Or when she's awake?
When you look at Brooke is there anything that makes you shudder? Or think, oh no! Not me! I surely don't want that baby!
If you answered yes you're not alone. In fact, you are absolutely 100% in the majority.
Brooke has Down Syndrome, which we found out when I was 21 weeks pregnant with her.
And statistics show that 90% of women would have terminated the pregnancy with that information.
Yes, you read that right...90% of women who find out the child they're carrying has Down Syndrome end the pregnancy...
And I was almost one of those women...
Like most people, when my husband and I found out for certain that Brooke had DS we were devastated, and our devastation was magnified by the poor information we received from the Maternal Fetal Specialist. Never Never Never. That's all we were told. Our daughter would never go to regular school. Our daughter would never do ballet or play soccer with her peers. Our daughter would never be independent. Never Never Never.
With that information I said my good byes to Brooke while I was still carrying her inside of me. For a week my body shook with my hysterical sobs as I held my quivering belly begging my unborn daughter to understand. I pleaded with her to realize that I didn't want her to have a sub par life. I told her how much I loved her already and that I didn't want to terminate her life, but I was told it was the right thing to do...
And every day now I think of that time in my pregnancy. And every day I thank God for pushing my husband to research on his own during that week and showing us that our child could and would have a typical happy life.
So now we have Brooke in our family...child number four who is absolutely adored by her big brothers and sister.
Is raising Brooke different than raising my other children? Sure. I'm not going to lie...there are things that are very different. At the age of 20 months, Brooke is developmentally at about 12-15 months, and we do have therapists come a couple days a week to help her out. But you know what the beauty of the word delay is? It's not forever...it's just a delay. Brooke will do everything your child does, but maybe a few months later and perhaps with a bit of a boost. But isn't she worth it? I think so...
Why am I sharing this? Because October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month and it is so important that expecting mothers that receive this diagnosis understand what it really means to have a child with Down Syndrome...
Sure, it's extra therapy a couple times a week, and sometimes having people do a double take when they pass by. Down Syndrome may mean having a hypothyroid that requires medication or a vision problem that requires glasses. That extra chromosome may even come along with the baby needing open heart surgery to fix a defect....like one that Brooke was born with...
But that magic chromosome also means looking at beautiful almond shaped eyes everyday. Down Syndrome means celebrating every time a milestone is hit, no matter how minor. Down Syndrome is love and hugs and big sloppy kisses...
Down Syndrome is still a life worth living...
Don't you think so?
Thank you so much Holly from Holly's House-Not A Perfect Mom's Blog for sharing with us your sweet little Brooke!
