was melt with a “belly wave” from little miss, who makes my stomach look like dancing lava.
Baby is measuring TWO AND A HALF WEEKS ahead! Either little lady is going to make an early debut, or I just cook big babies. 😉 (Liv was 8 lbs 6 oz, and I’ve heard babies get progressively bigger. My nana on my dad’s side had a 9-lb baby and a 10-pounder, so it could certainly run in the family.) They estimated that she weighs 5 lbs 6 oz already.
After the standard measurements (head, stomach, length), and watching baby move around (which I could do all day), she zoomed into the heart, and I had to remind myself to breathe.
She spent some time exploring the chambers and measuring velocity, and alternated between black-and-white and colored images (red and blue, which indicate blood flow between the chambers). Next, the pediatric cardiologist joined us and started to look at the images with the tech. They whispered back and forth for a while -which is a little awkward when you’re lying there on the table, desperately wanting to know what’s going on- and finally, the cardiologist told me that the VSD is “very small.” She said, “Not even small. Very small. Also, it’s in the ideal spot, which is between the muscle. In 95% of cases it repairs itself in this location, so I’m confident that it will. If for some reason it doesn’t, we wouldn’t need to repair this one.”
My eyes are stinging as I type this, because it was such a relief to hear and we are so thankful. Even if it did need to be repaired eventually, we’re also thankful that in the grand scheme of things, this is small, and she’s otherwise completely healthy from what we can tell. As much as I wish I could say the worrying would end when she’s in my arms, she’s taken her first breath, and we’ve counted tiny fingers and toes, I know now from our experience with Livi that it’s where the worrying can truly begin. You’re always worried about your baby and making sure they’re healthy, happy, safe, warm, fed, and giving them as much love as you possibly can. We already love this little lady so much, and it’s exciting to think that she’ll be here soon.
xoxo
Gina and the Familia
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I’ve commented before as a VSD mama (well, former :D) and wanted to cheer you on. Going through the heart stuff with my daughter made me infinitely grateful for all the little things. I hope you had a little celebration, and I hope that her delivery goes smoothly. xo
thank you, alicia!! so true that it makes you grateful for the little things
Ah, great news!! So happy for your family!
<3!
Great news! So happy for you!
thank you, cindy!
Amazing, this news makes me so happy! So glad to hear that you’ve received this reassuring news – sending lots of love to your little fam!
thank you- we appreciate it!
That is such fantastic news! I’m so happy for you and the family and will keep my fingers crossed! <3
thank you, rachel!
This post made me so happy!!!!! I’m so happy for you and the little miss!
thank you!!
Phew – WONDERFUL news! Now you can take a few deep breaths and relax, which isn’t always easy when you’re pregnant 🙂
amen to that!
Hurray!!
!!!
SUCH great news. So happy for all of you!
thank you, friend!!
Wonderful news! Very relieved for you.
thank you, kim <3
This makes me so happy! Love you guys!!
love you!!
Oh, thank goodness! That is wonderful news!!! You and baby girl have been in my thoughts and prayers!
thank you, brandy! we appreciate it so much
Gina, we had a brief exchange when you first announced your pregnancy here. I’m about a month behind you, with my second child as well. We also had a fetal echo, only as a precautionary measure since I have a mild heart murmur. Ours went very well and everything appears normal.
First off, I am so, so glad and relieved to hear your results! But, I just wanted to comment on how cool it is. I know you must have been wracked with nerves, but wasn’t the ultrasound itself pretty amazing?! We thought it was so cool to see our baby girl’s organs in such detail…to see her little heart and arteries and the blood flowing back and forth. It was kind of an amazing bonding experience for me, and made us even more excited to meet her. I really took the experience as a tiny blessing, because it allowed me to focus on feeling and seeing my baby without any distractions for that hour. Anyway, we’re both so close now! Following your post has been tons of fun throughout my pregnancy. Thanks for sharing.
that is so true. you feel so connected with the little one while watching the screen! and you’re right, the detail is truly incredible. so excited for you <3
Awesome news!!!! When our daughter was born, she had a little heart murmur that cleared itself up before we left the hospital. The worrying never stops. I finally get that now that I’m a parent. I always used to tell my mom “I don’t worry about me I’ll be fine!” Her response was “I’ll stop worrying about you when I’m dead.” haha! I get it now.
hahah! so true, though!
Wonderful news! I’m so happy to hear that you had good news yesterday. Now let’s see if the little stinker decides to come early so momma doesn’t have to birth a 10-pounder! 🙂
thank you!!
right?!? AHHHHH
so relieved for you. thanks for sharing your experience. your approach and perspective matter.
<3
Ahhh, what a praise! I can only imagine how relieved you must feel. Continuing to pray for a healthy little lady! xo
thank you friend! hope you are doing well and feeling well! <3
That’s some great news. Wishing you all the very best! 🙂
thank you!! <3
Such amazing news!! I can only imagine how relieved you must be… prayer and meditation are powerful! I will have a glass of wine tonight to celebrate in your honor 🙂
thank you so much, friend. i appreciate it <3 and enjoy the vino! (<-- i can't wait for my first post-preg glass)
I’m so glad everything turned out well for you! I’m sure it must be a huge sigh of relief.
