I Had No Idea I’d Want a Child with Down Syndrome

home insemination Kit

Once upon a time, I spent countless hours on the Baby Center Down Syndrome Board, diving into a sea of questions, shared stories, and heartfelt discussions. It was a whirlwind of emotions—joy, sorrow, and everything in between. One signature that hit me hard was, “I never knew I wanted a child with Down Syndrome until I had one.” I still don’t know who first said it, but it struck a chord deep within me.

Back then, I pondered over those words. I admired the love they encapsulated and questioned whether I would ever feel the same way. Could I embrace those sentiments—not just for the sake of the phrase but for the meaning behind it? It was a tough pill to swallow since grappling with the idea of cognitive disability was a monumental challenge for me.

Fast forward to now, and my daughter, Bella, is three years old. I can genuinely say, from the depths of my heart: I never knew I wanted a child with Down Syndrome until she came into my life. Oh, how we adore her!

It’s partly her unique personality but also the special qualities that come with that extra chromosome. The things we cherish about her are often echoed by others in our community. For instance, there are moments when she senses my sadness even when I’m surrounded by others. Despite not being overly affectionate, she’ll come over, gently hold my face, and kiss my cheek with such tenderness. That’s my girl, my everything.

I used to be quite skeptical. When I was pregnant with Bella, I’d read stories about mothers who cherished their children with Down Syndrome and thought, “That’s nice, but I’d prefer a child without it.” A part of me doubted that anyone could truly embrace an intellectual disability or find anything beautiful about it.

As I write this, I can’t help but reflect on who I was back then and wonder what my old friends might think—if they’re reading this, they might feel I’ve changed dramatically or think I’m just saying this for effect.

So let me be clear: I’ve evolved. People might argue, “Oh, it’s easy for you to love Bella because she’s ‘high functioning’ or whatever.” Honestly, I despise labels like “high functioning” or “low functioning.” They reduce people to mere numbers. The truth is, Bella isn’t “high functioning.” She’s just a little girl with Down Syndrome. At over three years old, she might say five words. Yes, she understands so much of what we say, but her speech is limited.

She’s not a poster child for “high functioning” Down Syndrome; she’s Bella. That extra chromosome is inherently part of who she is, and as I’ve learned to know her, I’ve fallen completely in love with the entire package—words can hardly express it.

I never knew I wanted a child with Down Syndrome until I had Bella. And now, I can’t imagine life any other way.

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In summary, embracing the unexpected journey of parenting a child with Down Syndrome has transformed my perspective. I never knew a love like this was waiting for me.