September 6, 2008 6:07 PM
Down syndrome: mother/child pictures
Sarah Palin's candidacy is opening a number of long overdue conversations - including what it means to have a child with Down syndrome.
Seeing a baby with Down syndrome being loved by his entire family has hopefully helped people rethink the culturally conditioned fear surrounding this prenatal diagnosis, which currently has a 90% abortion rate.
I've written a lot about my son Jonny (About that extra chromosome. . .) - as well as the three boys with Down syndrome we've adopted since Jonny was born (A Tale of Four Adoptions). I feel it's a privilege to be their mom and to do anything I can to advocate for others.
A year ago I called for photos and created a special Mother's Day album called Our Little Extras. With so much curiosity about Down syndrome now, I'm running it again - click below to see the album or slideshow:
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| Our Little Extras: A Mother's Day Down syndrome celebratio |
This was what I wrote in May 2007 when I introduced it:
Although this was my gift for Mothers Day 2007, the album is an ongoing project, so it's never too late to send me pictures to include.Though I started working on the album a while ago, it seems timely considering the recent news that 90% of mothers receiving a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome are aborting their babies.
The following article in today's New York Times: Prenatal Test Puts Down Syndrome in Hard Focus - should give us all pause.
What makes a person disposable? Those of us who've had children with Down syndrome - and survived to tell the tale :) - would tell any parent that no matter the grieving process they go through at the loss of their dream of a "perfect" child, it doesn't take long to learn that the child we received was actually a gift in a different-looking package.
Here is what I wrote as a brief introduction to the album:
Our kids have a little extra. A little extra enthusiasm, a little extra innocence, a little extra charm. Oh, and did I mention an extra chromosome? The one on the 21st pair that inspires so much fear in parents-to-be.I suppose at one time all of us were fearful about Down syndrome. But take a look at our faces. Who knew how much joy lay ahead?
Having a child with Down syndrome has helped me see there's infinitely more to life than intelligence, beauty and "perfection." Each of us moms has received a gift we never would have thought to ask for, bringing lessons we never knew we needed to learn. The greatest surprise is this:
Our lives with our children have been less about us helping them reach their potential than about them helping us reach ours.
Please visit the album and bookmark it. Share it with your mothers' groups and OB-GYNs. Most importantly, share with anyone receiving the news that her baby has Down syndrome and wondering what lies ahead.
Posted in Campaign 2008, Disabilities, Down syndrome, Mothering | Permalink
Comments
I love this post! Thank you! I am forty-two and pregnant, and declined prenatal testing. And I'm not scared about what might come! I trust God, with every fiber of my being. He knows what I need, what we all need. I linked to this post in my blog, in a post about prenatal testing. Thank you for your hard work, your compassion, your love.
Pam
Posted by: Pam | September 7, 2008 4:48 PM
I love the mommy-baby pics! And, yes, seeing Trig Palin being loved up and cuddled by his family was absolutely the greatest. I don't care if people say they brought the kids out for show--what I saw was true and real love in a family. Having a child with DS changes you is so many ways, it's as if mothers and fathers the world over are connected through our children. She's got my vote.
Posted by: Nikki | September 8, 2008 10:25 PM
