[army_wife1008]

Here is my story:

My name is Chelsea and I am a 23 year old Mommy to my miracle boy Travis (20 months).

My husband deployed to Iraq in August '07. We planned to TTC when he came home for leave in Feb '08. We only had 18 days and amazingly I got a BFP 2 weeks after he went back to Iraq!! It was a total miracle!

In April '08 I had severe bleeding, passed many large clots and went to the ER. I was sure that I was miscarrying. Amazingly they found a heartbeat on U/S. Yet another miracle! I continued to bleed for three weeks. Ultrasounds showed what looked like I had a twin pregnancy and lost one twin. I had some more bleeding off an on for the next few weeks after that. At 19 weeks 6 days, my water broke. To make a long story short, I lost all my fluid and doctors encouraged me to terminate. I refused. I went home on antibiotics and waited. After 24 days, I finally went into labor.

My beautiful baby was born at 23 weeks 2 days gestation. He weighed 1lb 3.5oz and was 11 inches long. Travis spent 142 days in the NICU. It has been an incredible, difficult, amazing journey but I am happy to say that he is an absolutely beautiful 20 month old now!

I recently went back to my OB and talked to her about future pregnancies. She suspected that I may have a bicornuate uterus and wanted to have an MRI done to find out for sure. After almost 20 months of not knowing what went wrong, we finally found out. I DO in fact have a bicornuate uterus. This means that future pregnancies are basically out of the question. Due to the severity of the "heart-shape" I would never be able to carry a baby far enough, most likely not even to viability. This has been devastating news for my husband and I. I am SO thankful for my son but it is hard to know that I will not be able to have another, never really be able to experience a pregnancy (since mine essentially ended at 20 weeks).

My doctor is referring me to an infertility specialist to see if there is ANYTHING we can do (i.e surgery) to correct this problem, but she believes that due to the nature of my actual abnormality, that it is not an option.

And finally, some pictures of my little man!

4 hours old


2 or 3 days old


My wedding band on his arm


NOW!!

[MamaAnna]

Welcome to the board and thank you for sharing his story with us, he's such a beautiful little boy.

Do you know when you'll be seeing the RE or is the date still pending? I hope there's something that can be done to help you. I'd imagine any surgery would mean a c-section, but you don't sound like the sort to let that stand in your way.

[army_wife1008]

I am not sure when it will be. My OB knew of two and she was going to pick one and then send over the referral, so hopefully I will hear from someone soon. Yeah, I am sure if there was a way to repair my uterus I would end up with a c-section. Not my favorite choice but as opposed to never having another baby, I will take it! :-)

[MamaAnna]

I hope you hear something soon. Does she think the surgery would let you carry to full term if they can repair your uterus or would it more extend pregnancy so you'd just go as far as you can?

[army_wife1008]

Originally Posted by MamaAnna

I hope you hear something soon. Does she think the surgery would let you carry to full term if they can repair your uterus or would it more extend pregnancy so you'd just go as far as you can?

I am not really sure. My OB actually does not think that they can even repair my type of abnormality which is why she wanted to refer me to someone who would know better, but from the research I have done, it seems that people who have a bicornuate uterus and then have surgery to repair it have successful pregnancies.

[MamaAnna]

Oh I hope so! I just love happy endings.

[Banned-serinna]

So tiny !

[Boglarka]

Hi there! What an amazing story it is about Travis. I am sorry to hear that you had to go through so much to have that beautiful baby!!!!
And all that with your husban being in Iraq!
I really wish you the best of luck for the future. I hope they can repair your uterus anomaly.
I have a T-shape uterus and I had complications with my first pregnancy ( 6 weeks in the hospital , from 24 weeks till 30 weeks and another 6 weeks at home on strict besdrest)
I am currently pregnant with my second and as I just entered my second trimester, I am starting to get a bit nervous. My ob thinks that I will have complications again. :-(

[MamaAnna]

I hope you don't have any complications, though I suppose if you do at least you know what to expect.