I love you for being you💗

This time two years ago I was 7 months pregnant. We had received a diagnosis of Down Syndrome for our unborn baby along with news that she would need heart surgery. A visit to Crumlin Childrens Hospital in Dublin happened around then and boy that was scary. Major heart surgery at 3months old and we would face a gruelling feeding schedule every 3-4hours 24 hours a day so that our baby would put on the necessary weight to have her surgery. She had a hole in her heart thus would struggle to feed.

October 2020, we look happy in this photo and we were, but there were underlying feelings of fear and worry about a Down Syndrome diagnosis for our baby. I suppose it’s natural to have those feelings especially when you’ve never known another child with a learning disability or a family who have experience of having a loved one with DS. I wish we had, but for Caolan and I acceptance of the diagnosis came the moment Maisie was born in January 2021. Not full acceptance as we still worried for her future and in the early  months I felt uneasy about getting “looks” from strangers. Perhaps having received a pre natal diagnosis helped us to process and accept Maisie’s diagnosis quicker too. 

I really wanted a third baby and having suffered multiple miscarriages I knew how lucky I was to have conceived another baby and this time, keep it.

Perhaps having endured caring for a heart baby and all it’s challenges, to come out the other end with a healthy baby..what was the need or point in worrying about anything else. We had a beautiful baby who would play and babble, a growing girl who enjoyed life and capable of so much. Maisie’s learning disability will always be a part of her life and we will most certainly face challenges in the future but we’re not apprehensive or sad about it. We’ll always be her biggest supporters, actively encouraging her physical and speech development in a loving, caring home, welcoming support when it’s offered. 

Acceptance comes differently for every parent of a child with down Syndrome. I remember my consultant telling me before I had Maisie that “she’s your baby” and it really should have been that simple. Strip back the diagnosis, the worry, the potential challenges and we had our beautiful baby girl.
Maisie will be two soon and the older she gets, the happier she makes us. We just love her for who she is💗