First time pregnancy question related to new born baby's health?

Question

I am pregnant at 28 weeks with my first baby on the way. I am excited and anxious hoping that my baby will be born with normal and healthy from head to toe. I had my 22 week ultrasound in that I did see the 4 heart chambers of my baby, it was pumping blood, the ribs were properly formed, the brain, the arms, legs, etc. I even got to know that I am having a boy! I am just scared I guess because I have a close friend who delivered her baby a month before due date, and her little girl suffered a heart murmur and a missing heart valve. I asked her if she was ever told about it in ultrasounds before the baby was born , she told me that her OB was surprised because He had never suspected that in baby's ultrasound or heart beat checkups. So her girl having been born with the condition has to go through 3 surgeries before the age fo 3 just to repair the heart damage. I was told another mom gave birth to a baby with a very narrow bone marrow and was told and indicated nothing in her U/S

In all my ultrasounds and heart beat checks, my OB has said everything looks great. She said my 22 week U/S looked perfect and the baby was very healthy and normally developing. I can assure he is but I am just nervous, don't know why. Is there really a chance that if everything until now is fine, my baby will be born fine as well?

Answer 1

Your baby is probably ok, but when you are pregnant, it is normal to worry about all the bad things that could happen. Talk to you Dr. about it.

Answer 2

Heart valve problems are usually congenital, not caused by early delivery. The heart is fully functional by a few months of life, and spends time growing stronger between then and delivery. Lung problems would have been caused by early delivery.

I also have a friend who's baby was born with a hole in the heart. He needed a slew of operations before his 3rd birthday. They were repaired though. My other friend's daughter had a disfunctional stomach valve, it was congenital, and eventually developed right. Although she could only eat a special home made carot/soy formula for the first year of life.

Bone marrow would require invitro testing, and would probably be caused by poor development of the fetus do to maternal health, or genetics.

Unless you have a family history of preterm labor and delivery, or unhealthy babies, you really dont have anything to worry about. Its much more common to have a healthy pregnancy and delivery, and baby, than not.

If you're really that concerned, express those concerns to the doctor, and ask how you can better know that all things are developing normally.

And take an active role in your health care, if you're told something about your pregnancy or the results of some test done to the baby, and you dont fully understand them, make sure its explained to you in detail. Before and after all test, checks, or procedures, then you will be able to make sure all things are done correctly and you're as informed as possible.

Answer 3

you really can't tell for sure until the baby is born. My first pregnancy went normal all heck ups were normal and when i was 29 weeks i went into labor they stoped the labor with a medicine and i had to stop working until after the baby was born i had my son at 37 weeks and i had a normal labor it was 3 hours long and i pushed for 20 minutes when he was born he didnt cry but his color was normal and he was breating normal they took him to the nursery right away to work on him. the following day i was told my son was haveing seziours and he had to be taken to a better hospitsal where they could keep a better eye on him and fix him. he was there for a week and a half the seziours had stoped and he wasnt haveing any seziour activity at all. he came home 3 days before my birthday the best b-day present ever my son is now three years old and he is normal no sezious and he is like all other three year olds so i guess you never know what can and might happen. My second pregnancy went even better allthough i was very sick for the first 3 months when i got to my 37th week i went to the doctor it was feb. 15th the day after valentines day i actually didnt go to work that morning because i had to go to the doctor for my check up i complained to the doctor that i hadnt felt the baby move since the day before when he check her heart rate it was almost 200 and he looked at me and said well i hope your ready for this baby to come home were takeing you for an emergency c-section now i had enough time to call my husband and my mother and motherinlaw and my bestfriend in Flordia i went over to the hospital and they preped me for the c-section my daughetr was born normal no problmes at all and came home 2 days laterso i guess you never know what can and might happen i have to very healthy kids and i am now done i had my tubes tied when i had my c-section.

just take a deep breath and enjoy being pregnant. relax and just know that if anything does happen it wont change the way you feel about your son. you will love him the same no matter what happenes. good luck with your pregnancy and remember to relax worrieing about what might happen just puts stress on the baby again good luck and happy new year

Answer 4

I think every new mother worries that her baby will be healthy. I am 39 weeks and in that "any day now" mode... all I can think about is whether or not my baby will be OK. What you have to remember is that the chances of having a healthy baby far outweigh the chances of having a sick baby. If you take care of yourself, eat the right foods, take vitamins, exercise (within reason)... there's really nothing much more you can do to give your baby a good start. Sometimes genetics does some crazy things, but you can't always see them in an ultrasound. It's the chance that everyone takes when having children.

