Mom of first Gerber baby with Down syndrome: 'Humanity is better than I thought' - 0 views
started by tonercartridge on 21 Mar 18
started by tonercartridge on 21 Mar 18
started by tonercartridge on 21 Mar 18
Like every new mother, I was overcome by joy, and fear, after giving birth. I couldn't stop smiling. I also remember thinking "What do I do now? How will I protect this child for a lifetime?"
Sharp MX-2314N User Manual
http://dghd-8.com/a/qiwen/603.html
and we didn't know what to do. We were shocked and scared. We were both confused. We didn't know where we were even supposed to start. That's when the NICU nurse, who has a stepson with Down syndrome, gave us the advice we live by.
"Always treat Lucas like a typical child," she said. "Always ask yourself, 'am I sheltering him because he's a baby, or because he has Down syndrome? And if it's the second one, don't shelter him. Push him out there.'"
Most parents of kids with Down syndrome, including myself, have the opposite instinct. We're afraid we need to hide our kids. We ask ourselves those scary questions: Will the world love my child if I put him out there? When strangers say my baby is cute, do they mean it, or do they just feel sorry for us? (Spoiler: you shouldn't worry.)
When Lucas waves to other shoppers in Walmart - like he always does - will they wave back? Will my child's pictures be "liked" just like my friends' babies on Facebook? And the most painful question that we try to bury at the back of our minds - will the kids on the playground be nice? Will they play with my child when he asks?
I left the hospital with those words from the NICU nurse ringing in my ear. Even Lucas' cries couldn't drown them out - and those cries were loud, even though the doctors said his lungs would be weak.
Of course, I believed no child was cuter or had a bigger smile than my Lucas. I shared photos of him and his smile with my friends and family on Facebook constantly. But the minute I hit post on Instagram and entered him in the contest, all the feelings of fear resurfaced. This was the wider world we were talking about. Would the judges immediately dismiss him because of his Down syndrome? Would the internet say mean things? Would people welcome him?
Fast forward six months, and Lucas' face is now a familiar one to people across the whole world. Lucas has been on The TODAY Show, in newspapers, and in countless articles online. We've received supportive letters from families across the country, and instead of just sales promotions, my inbox now overflows with emails from moms and dads wanting to share their stories. You see, in January, we learned that Lucas would be the first ever Gerber baby with Down syndrome.