Update on Sage's first Dr. Appt

Well we went in for her first appt today.  She weighs 7 lbs 2 ounces, she gained 1 lb 1 ounce since she left the hospital!  Her pediatrician has been in practice for 45 years, I used to see him as a baby.  He was excellent.  Before we left the hospital I noticed she was breathing weirdly, on and off  during her sleep.  The ped in the hospital told me it was completely normal for babies to have irregular breathing patterns when they are newborns.  I mentioned it to my ped and he said that is true, but told me he is ultra paranoid about babies breathing and ordered a breathing monitor for 12 hours, then a week long monitor if needed to make sure she doesn't stop breathing during the night.  We are doing that tomorrow, they are coming to our house to set it up. 

Then he checked her heart for a good 2 minutes and found a murmur.  He sent us right up to the pediatric cardiologist about 25 minutes away.  They did a full echo on her and found a small hole in her heart.  He told me not to worry (easier said than done) and that 99% of babies with a hole in their hearts close up in the first year, so they are going to check on it monthly.  He did check the blood flow to her lungs and it was perfect. 

All in all, both Dr's told us to treat her as a normal, healthy baby, because she is.  These things are almost always normal newborn stuff, but I am glad both Dr's are being so thorough.  Way to make a new mommy nervous!

Has any ones newborn looked like they were breathing heavier during sleep, and then return to normal breathing after like a minute?  It's not like shes gasping, but like it gets really heavy and her belly goes up and down really hard, then it goes back to normal?

Other than that we got the go ahead to bring the baby to PA on Saturday to see all her relatives up there, and there's a lot of them!

I am sure little Sage is going to be fine, but a new mommy cannot help but be worried!

Karen

That is how my LO was breathing and I asked at his 2 week appointment and the doctor said it was normal but to keep an eye on it. Porter is 4 weeks old and his breathing is normal now.  Good luck, I know it is nerve racking, Porter is my forth and there is still stuff I don't know.

Awe! It's always so difficult when things dont go perfectly and we find out there are issues, or questionable issue, with our children! Its so scary! Im glad your doctors are double checking everything honey, but untill you get an all clear you have every right to be nervous! That said, when my boys were newborns I remember freaking out over their breathing too. Theyd breath fast, then slow, then hard etc, and they are very active 10, 8 and 6 year olds now. My 8 year old also had a small hole in his heart, and he saw the cardiologist every month for the first 4months, then at 6, 8 and 12 months. By the 6th month the hole had closed up perfectly and he was was just following up. Owen is fine :)

Hope you feel better soon, and remember that no matter what, health problems or not, Sage is perfect :)

That kind of stuff would freak me out too, but if the doctor said that he thinks it's fine, I'm sure it is. I think that doctors are extra careful when dealing with newborns and I've heard that many newborns have a murmur that clears up on its own. I'm glad he's being proactive and doing a breathing monitor. I hope it all clears up quickly!

I don't have any experience with the breathing issues, but just wanted to give you one more reassurance on the murmur.  My 8 year old had a small murmur also, and it closed on it's own before he was a year old.  It is nerve-racking to have to be sent to the ped cardiologist with your newborn!  I'm sorry you're having to go through that.  We didn't find out about Aidan's murmur until we were literally packing up to leave the hospital with him.  Then they told us and sent us straight to the cardiologist instead of letting us go home.  It was the hardest day of my life emotionally.  I was terrified.  I bet Sage's will close up fine on it's own, too.  I'll pray for it...Natalie

jaylyn was breathing like that for about a week or two and then it went away... newborns do funky stuff trying to get their little bodies regulated...

Karen, glad she is doing so well!!!!! And shes beautiful!