When you are pregnant with your first child it can be scary enough, but when that child you are carrying has something “wrong” with them makes it even worse.
Now I put the word “wrong” in quotes because there is nothing wrong with my daughter, but that’s how the doctors acted. I was about 12 weeks pregnant with my daughter when I got the phone call (yes a phone call) that the MaterniT21 showed that the baby that I was carrying, My baby, would be born with Trisomy 21 or in other words Down Syndrome. They then set up the appointment to discuss our “options”. Now what is the first thing you think of when you hear the words options while you are pregnant…yep that was the first option they gave us. Abortion, amnio or proceed with the pregnancy like normal. Of course we chose to proceed like normal, and they proceeded to tell us all the things that could go wrong.
Things that COULD go wrong
Heart issues
Intellectual delays
Not amounting to much
The list goes on and on. See the thing is most doctors only see what could go wrong. They never tell you what could go right.
They never tell you that that little one will be the best thing that ever came into your life. That their smile is contagious and can light up a room and take all your cares away. They don’t tell you of the family you gain when having a child with Down Syndrome. The support you get when things go wrong and the joy you share when things go right. You become part of a community that no matter what they have your back. You have questions don’t be afraid to ask cause well hey they have been through it. They don’t tell what beautiful, fun, and loving human beings they can be.
When you go into that appointment don’t dwell on what the doctors tell you could go wrong…Just remember all the things that could and WILL go right.