Audrey Confidential: Hemangioma on Babies (my Victoria has one) – Advice, Tips and Information

Audrey Confidential: Hemangioma on Babies (my Victoria has one) – Advice, Tips and Information

My baby girl Victoria was born with a hemangioma.

I’m going to be honest, I didn’t know what a hemangioma was until she was born. When she was in the hospital, I noticed a pink patch on her head, but we literally thought it was just a little mark or a bruise from her delivery. As the days progressed, the mark became more and more apparent and a doctor at the hospital told us it most likely was a hemangioma. They told us it could get redder and raised for the first 6-9 months of her life and that over time it would start to regress. As a parent, you just want everything healthy for your child… so my biggest concern was if it would hurt her.

I have been assured that Victoria can’t feel it. I really hope that’s the case. I know that it will get more raised over the next few months and that we just have to be prepared for that. I just wanted to share this because I would love advice, tips or stories from other moms and dads who have gone through this with their child.

Thanks for listening…

xo,
Audrey

About Audrey

Audrey McClelland has been a digital influencer since 2005. She’s a mom of 5 and shares tips on her three favorite things: parenting, fashion and beauty. She’s also a Contemporary Romance Author.

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20 Comments

  1. 9.19.13

    My sister’s baby (newest one) just had the same thing. She took her to Johns Hopkins for an exploratory medicine to help prevent it from getting bigger and to speed up the process to make it go away. She started the meds on Natalie when she was about 3 weeks old. She is just over a year now and doing great. They saw a difference in the size and color within a few months of taking the meds. It’s not completely gone, but it’s getting there. Without the meds it was said by the doctors it would have become larger and more raised, but possibly gone by ages 5-10. It was right near Natalie’s eye and my sister was afraid it would cause issues for her. I know exploratory meds are not for everyone because it can be scary. That is a risk she has taken. Natalie is beautiful either way!!! I’m glad for my sister’s sake it has seemed to work, because she was very stressed it would do something to Natalie’s vision. Victoria is gorgeous! This is actually a very common thing that babies can get. Let me know if you want to talk to my sister about what she’s been going through the last year! Love you Audrey and can’t wait to meet Victoria in person!!!

  2. 9.19.13
    Joanna said:

    I haven’t had a chance to tell you about my hemangioma yet after noticing your perfect little lady has one. I had one on my nose that grew to the size of a quarter until it finally went away on its own at about 5 years old. My Mom was very concerned and asked doctors about operating but they all advised against it and told her to wait it out. Kids would ask me what it was and I just told them “a hemangioma.” I have a tiny mark there still that only a physician can see if they knew I had a hemangioma. Victoria is going to be just fine, mama!

  3. 9.19.13
    Mari said:

    Hi Audrey, I love your blog. What a beautiful little girl you have. Congratulations. I have 3 little girls and have been reading your blog for a couple of years now. I’m looking forward to the future posts that will now occasionally feature your daughter. Love your blog and videos.

  4. 9.19.13
    Molly said:

    Hi Audrey – my son had one when he was born. Yes, it got more red, more raised, more concerning….but he is 2 1/2 now and literally the other day I was trying to find it and couldn’t. Your sweet little girl will be just fine.

  5. 9.19.13

    My Ailey had one on her belly. It was an internal and external Hemangioma and so it was very raised and red. It has faded at this point to almost non-existence which makes me kinda sad cause I used to love to tell her it was her angel kiss from all her family that passed away before she was born. I had one on my upper arm at birth and it was the same as Aileys. It was gone by the time I was 5 or 6 as well and all that is left is a soft patched area on that arm that has no color but just feels smoother than the other areas. Mia had several on her face…one on her forehead, one on her nose and one on her lip. They have all pretty much faded too but she still loves to show everyone her, as she calls them, stork kisses. I have to explain now to he audience that there used to be birthmarks there. Crazy Mia. Victoria’s will probably be gone before she even starts Kindergarten and then you will miss that sweet, kissed spot mama.

