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Original poster

Heart mumurs in babies

49 replies

Meagain24 · 19/12/2025 13:52

Hello

i went for my babies 6 week gp check today, and she said she could hear a murmur and would refer him for a scan.

I’m worried about what this means. She did say most of them in babies are innocent, and said she wasn’t too worried. His heart was checked after birth by a midwife and the next day by a doctor before we were discharged. Neither of them had any concerns but is it possible they missed it?

Thanks

OP posts:
TheCountessAtChristmas · 19/12/2025 14:01

There is a chance something was missed but the best thing is to wait for the scan to see for sure, ofcourse there is also a chance all is fine!

If it helps. My dc has heart defects, severe ones including multiple holes and a very distinctive murmur so my advice would be
If baby is pink and warm, taking bottles well and seems happy and calm thats all great. If they seem to struggle on their bottles or you notice a change in their colour call 111 for advice. I am only saying this to give you some advice on things to look out for if your worried or to reassure you too x I know its scary especially as you wait for the scan to know one way or the other

KittyHigham · 19/12/2025 14:06

My dgd had a murmur picked up at birth. Next day second Dr couldn't hear it. 8 week check the GP heard it so referred. He wasn't concerned as there were no signs of her being affected (feeding, moving, colour, weight etc all good) but it's always best to be sure.The wait for paediatric cardiology was over 6 months but eventually she was thoroughly checked and discharged with no concerns at all. That's a very usual pattern and although it's a worry, innocent murmurs are more common than heart conditions. ❤️

YourGreyJoker · 19/12/2025 14:17

All three of mine had heart murmurs at birth. Referred and checked, no treatment. All grown up fit and healthy adults.

KnickerlessParsons · 19/12/2025 14:19

DDs friend has a heart murmur. She’s 30 now and it’s never been a cause for concern. As a child she got examined once a year (i think) just as a precaution.

notsuperbug · 19/12/2025 14:24

DD had a murmur found at birth, she had a scan at 1 day old in SCBU and was found to have pulmonary stenosis - where one of the valves is too small and puts pressure on the heart. She was scanned regularly to start with to check and make sure the valve was growing with her and the issue was not getting worse. In fact the valve grew more and by age 3 it had resolved. She has three yearly checks now and they struggle to find it on the scan.

The scans themselves are very straightforward like a fancy ultrasound- DD has never had any problem with them.

She’s always been fine in herself and is now a very active teenager who is on the school cross country team!

Original poster
Meagain24 · 20/12/2025 15:28

@TheCountessAtChristmas thanks so much for replying. How is your dc doing? Was this picked up from a heart murmur as a baby?

OP posts:
LondonLady1980 · 20/12/2025 15:57

My baby had a heart murmur picked up on the day after his birth when he was checked over before we were due to be discharged. He went for an USS and I was told it was an innocent murmur which is common in babies and that he would be monitored. He saw a cardiologist every 4 months for a review and it wasn’t until he was about 15 old that the murmur eventually disappeared. It never caused him any problems during that time period, and there haven’t been any after effects either.

Catchee · 20/12/2025 15:59

My son had this at the 8 week check and had a scan. I was so worried. They didn't even bother to get me the results, had to ask the health visitor if she could chase it. All was fine. Apparently very common but I remember how I felt and just wanted to reply x

Iamanunsafebuilding · 20/12/2025 16:10

My DS had a murmur picked up in hospital the day after he was born, we were told that the GP would check it at the 6 week check and if it hadn’t healed he would be referred. His hadn’t so we saw a cardiologist at 8 weeks and 8 months and at the 8 month point it had healed. We were told that most heart murmurs in babies are not concerning and will self heal in the first year

Original poster
Meagain24 · 20/12/2025 16:20

@LondonLady1980 @Catchee @Iamanunsafebuilding thank you so much to all of you for replying. You’ve made me feel much better! Praying it’s the same outcome for us. Everytime I look at him I feel so worried there’s something wrong 😢

OP posts:
dicdicnurse · 20/12/2025 16:54

My DD had a murmur picked up at birth, then at our 6 week scan we were told it was a Patent Ductus Arteous and she needed a minor op to fix it. The hard bit was that the op couldn’t be done until she was a certain weight so it was a long 9 months of worry. She did need medication during that time and she struggled to put on weight but post surgery she piled weight on and had no further issues.

Original poster
Meagain24 · 20/12/2025 17:11

@dicdicnurse thanks! Did she have trouble putting on weight in the first 6 weeks?

