Category: Blog

  • What to Expect After a Down Syndrome Diagnosis (Early Pregnancy)

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    I received my son’s diagnosis early in pregnancy — at 12 weeks. I know many people get the diagnosis in the hospital after birth. In some ways, it was easier for me because the first reaction — shock — happened early in the pregnancy. In the hospital, it may be easier in a different way…

  • How I Learned to Advocate for My Child

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    When I first learned that my son has Down syndrome early in pregnancy, I felt a wave of shock and fear—but I knew from the start that I wanted him. I immediately started reading books about the syndrome and sought guidance from parents who had real-life experience raising children with the diagnosis. I thought sharing…

  • Living on One Income While Raising a Child with Down Syndrome

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    Choosing Priorities Over Perfection Raising a family on one income is a choice that requires clarity and courage. For us, the decision was simple: we prioritize our children and our family life over material comforts. I could go back to work tomorrow—my teaching skills and master’s degree make it possible—but I choose not. Why? Because…

  • Maternal Guilt: Why Mothers Feel Like They’re Never Doing Enough

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    Sometimes it feels like nothing I do is ever enough — even though I am doing the best I can with what I have right now. At this stage of my life, my priorities are clear:my children (born and unborn), my own health, and my relationship with my partner. A spotless house, a career, and…

  • Moving: Making Space for a Growing Family

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    Alongside the arrival of our third baby, another big change is ahead of us—we are moving. These two things are closely connected. We have been living on the upper floor of my partner’s parents’ house for five years now, together with our four-year-old daughter and our two-year-old son, who has Down syndrome. Our third baby…

  • Valentine’s Day: Small Gestures, Big Feelings

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    Valentine’s Day has been meaningful to me ever since childhood. When I was in school, I used to make cards for my classmates and, if I was lucky, receive some in return. It’s a day that brings warmth and joy into the cold winter season, even through the smallest gestures. This year, Valentine’s Day has…

  • Finding Joy and Balance in Winter With Toddlers

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    Winter has arrived with its cold air and thick layers of snow. Ever since childhood, winter has brought me a lot of joy. I remember sledding, skating, and skiing for hours without getting tired. Winter with toddlers looks quite different though. At home, I have a four-year-old daughter, a two-year-old son with Down syndrome, and…

  • What No One Tells You About Siblings of Children with Down Syndrome

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    Introduction: The Story We Rarely Hear When people talk about raising a child with Down syndrome, the focus is almost always on the parents: their strength, their grief, their resilience, their exhaustion. Much less is said about the siblings — especially those who are typically developing and growing up quietly alongside a brother or sister…

  • I Failed My Daughter — And I Still Can’t Forgive Myself

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    I still carry postpartum guilt. I keep replaying the moments, thinking of all the things I wish I had done differently with my daughter. This is a chapter from my e-book that I wrote through tears. Even now, I don’t know how much this has affected her, or whether I caused her lifelong trauma. The…

  • How to Talk About a Diagnosis

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    When I learned about my son’s Down syndrome diagnosis while 12 weeks pregnant, I was in shock—scared, frozen, and completely overwhelmed.After the call with the geneticist, the first person I had to tell was my partner. I wasn’t even afraid of the conversation. I was crying so hard that fear didn’t really exist yet. We…