I believe that deciding to bear a child is ultimately a very optimistic choice. It takes a certain level of hope to believe that growing life is a good call. It was a big step in my Acoustic Neuroma journey to feel ready to consider being pregnant again. I had a hard time making the transition from just feeling in a fight to survive to actually feel like life was good – and that it was possible to thrive. It was a very emotional process to move through. I had a lot of questions and worries about becoming pregnant after a Vestibular Schwannoma diagnosis- so I will share what I learned and experienced.

I am the mother of two children. I had a two year old when I was diagnosed with my AN. My second child, I chose to have about two and a half years after my brain surgery for my AN. I was very worried that my pregnancy or labor would be complicated for the child I bore after my AN surgery. I checked in with my doctors, and they were all very comfortable with my situation. If you decide to have a baby closer to the time of your brain surgery than I did, you may have some considerations with pushing and pressure on your brain. They were not at all worried about that for me with my timeline.

I found that my pregnancy and delivery after my brain surgery were actually smoother and easier than my first! I had no difficulties with fertility, or any complications or issues related to my brain surgery, or even any other complications. I had experienced a few bumps in the road with my first child, but baby number two took it easy on me. I chose not to have any pain medication during labor. I had said to my husband in advance that I expected that labor would not seem quite as awful since I had already made it through brain surgery. While I was in labor, I told him, “Well, it’s not brain surgery, but it still isn’t my favorite day.” Baby #2 joined the family and was happy and healthy.

One consideration to keep in mind with pregnancy and an Acoustic Neuroma diagnosis is tumor growth. This topic is actively being looked into – there is not any hard data yet. Anecdotally, it appears there may be some links between tumor growth and pregnancy hormones. I have met many folks who got diagnosed very shortly after pregnancy or nursing- most with medium to large tumors. I would definitely discuss concerns with tumor growth with your doctor- especially if you are pre-treatment or have some tumor remaining after treatment. My surgeon told me all my tumor was removed, and I did not see any changes with MRIs after my second child.

I was very worried about not hearing my baby with my single sided deafness. I was anxious I would miss when my baby needed me. I found a vibrating and light up monitor extremely helpful. I also would use Google’s Live Transcribe app to listen for baby cries and notify my smart watch. I decided to house the baby in my bedroom for a longer period than I had when I was hearing, and we also had our older child share a room with the baby when the baby moved out of our room. With some planning and technology, I found I was very much able to do a good job of responding and taking care of the baby.

I think when you decide to become pregnant is such a personal choice. For me, I felt that I need a solid 18 months of healing after my surgery before I was even ready to consider pregnancy. Healing from a brain surgery is exhausting, and pregnancy is exhausting- I couldn’t imagine doing those two things simultaneously and having the energy to even get out of the bed. You need to to pick what feels right for you and your life. Please don’t let other’s comments and thoughts make you feel pressured. I had people trying to rush me to have another child so my children wouldn’t be too far apart in age- that is nonsense. I did what my body needed and my children are great friends though almost 5 years apart in age.

Pregnancy is always a complicated proposition, but being an Acoustic Neuroma warrior does not mean there necessarily will be extra problems or complications. Consult your doctor, make choices that are right for your body and life, and hopefully it can be a positive experience. If nothing else, children give us a reason to get out of bed in the morning.