Is it too soon?

Following Bella's model of sharing reader's questions, here is a recent question (paraphrased) I received. I included my initial response to the question. I welcome comments - it could become an excellent resource for others looking into the same situation.!

Q: How soon after surgery is too soon to conceive a pregnancy? Do pregnancy hormones cause joint changes and lead to relapse? I read somewhere that one should wait 12 months post surgery to conceive.

A: I'm not really sure. Hormones are powerful, though it is virtually impossible to predict to what extent joints may change. Ideally, the more time one waits the better to provide the body additional healing time, boosting one's nutritional reserves, etc.


Thanks for the comment. I read that post somewhere, too, though I've since forgotten where. I looked up what research was available and found it was mostly applied science. Helpful, but by no means prescriptive. Other readers may be wondering the same thing so I decided to reply with a detailed answer. Hope its length doesn't offend you. I understood your question to be kind and pragmatic. :)

My surgeon and I discussed this very question. He's been practicing since the early 1970s, and he said wait 3 months. I made it just over 2! A second oral surgeon consult also said 3 months - primarily to buffer the estimated 6 weeks it takes bones to heal. My orthodontist had been concerned that my jaw showed signs of condyle sagging at one point. Boy, that bothered me for weeks. But you know, I decided that my jaw was better than it had been, I survived the surgery, and there was NO way I was going to do it again...so it didn't really matter. The nagging worry was debilitating until I released my anxiety. I did check with my ortho about waiting another month or two, and he said in December he didn't know of a medical reason not to get pregnant. I think he knew what I was asking since it's all I ever talk about during my visits. :)

What's interesting to me is that it wasn't until after my second child was born that I noticed my midlines shifting so much. Were the increased levels of relaxin to blame? Or was it the passing of a few more years (I was 29 when she was born, now am 31)? Or the fact that teeth keep on shifting if left unchecked? Not sure. Though my dress size shrank back, my hips never did return to their pre-baby position. Hips are affected differently though than one's jaw.

Below is how I came to my decision. I share it in case it helps someone else...God knows how much time I've spent agonizing over the decision!

My husband and I were both aware of my cycles (I've been charting for about 9 years now). We'd be actively avoiding pregnancy for over a year while we sorted through surgery stuff. We were ready for another baby on just about every level, but perhaps more important, we were open to the idea of life. In particular, this was the real blessing of a quick conception. I trusted my long-held, well-tested beliefs, I submitted to my husband's eagerness for another child (rather than my over-the-top desire to control everything "just so"), and was open. I NEVER expected to get pregnant last month, yet I was overjoyed at the discovery. For us women, there are just a few years during which we can bear children if we're blessed. He is 8.5 years older than I am. Over the last year of waiting, I've been really aware of our ages and the effects of time on biology. Pursing my MBA and this surgery likely means I will not have that extra baby I could have had...

In the end, our openness to life was greater than my fear of a relapse. I hope this doesn't sound naive. Both of us spent much time in prayer.

Now for the science part. I was REALLY scared of being undernourished post surgery. I boosted up prior to surgery, tried to maximize my recovery diet. That fear also led me to take liquid vitamins until I could swallow my prenatals. I continued to supplement with additional iron, since my body likes anemia. :) Some families struggle with birth defects as they welcome more children into their families; I believe some of this can be prevented through proper nutrition. So, I specifically checked my folate levels back in October when I had all my blood work done. Of course, we cannot prevent everything. Therefore, a part of me wanted to wait another 6-9 months to boost my nutritional reserves and order my life "just so". We never did finish our renovation projects or buy that family van I worried so much about...

I know my decision is not the right one for everyone. Even with the "best" circumstances, I understand I may be passing along THE very genes that led me to orthognathic surgery in the first place. Doesn't that catch your breath?

Which leads me back to the beginning....from Psalm 139
v.1 "O Lord, you have searched me and know me,
v.2 "You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar,
v.13 "For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb,
v.14 "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
v.15 "My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
v.16 "Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.the end.

October it is

Two lines. Happy thoughts. Constant fatigue.
















That's right, I'm pregnant!

I never thought I would conceive so quickly. Go liquid vitamins! I picked up a bottle of outrageously expensive, whole food, gluten free, yada yada liquid vitamin back when I was recovering. Anyone else having horrible flashbacks of liquid baby tylenol? I stopped drinking that green murky goo over the weekend, and my energy plummeted, my nausea skyrocketed, and I couldn't keep any food down. I was sick every 20 minutes for almost 2 days. Thankfully, I was only a few hours from home, where I slept for a day and resumed my vitmain regime. Tonight, I read on the vitamin bottle it contains something like 1200% of my B6 daily requirement. Lightbulb moment! Pumping up on B6 really does help with all-the-time sickness.


