Tag: Down syndrome

  • Being Pregnant While Parenting Two Toddlers

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    I am currently 8 months pregnant. At home I have a four-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son. Life is busy, noisy, and full of movement from morning until evening. Being pregnant after having a child with Down syndrome brings many emotions. Our two-year-old has Down syndrome, and now we are expecting another baby. This pregnancy…

  • Fear of Another C-Section — But for Very Different Reasons This Time

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    I have had two emergency C-sections.My daughter is four years old, my son is two. With my daughter, the pregnancy went past 42 weeks. The doctors were not willing to wait any longer. Labor was induced—twice, using different methods—over two full days. Nothing happened. At 42+1, I was taken for an emergency C-section. It was…

  • I Was Never Unsure — And Still Everyone Questioned My Choice

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    A Surprising Pregnancy After a Difficult Birth When my daughter was one year and four months old, I became pregnant again. I was surprised. After an emergency C-section and considering my age—I was 34 at the time—I had assumed getting pregnant might be difficult. But the news brought joy to both me and my partner.…

  • Why Physiotherapy and Swimming Matter So Much with a Down Syndrome Diagnosis

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    Physiotherapy and swimming for Down syndrome diagnosis deserve special attention, because the benefits are immense. From my experience, most children with Down syndrome are hypermobile, meaning their joints are very flexible. Their muscles are often softer and slightly weaker than average, which can make certain developmental milestones harder to reach—and usually means they reach them…

  • Living in the Countryside: Joys, Challenges, and Raising a Child with Down Syndrome

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    We live in the countryside.Our village has around 100 people. The nearest town, with about 10,000 residents, is a one-hour drive away. This is a huge luxury when you consider how many people around the world live in matchbox-sized apartments in concrete apartment blocks. No wonder birth rates are so low. Children are born where…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Family Life Reflections and 2025 Highlights

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    This post is about looking back and forward – family life reflections. 2025 has been an eventful and transformative year for our family. Looking back, we can see growth, milestones, and moments of joy, alongside challenges that have tested our resilience and unity. This year has reminded us of the strength and importance of family…

  • What People Say About Down Syndrome and Refusing Prenatal Testing

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    This post responds to common comments about Down syndrome and prenatal testing that people were telling me. When our son received a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, we also received something else: opinions. Some were spoken gently, others bluntly or even cruelly. Over time, I noticed that many comments followed the same patterns. Below are…