OP posts:
BackToBeingACatSlave · 20/12/2025 17:16

One of my children had one that was found at their 6 week check but it went away which is apparently common as they develop. It’s good that it’s being checked although I know it’s really worrying. I hope all is well.

dicdicnurse · 20/12/2025 17:28

Meagain24 · 20/12/2025 17:11

@dicdicnurse thanks! Did she have trouble putting on weight in the first 6 weeks?

Yes, I wanted to breastfeed but because she was compromised it was using too much energy so we ended up with a combo of breastfeeding and a high calorie formula. She needed to be 5kg for the operation and was 2.4kg at birth. The only symptoms she had were being pale and occasionally sweating when she was crying lots etc. I remember when we saw her in recovery after her op and her cheeks were pink! We hadn’t realised how pale she was. We had regular appointments during her first year so felt well supported.

Gabbycat245 · 20/12/2025 18:18

My DD had a murmur picked up at about 5/6 months when in hospital for other things. She was referred to paediatric cardiology and had an echo. It was diagnosed as an innocent murmur. Not sure if she still has it as she hasn't been checked again (now almost 4)

Zoesmumma · 20/12/2025 18:24

My 3rd had one picked up the day after she was born at the MW home visit, wasn’t noticed in the hospital.

She was referred for a scan, though I can’t remember how long we waited for that. Was told her heart was structurally fine and it was just a “noisy heart”.

user1471453601 · 20/12/2025 18:37

I'm 75 in a couple of days time, and twice doctors have asked me if I've ever been diagnosed with a heart murmur. The first time was at a pre op so they sent me for a echocardiography. Everything was fine.

second time GP looked a bit quizzical when he was doing the heart thing, so I asked if he thought he could hear a murmur. He had. I asked him to check for the echo. He did, and said my heart was fine.

out of curiosity I mentioned this to my Mum. She said she'd been told a couple of times when I was a baby that a potential murmur had been heard. In both cases further investigations showed no problem.

so my experience tells me your little one is likely to be fine.
But good luck nevertheless.

damemaggiescurledupperlip · 20/12/2025 18:38

Mine had an issue with the ‘foramen ovale’ which is a ‘door’ in the heart (ok, a fleshy flap) which is supposed to slam shut when baby starts to breathe for himself. Sometimes the seal isn’t perfect after birth but grows to be so. By 18m mine had no issue and he had grown perfectly normally in that time

Turboislander · 20/12/2025 18:41

My daughter had a heart murmur that was picked up in hospital after she was born. At her 6 week check up the GP said he could barely hear it and would probably not have even noticed if I hadn't mentioned it. She had cardiology appointments at 6 and 12 months and it was gone by then. She's always been completely healthy and never had any issues. I think they are pretty common in newborns and usually close by themselves within the first few months

Iamanunsafebuilding · 20/12/2025 22:35

DS was 8lb 7oz born and they had to take him to SCBU to take his blood pressure as part of the investigations, I will never forget how massive he looked compared to the tiny preemies in the incubators!

elm26 · 20/12/2025 22:53

Same thing happened to us at 6 week check with DD, she had a scan at the hosp and all healthy. He said they normally grow out of them which she has. She’s 2.5 now and has had her heart listened to a few times and no murmur.

ProfessorofCunning · 20/12/2025 23:05

I had a heart murmur that was picked up when I was born. It turned out to be a kink in one of my arteries. As I grew it straightened out and I lost the ‘extra’ beat, but I was monitored until I was about 5/6. For a while my parents were told it might be a hole in my heart, which was scary for them. I was born in the 70s so tests are obviously much better now. Hopefully it’s something innocent.

Original poster
Meagain24 · 21/12/2025 08:01

@Iamanunsafebuilding did your baby have a heart murmur? Was it innocent in the end? Thanks

OP posts:
Panicmode1 · 21/12/2025 08:15

I'm in my 50sand was born with a heart murmur and a small hole (VSD). I've had NO issues through my life - played sports to a reasonable level etc. I had several heart scans in my four pregnancies and my babies were all given extra checks but they are all fine.

Hoping all is benign and nothing to worry about....I think they are more common than people realise.

Londonrach1 · 21/12/2025 08:28

DD has one as does I. Caused no issues in my 50 years. I was monitored until I was 18. Dd has no issues and has had no monitoring after a total examination at Birmingham children's hospital. hope that puts your mind at rest