YES. thank you, friend
Hi Gina,
Thanks for sharing your lovely family and great workout motivation with us. I NEVER leave comments on blogs, even those like yours that I’ve read and enjoyed for years, but I wanted to share a little bit of encouragement with you. I’m 34 and I run, I lift weights, I love barre and boot camp classes, I do absolutely everything I want to do… and I was also born with a congenital heart issue. I have no doubt that your “Little Miss” will be healthy, happy and thriving. I will keep her in my thoughts!
aww thank you so much for reading for so long and for commenting! 🙂 so reassuring to hear that you’ve continued to be so active despite the heart issue. that is amazing! thank you for thinking of us <3
This post made me so happy ! great news for you and the familia xx
thank you, hayley!
Such great news!! What a relief! So happy for you all. 🙂
thanks, julie! <3
Amazing news! Wonderful to hear!!!!! So happy for you, baby and the family 😀
thank you, amy!
Great news Gina! My daughter who is now 18 was born with a very small VSD, they described as a pinhole. They said it will grow shut on its own by the time she’s 6. We saw a cardiologist every year to check it, by the age of 5 it was completely closed. The only thing we had to do until it closed is to make sure she took an antibiotic before any dental work was performed. She is completely healthy otherwise. I am so happy for your family.
thank you so much, melissa! i’m so happy to hear your little girl’s closed!! good to know about the antibiotic. i’ll ask and see what they say about that in our situation
Yay!!! Hooray for that truly amazing news! <3 <3 <3
This post gave me happy tears .Such great news!! I can’t wait to virtually meet this little (or big!) lady!
so much love to you <3
haha! thank you so much, friend <3
Great news! My little lady was measuring about the same size this time during my pregnancy, too. I’m going in for a 38-week growth scan on Thursday and while I’m so happy she’s healthy and active so far, I hope she isn’t totally massive. LOL.
haha! let me know how it goes!!
Such wonderful news – so happy for you guys!! 🙂
thank you, tabatha!
I am so so happy for you on this news! I’m sending positive vibes that it will all resolve itself. That would be amazing!
As for large babies, my first was 7lb 11oz and my second was 9lb 9 oz! Both were had without any drugs…though we didn’t realize until she was weighed that my second was that big! I just thought I forgot how hard pushing was since it had been 2.5 yrs! Good luck, mama!
thank you so much!!
ahhhhhh! i’ve heard a lot of stories like that. we’ll see how it goes haha
So happy! You got a big strong girl on your hands 🙂
thank you! amen to that 🙂
Amazing news!! So happy for you and your family!:)
thank you, jessie!
That is such great news! I am so happy that everything is okay. I think that every one of your readers were praying or sending positive vibes your way.
we definitely felt them! thank you, lori <3
Great to hear! Thanks for sharing!
<3!
So glad to hear everything is OK. xoxoxo
xoxo! thank you!
YAY!!!!!!!!!! So happy to hear the great news!!! And so so happy for you! 🙂
thank you, friend! how is YTT going?!
Going so great 🙂 Halfway finished as of this last weekend. We just finished Ashtanga and moving on to Vinyasa so that will be fun as well as more yoga philosophy and ayurveda. Thanks for asking, Gina!
Again, so happy to hear your great news. I know you and your family have such a huge sense of relief!
What great news!!! I’ve been thinking about your little miss a lot recently and I’m so glad to hear that her VSD is small and likely to heal on it’s own. I’m so impressed by your mindset and intentions to stay calm. I struggle with worry myself and I’m just really impressed by how you are handling yourself.
as the queen of overreacting, it’s taken me a long time to change that haha. meditation has helped a LOT
YAY for good news 🙂 She is one lucky little lady to have such a great family 🙂
<3! thank you, jessie!
Awesome news! All the best to you all and your new little (big?) one. Hoping the rest of your pregnancy & delivery goes smoothly. <3
thank you, catherine!!
Ahh! Such good news! All your meditation and positive thinking worked! 🙂 So happy for you guys. And um, good luck with that big baby in there :).
thank you!! such relief. i have to admit, i’m a little afraid about that haha
So happy for the good news! Praying for a full recovery with your little one.
thank you so much, karla
The BEST news!! So happy for your family !
thank you <3!
Such great news Gina! So happy for you guys. Now to meet the little lady!
thank you, kate! yes- the countdown is on
Wonderful news! Congrats! Have a happy and healthy and stress free rest of your pregnancy!
thank you, nikki!
Yay!!!So happy for you!!
thank you!!
Woohoo!! Been thinking about you guys and sending good energy. Glad it was good news!
Yay, I’m so happy it healed itself! Such a relief for all of you!
What great news! I’m so happy all the good vibes and positive thoughts worked! 🙂
So happy to hear this! Our son had the same thing but they only found it when he was born (which is of course not what you want to hear after you finally have the baby and you think everything is perfect ) but it ended up closing by 6 months and was no big deal at all. He was 9 lb 9 oz…praying your sweetie arrives safe and sound (and not too big for your sake! )
Yay yay yay! Only love for this post! Now you can relax and enjoy even more!
thank you, jess!