  6. 9.19.13
    Karen said:

    Audrey, I’ve been thinking about sending you a message about this, but didn’t want to draw attention to it when you have such a beautiful, healthy girl! That said, I liked hearing people’s stories too. My son had one (big and very red, right on his forehead) that was barely noticeable at birth and grew – and I too thought he was the cutest ever and just wanted to make sure it wasn’t a bleeding concern or anything worrisome. It didn’t bother me when friends would ask about it, but I didn’t love when random people in the grocery line would say things like ‘He’s bleeding! ‘Did he fall?’ ‘What happened to his head???!’. I know they were just concerned but it still bugged me a bit. But lots of other parents told me how their child had one and it totally faded. My son’s was barely visible by age 2 (still raised but skin colored) and now at age five I have trouble finding it! Congratulations on your Victoria! She’s beautiful.

  7. 9.19.13
    Amy said:

    Hey Audrey my son TJ was born with what we thought we 2 “stork bites”–one on top of his head and one in back. Pediatrician said they would get bigger and more red and of course they did. Was more obvious since he was pretty bald, and when hair was coming in it was very blonde. Saw a pediatric derm and she said risk factors were “females, prematurity, and advanced maternal age”– at age 34 I hardly saw that as a risk factor for his hemangioma– but I have seen more and more of these, and you will see alot of people have a story about themselves or someone they know who had one. TJ was/is never aware of his, biggest
    obstacle was what other people would say to us in public– “your baby has a booboo”, or “what happened to his head!?”– and these were not always children, mind you. Adults can say some pretty embarrassing things. Now he’s almost 2, got alot more hair and they are both almost totally flattened out. We really only see them at bathtime. Your baby girl will be fine, and you guys should be armed with a “typical” response for when people react to it: “oh that? It’s a birthmark, she was born with it”. Educating people works well.

  8. 9.19.13

    Hi Audrey,

    I am a Mom to a now 9 year old who was in a similar situation at birth. Im not writing to scare you in any way, just to urge you to press on to be sure there is nothing more to the hemangioma and to be a bit of support if you need me! I was very alone in this journey and was grateful to have found some lovely friends online to help me through! Like you.. I didnt know what that word was before having Hannah, let alone spell it! I am just wondering whom you have seen as far as doctors in regards to her Hemangioma? Has she had an MRI? It might be best if I just refer you to a blog post I had written about Hannah and our journey. Please feel free to email me at any time! [email protected]
    Blog – http://lovethatmamadrama.blogspot.com/2008/12/our-hemangioma-journey.html

  9. 9.19.13
    Heidi said:

    Hi Audrey – let me start by saying I love your blog & your family is so sweet!

    My daughter, who is 27 and just gave birth to her first child in May, had a hemangioma on her top lip when she was born. It did not become apparent until she was several months old. One day I just noticed that the right side of her top lip looked swollen & was a deep purple color. After several days it hadn’t gone away, so I took her to the pediatrician and she told us that it was a hemangioma or in layman’s terms, a ‘strawberry birthmark’.

    The Dr. said that it was harmless and would disappear before she started kindergarten, and it did. In fact it it was completely gone long before then! Today you can’t tell that it was ever even there!

    Victoria’s going to be just fine!

  10. 9.19.13

    Carter had one on his foot and it was totally in the shape of Elvis’ profile (I am not kidding!!) Sometimes it would be darker and then lighter, and then by about age 2 or so, it faded away! Gray had “angel kisses” on his eyes and forehead that would come and go for his first year or so. She is precious!

    Steph

  11. 9.19.13
    Linda said:

    No worry. I felt the same way when our beautiful baby girl had this—-It got really huge but was completely gone by the time she went to school. I had a wonderful doctor that helped me.

