Hi everyone! I am 27 years old, married in June of 2008. I am getting banded on tuesday January 6th 2009. The reason I am having this done is so that I can be healthy enough to have a baby. It will be my first. This is where things get a bit weird. You see I am a teacher of students with special needs. I teach kids with autism, downs syndrome, cerbral palsy, etc. and I ADORE my job. However, I am naturally paranoid about having a child with a disability and want to take all precautions while I am pregnant. Has anyone heard anything about this band creating any type of birth defects or complications with the pregnancy. I know it may not be what everyone wants to talk about but I think it's important to know. Thanks for understanding.

Meghan

Hi everyone! I am 27 years old, married in June of 2008. I am getting banded on tuesday January 6th 2009. The reason I am having this done is so that I can be healthy enough to have a baby. It will be my first. This is where things get a bit weird. You see I am a teacher of students with special needs. I teach kids with autism, downs syndrome, cerbral palsy, etc. and I ADORE my job. However, I am naturally paranoid about having a child with a disability and want to take all precautions while I am pregnant. Has anyone heard anything about this band creating any type of birth defects or complications with the pregnancy. I know it may not be what everyone wants to talk about but I think it's important to know. Thanks for understanding.

Meghan

There should be no negative affect whatsoever as long as you are getting adequate nutrution . . . yet this is true whether you are banded or not.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that you should wait between 12 to 24 months after banding to consider pregnancy by most doctors requests so that you can stabilize your weight and get used to the banding lifestyle. You should also make sure you are taking a good Multivitamin and a folic acid supplement (to help prevent neural tube defects) before attempting to get pregnant.

Also, (I know this is late) remember that in your job you see the worst! You're not seeing all the healthy kids that are born because they don't need you! I am the mother of a Special needs and disabled 2 year old boy. I am now pregnant again and I am terrified! I just had a miscarrige in May at 5 weeks and now I am 6 weeks pregnant. I have had my band for almost a year now. The band hasn't been shown to cause any problems. After all it doesn't change how you absorb vitamins and what not!