From the moment mothers discover they’re expecting, they fervently hope for a smooth pregnancy and the birth of a healthy baby. However, life doesn’t always unfold as anticipated.
Courtney Williams Baker and her husband were ecstatic when they learned they were expecting. Courtney diligently attended every ultrasound and appointment, eagerly anticipating each opportunity to hear her baby’s heartbeat.
Tragically, one particular appointment shattered Courtney’s world. It wasn’t because she learned her baby would be born with Down syndrome—a reality she wholeheartedly embraced—but due to her doctor’s reaction, who suggested terminating the pregnancy.
However, neither Courtney nor her husband ever entertained such a thought. Their response to the doctor’s suggestion was a resounding no.
Two years after the birth of her baby girl Emersyn, Courtney still grappled with the doctor’s suggestion that she should have terminated her pregnancy because of her daughter’s Down syndrome diagnosis. Feeling deeply unsettled by this, Courtney decided to pen a letter to the doctor, expressing her emotions.
In her letter, Courtney recounted a friend’s experience with a prenatal specialist who had consistently reassured her friend that her unborn child was “perfect” during sonograms. However, upon the birth of her son with Down syndrome, the doctor reiterated, “He’s perfect.” This stark contrast between her friend’s experience and her own filled Courtney with sorrow and regret for what she should have experienced with her own child.
In her letter, Courtney expressed her heartfelt wish that the doctor had shown her the same level of compassion and support as her friend had experienced. She recounted how, during the most challenging period of her life, she had turned to the doctor for guidance, feeling terrified, anxious, and utterly despairing. At that vulnerable moment, she needed truth and reassurance about her baby’s condition.
Instead of providing support and encouragement, however, the doctor suggested terminating the pregnancy. Despite Courtney sharing her daughter’s name, the doctor persisted in questioning whether she understood the potential challenges of raising a child with Down syndrome, ultimately urging her to reconsider her decision to continue the pregnancy.
Courtney continued in her letter, expressing how from the very first appointment, she and her husband dreaded attending their appointments. She lamented that what should have been a joyous time in her life became nearly unbearable because the doctor never conveyed the truth to her. Despite the doctor’s lack of affirmation, Courtney emphasized that her child was, in fact, perfect.
Courtney expressed that having Emersyn brought a newfound meaning to her life. She emphasized that Emersyn not only enhanced their quality of life but also touched the hearts of thousands. Emersyn gave them a sense of purpose and joy that was beyond words, accompanied by bigger smiles, more laughter, and sweeter kisses than they had ever known. Through Emersyn, they experienced true beauty and pure love.
The decision not to follow the doctor’s advice proved to be the right one, and they are grateful for the profound impact Emersyn has had on their lives.
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