  12. 9.19.13

    Audrey,

    Annabelle had one when she was a baby too. When she was three weeks old, we noticed a faint red/light pink mark on the back of her head and thought that it was from pressure laying on her back in the cradle. By the time she was 2 months old, the hemangioma had gotten quite large. It was raised, bright red and had a couple of off shoots. It was about the size of a mini peppermint patty. I was a bit nervous about it but like you the doctors told me it didn’t hurt her and they generally don’t worry about it unless it’s near their eyes and affecting eye sight. Until she was about six months when her hair began to cover it so you couldn’t see it, people – especially kids – would point it out. A neighbor’s child asked who painted Annabelle’s head 🙂

    Whereas we were told that she’d likely have it until she was kindergarten and then it would slowly fade away, it was gone by the time she was 2.5. It never bothered her but I can tell you that as it started to fade and become more flat, she was a little sensitive to that spot and never wanted me to touch it. Now that she is in kindergarten, I’ve tried to find it under all her hair and can’t.

  13. 9.19.13
    cathy said:

    All my kids have it! my oldest (10 now) had it really bad and bulky till she was about 2 years old it was HUGE it felt warm to touch.. But it never itched or hurt.. she still has it but very very small.. all my other kids have it in the back of their necks and it is getting smaller as they grow.. Don’t worry it doesnt hurt them! I worried till my daughter was 2 and now its not even noticeable unless you get 1 inch close.

  14. 9.19.13
    Jane said:

    First of all, I want to eat Victoria up in that video. Love her! And Henry (was it him?) saying, “Me, too” when you said you think Victoria is the most beautiful girl in the world – melting! Anyway, as her Auntie, I honestly don’t even notice it when I’m with her… it’s just part of her to me, and she is so beautiful – every inch of her! I think it’s great for you to point it out in this post because you never know who you’re going to help or touch with something like this. You’re such an amazing mom and sister, and I love you and your whole family so much!

  15. 9.19.13
    DJ said:

    Hi there! Love you, love the blog. Okay first, how exciting is it to have a little girl?! I remember my friend telling me you have your buddy (my son) now you have your best friend…love that! So Congratulations on your beautiful little girl! About the hemangioma, my daughter had three, I had one and both my niece and very good friends daughter had one. Mine disappeared at age three. My daughter is 21 months. The one on her eye is now only visible if she cries. The one on her back has faded so much and the one on her neck has faded but not as much as the other two just yet. My niece had to have hers surgically removed but that is only because it was small but had started growing into her eye and could have affected her vision. My friend also had her daughters removed but not until she was older. From what I have heard and read they do almost always disappear with time. Yes they get bigger and redder for awhile but almost always go away. Keep enjoying her, you are such an amazing mom!

  16. 9.20.13
    Alycia said:

    Hi
    My son Logan(4) also has one. He was born premature so it didn’t appear until he was 4 myths old. His on his is on his check and we were told it would go away by the time he was 2 and it hasn’t.
    Logan has named it ” my strawberry friend”.

  17. 9.20.13
    Melanie said:

    Hi Audrey! Congrats on your beautiful little girl. Both of my daughters have these birthmarks. My daughter who is four has one on her belly that is fairly large and a smaller one on her back. The smaller one is almost gone and the larger one is definitely getting grayish and shrinking. I was very interested to see how many moms have kids with these strawberry marks. Thanks for asking for comments and best wishes with Victoria!

  18. 9.21.13
    Elaine said:

    Hi Audrey- My daughter had a hemangioma at birth. I was very concerned watching it get bigger and bigger. We had been advised at first to leave it alone. When she was about 18 months old, we were told it wouldn’t go away anytime soon and I was concerned about sending her to school with it. I found a wonderful pediatric plastic surgeon in LA (we live 2 hours north) and it was removed. There is a barely noticeable scar. For us, it was the right thing to do and In some ways I am sorry I waited because I only watched it get bigger.
    My niece has a little girl with a hemangioma and they are using some medicine that is actually used for glaucoma to treat it. They rub it on nightly and it is getting smaller. So there may be some great non-surgical options out there. No matter what, Victoria is beautiful and it will all work out.

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