You need to rationalize your fears and let nature take its course. There's nothing you can do to change what happens when your little boy is born, put it in God's hands. If you worry too much, those negative emotions can effect the baby in your womb. It will definitely show up in his personality later. So just be happy you're having a healthy baby, take care of yourself and enjoy being pregnant! :)

Answer 5

You are just having first pregnancy worries. We all do it about something at some stage in our pregnancy and if any mother tells you they didn't there lying. With my first daughter, now 2, I suffered from Hypertemisis Gravidera, I was sick everything I ate and drank from 5weeks until delivery, I lost loads of weight and spent lots of time in hospital, My daughter was born at 37weeks, 6lb 6oz, with not a single problem. Everyone says how certain foods and vitamins are essential throughout pregnancy, well I wasn't getting any and neither was my baby. It was a stressful time but all was ok. I'm now 31weeks pregnant with my 2nd daughter and everyone says I'm mad after all the sickness and problems before, I was only sick once at 12weeks, I have a cyst on the umbilical cord which I have been having to go to a specialist hospital for tests and scans, it was only a few weeks ago I was told the baby is fine, healthy and growing normally. I would go through pregnancy again. You wait till your holding your baby in your arms after giving birth, it's fantastic. Do remember that once you have given birth you Will worry about other things to do with your son like, is he too hot, is he too cold. The worrying is all about being a parent, The happiness you get back from you baby makes it all worth while. Stop worrying and try to enjoy yourself.
Good luck xx

Answer 6

Please, try to put your energy that you expend worrying into a different cause!

(I have 3 boys myself, congrats!)

There is NOTHING you can do but take care of yourself so that you give your baby every chance possible to be born healthy.

Having said this, DO NOT BLAME YOURSELF "IF" your baby is born with a condition. These things sometimes happen and you cannot just go by what happened to your friend and her baby. Just be prepared to the fact that it COULD happen but most likely will not.

Other that my routine ultrasounds, I NEVER got any other tests done (i.e., for Down's Syndrome, etc.) I did not believe in aborting my child or having a partial birth abortion done and tests are not always accurate. Why worry yourself by thinking of all the negative when you should be enjoying your pregnancy and the miracle that it is?

I'm not sure if you are religious but I've always found that praying really helps.

Answer 7

It's hard not to worry about that sort of thing when you're pregnant. Those are rare cases that didn't get picked up on by the OBs. Your OB knows this is your first child and is expecting lots of concerns and questions...and phone calls so feel free to call them with any concerns you may have. In the mean time, the best thing that helped me through my paranoia was praying. I did a lot of talking and singing to my baby as well. My pregnancy went very smoothly and well and my daughter was actually 10 days late but healthy as can be! It's only natural for us to worry like this. Just keep telling yourself every day that everything will be fine and he'll be perfect...and he will be when you see him for the first time he will be the most beautiful and perfect thing you've ever laid eyes on. God Bless and Congrats!

Answer 8

You have only just begun! It is completely natural to worry about your baby and you will continue to do so for the rest of his life! Whatever is meant to be will happen. Sometimes we are thrown curve balls in life...but they do make us stronger.
Chances are...your baby IS just fine....but worrying about it will not help at all. And I guarantee that you will love this child more than you can even imagine...no matter what happens.
I have a 10 year old son that has tourettes syndrome and every day is struggle for both him and for the rest of the family....but he is so very special to us all and the best part is that we get to make sure he knows it. He is very happy, handsome, well adjusted, incredibly intelligent and has many friends. The girls have even started to come crawlin around...We gave him love, security, support, encouragement and hope.....that was the best we could do. You can only do the best that you can and no matter what...in your eyes, your child would be perfect and that is all that matters!
Good luck and Congrats!

Answer 9

Your baby will be fine. I am a mother of 3and I have plenty of experience. Your just getting worried as time is getting closer, your body and mind are trying to prepare for a new life and your motherly instincts are kicking in. Just do not work your brain anymore enjoy the next few weeks as this is your time and enjoy every minute of it do not fret on the small things as a child is a gift from above and just pray about it and try not to worry as things will be fine your child is healthy now and I am sure he will be when he is born too. Good Luck Hun.

Answer 10

I know how you feel. I was like that with both my babys. I even ahd weird nightmares about them dying or coming out green or something!! If your ultrasound seems good take solace in that. Prayer helps, ask the lord for a healthy baby boy. Don't look at other womans preganncy and compare them to your own. Each on is unique. Good Luck!!

Answer 11

Hi, I have a baby boy too. I know how much you are worrying. I had hypertension, so I had to be induced and it was week 38 I gave birth. I had a LONG labor, 57 hours. My baby was healthy then, he is healthy now. Sometimes there will be a wrench thrown at you, and you have to take it as it comes. If you worry about what will happen to your baby you will never sleep. You shouldn't stress yourself out because it will make things worse.