Every baby is unique. Some are born perfectly happy and healthy, while others are born with certain health issues, conditions, or syndromes that parents have to learn about and adjust to. Down syndrome is one of the more common conditions that expectant parents need to think about, especially if they’re having a baby later in life.
Once a woman passes the age of 40, her odds of having a baby with Down syndrome rise. Her odds of having twins also increase. Julie McConel and her husband Dan are the perfect example of this, as they were told by their doctor they’d be having twin boys with Down syndrome.
Upon learning that they were expecting twins who would need special care and attention, Julie and Dan began to worry. Julie was 45 at the time and she and Dan already had four kids to look after, including three from Julie’s previous marriage. They wanted to do what was right for their unborn boys, and they weren’t sure if they were capable of giving them the care they needed.
Julie and Dan even started to consider putting their boys up for adoption, hoping to find a family that would be able to give them all the love they needed to enjoy happy, fulfilling lives.
They got in touch with the National Down Syndrome Adoption Network and found a family ready to adopt, but before making any kind of decision, they wanted to learn a little more about what it was like to raise kids with Down syndrome. Julie explained:
We wanted to do our due diligence, so we connected with the local Down syndrome association. They were hosting a picnic, so we went and met with some wonderful families who shared their experiences with us.
After spending some time with other parents of Down syndrome children, Julie and Dan began to change their minds.
They heard many stories of how wonderful the experience can be, and they started to realize that their own fears were potentially getting in the way of something beautiful.
After a little deliberation, they made their choice: they called off the search for an adoptive family and vowed to raise their boys themselves. They definitely made the right choice!
You love your kids no matter what. When we finally decided that we weren’t going to let our fear stand in our way, it was easy to make our decision.
When the two boys, named Milo and Charlie, were born, Julie fell head over heels in love with the pair of them. Now, she can’t even imagine what life would be like without them.
My heart came out of my chest when I saw them. I was so smitten. It’s hard to imagine life without them, but I think I’d miss them every day if we had decided not to keep them.
Julie says that everyone they meet loves the boys too, but she does worry about how they might be treated when they get older. Many people still have misconceptions about Down syndrome or make judgments without giving those with the syndrome a chance, but progress is being made and positive changes are happening. Either way, Milo, Charlie, and the whole family are having a wonderful life, and that’s the most important thing!
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