Just another reminder of how jaw surgery supplies can be good for you. ;)



I'm about 7.5 weeks pregnant, and with my nausea under better control, my rubber bands are back on. They make for achy teeth but they're really effective. I can totally chew well on my right side, left side is coming along. More feeling is returning to my lips and chin, with stabbing pains growing less frequent. My mouth feel kinda tight in general, hard to describe. I can almost feel it if I bite the inside of my lips. Let's be honest though, the extra metal hooks for bands are never forgotton. Sometimes I can't see my teeth for all the hardware and rubber in there.

I do love that my jaw doesn't click anymore. I love love love that I haven't had a migraine since surgery. Not a single one. Woohoo! Will the pain when yawning diminsh, too?

My little issue with mouth breathing
I stopped taking my nasal spray because I was concerned of birth defects; without the spray, I catch myself mouth breathing again, especially at night. I know I clinically need to use the nasal spray to shrink my turbinates, and I know pregnancy hormones can make my nose stuffier-than-normal, but catching myself mouth breathing makes me feel like I've failed or something. Most everyone I see says I look the same, or that they cannot remember what I looked like before, but sometimes I miss my old goofy smile. It was so big and so happy! My new smile is fantastically straight but a bit unbalanced. When I'm having a doubting moment, I remember how much better I can now breathe. So if I'm feeling mopey, and think about recent mouth breathing, then I really feel bad. I think some of what I notice is the muscles pushing against all the band movement. Wearing bands does seem to help, so, for now, I'm trying to give myself some slack and not worry to much about it.

I need to end this post with a happy thought. By the time I celebrate my one year surgery anniversary, I'll have a sweet little bundle in my arms! Here is a memory of number 2 in my vintage handsewn top and vintage moses basket. Owhhh. :)

10 weeks post op improvements

A quick post to document the changes:

Each week is better than the week before. Chewing is better but by no means normal yet, perhaps because my teeth are still shifting in my wires. My arches continue to widen. My elastics are now my friends. The whole insert elastic technique is improving also - I'm down to 3 minutes from 12 or so. The front box pattern has totally moved my front teeth in place. Very cool. My guess is that I have another 6 months of braces.

Feeling is slowly returning to my lower lip and chin. I can feel my finger if I drag it across the chin, but the tingly sensation is kinda painful. Kissing is better, but again, not yet normal. Feeling has returned faster on my right side. When I smile, my left side doesn't quite wake up. I have to concentrate to make my smile, well, smile. Weird. I am hopeful this is not permanent.

My husband has either been working or out of town the last few weeks, and with my attention focused on disciplining my children, blogging has taken a back seat, for sure. Hope to correct that trend! And I hope to take a new picture tomorrow. My current pic looks so smirky.

my new smile

This week my OD instructed me how to "settle my bite" with elastics. I had been wearing light elastics in a classic Class II position for the last month. Since only my eye teeth have been touching I look forward to feeling an improved bite.

In order to configure the trio of elastics, additional wires were added. Little ones, sure, but really, who wants more metal in their mouth a this point? They don't bother me that much, except when my lower lip is accidentally caught. Ooo-weee! When I wake up, I still feel like someone hit my face with a baseball bat, happily though, this unique feeling is not visible to anyone else! The best part of the new config is the super tight box across the front. I teased my husband that this must have been his idea, to keep me from eating my way back into my old clothes! :)

Now, for the lighter side of dental hygiene. My youngest loves to imitate me wrestling with the pesky little bands. If I open wide, and growl with these babies on, giggles erupt for everyone. Once big sister saw me pull out the camera to capture the cute moment, she, too imitated my antics.

Braces and babies, don't you love 'em? :)

disturbing the peace

Awake at 5:15, well, make that 6:20...oh, who forgot to set the alarm! Make coffee and feed the children while hubby showers. Is the bag packed? Good. No, you cannot eat a brownie for breakfast, even if they are GrandmaMac's yummy ones. Gulp a carnation breakfast shake, fuss with some makeup, turn down the heat while we're out. Everyone in the car...please...in the car...NOW. Thank you. Golly, it's cold this early. Honey, did you grab the girls' hair bows? No worries, I'll run in. Would you reopen the garage door please? Thanks. And we're off...

My family and I dashed down to Charleston this morning to celebrate the baptism of a special young boy. My youngest's godmother had asked my husband to be a godfather to her much-longer-for son. It was important occasion, and important we arrived for the service on time. The rhythm of the highway and light rain mellowed our young children into delightful traveling companions. One hundred miles later we arrived refreshed.

Quietly, I inhaled the surroundings. Old friends ,who never thought they'd marry, now sitting in pairs here and there. Childless couples, embracing new deliveries. Estranged families, now reconciled and singing together. It was quite a picture! I was happy to sit on the fringe, enjoying the service.

"...and just like the surgeons took a hammer and saw to my jaw a few years ago, and replaced it with a better one (and yes, this is the best they could do --laughter--), Jesus shatters our false suppositions with his sWORD, and replaces it with a true sense of peace..."

Jaw surgery in the sermon? Seriously! How often does that happen?

I perked up instantly. The pastor discussed a passage from Matthew 10:34-40. One point of the sermon was that God refines us through difficult circumstances, crushing our clouded, limited understanding of truth to lead us to Him. This idea totally reminded me of my first weeks after surgery. I was humbled by what my body wouldn't do, surprised by what it did. My comforts were completely disturbed.

I had peace prior to my surgery because "I" had done enough research, "I" had purchased supplies, etc. Post-operatively, I have a richer peace, in part because my peace was disturbed. I realized my dependency on someone other than myself.

Here is a picture of my husband holding his new godson...may baby Joe grow in wisdom and stature with God and man.

Cheers to sermons with surgery references. :)

Babies and braces and babies?

I am now officially TTC baby number 3! It feels absolutely wonderful to be here, after all the praying, hand wringing, and researching.

I'm am very happy with my decision to postpone #3 until after having surgery. The timing has been good, not just for me but also for my family. I would be dishonest if I didn't share that I've longed for another child for months now. And there have been some big bumps along the way. Certainly, many people face the same longings without the clear hope my husband and I share for more children. I am immensely thankful to be where I am. Truly.

Thank you to anyone who has listened to me ramble through my heart workings over this past year. It has been quite a journey. When I review previous posts, I cringe at the poor grammar, unnecessary anxieties, and nonsense ramblings...and yet, this blog has served me well as both a journal and a fantastic way to connect with other ortho-bloggers.

Oh, and Holly, in case you're wondering who checks your blog like 8x per day, it's me. I know you have great links to everyone. :)

7 weeks post op - edited

Six weeks has been a grand milestone. I'm feeling more like myself each day. The daily progress remains slow, yet, when I reflect upon where I was a week past, I notice big improvements. Today, I had an adjustment at the OD. It went really well. Elastics have shifted my bite closer, we moved some brackets, and the OD even bonded a front tooth for nicer shaping. Midlines are mostly together. I love how my teeth are lining up in front, how my lips fall across my upper teeth, how wide and happy my smile is. The fullness in my cheeks and the little upturn in my nose are growing on me. By the summer, everything should settle into place.

I'm officially on soft chew foods! I've stopped shedding pounds so I must be eating enough. While I am thoroughly enjoying the new foods, chewing remains frustrating. My ROM is improving - my OD gave me some tongue depressors today to move it even further.

I've resumed my exercise routines. Surprisingly, I'm more into exercising than usual. So much of my recovery feels out of my control, but when I'm doing leg lunges to upbeat gym music, I'm in total control. (I am monitoring this so it doesn't get out of control (ah, puns!)) I'm now sleeping with just 1-2 pillows. My right jaw, the swollen side, is too tender to rest on but otherwise feels fine. Sleeping feels more comfortable in elastics. Feeling continues to come back in my lower lip and chin. Buzzing with occasional stabs of pain on the outside, insides are still numb. Kissing remains strange...think awkward teenage antics!

...some thoughts on the Body Image conversation...
My fuller cheeks remind me of an engagement photo from 2000, when I was 23 and wore a size 10. Marriage slimmed me down, unexpectedly, and over the last 8 years my face thinned as well. The second photo is me in December 2006, age 29, wearing a size 6 (and 5 months pregnant with #2). I think this is why when I see the fuller face, I feel heavier than I am. Just a hunch.

comparing smiles before & after

I'm still working on a better before & after compare. Here is a quick version for the curious...

1) In braces for 5 months, May 2008

2) In braces for 11 months, 6 weeks post op, Dec 2008

I think you can see how the braces straightened my teeth, widening my smile even before surgery. As my teeth straightened, my overbite (and over jet, too) appeared larger. My teeth should lighten up again after my next scheduled cleaning. The surgery shortened my face, especially noticeable (to me, at least!) across my cheekbones. My cheeks are fuller. My jawline is now more square. I knew one eye was larger, now I can see the very subtle difference in cheek fullnesses prior to braces. Also, now that my lower jaw is in place, my laugh lines have softened. That's good! I still expect to see face #1 in the mirror...when I see face #2 instead it seems strange. Bit by bit this sense improves. My smile is slowly relaxing and broadening as the muscles in my face come back. My lower lip and chin improve daily. The constant buzzing & twitching nerves lead me to believe this feeling will return, too. :)