As Long As The Baby Is Healthy?? 🍼

I said it when I was pregnant. Everyone says it. After having a child that wasn't healthy, I now cringe when I hear someone say that they don't mind a boy or girl, "as long as the baby is healthy".  

In my head, what I hear is, "a boy or girl is fine but lorthammercy don't give me a sick child or one that has something wrong,". I know it's not meant that way, but it FEELS that way. I want to ask them what they will do if the baby happens to not be healthy?  

OF COURSE, you want a healthy baby! Who doesn't? No one wishes for their child to have Down's Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, Autism, or hearing or vision loss or any other health concern. I challenge you to start saying, "boy or girl either one" and leave out the "as long as they're healthy", sentence caboose. 

I can almost promise you that if you were to have a child with additional needs, you will love that child fiercely.  #watchyourwords

A poem for every parent who didn’t get “just a healthy one". 💔 Beautifully written by Sarah Lango.
A healthy baby.
That’s what you want.
Boy or girl? Doesn’t matter.
Just a healthy one.
With ten perfect fingers and ten perfect toes.
A tiny smile and button nose.
A brain that works as mine and yours.
Tests coming back with perfect scores.
A heart that beats strong—the rhythm of drums.
And the in-and-out breath of healthy lungs.
But then you find out it won’t be so.
An unhealthy child— so much unknown.
A journey full of winding roads.
Ups and downs. Such highs and lows.
A little one fighting for their life—
And you, strong beside them in perfect stride.
Just pushing them forward with all that you are—
A parent who hasn’t backed down thus far.
This parenting it will indeed be hard.
The heartbreak will leave inevitable scars.
Not a parenthood you had ever planned for—
But it won’t be less. It will be more.
More love needed and more to give.
An understanding compassion that is so, so big.
More strength than you had ever known.
A faith in God and Him alone.
You’ll learn to hope beyond all reason.
And lay down burdens in every season.
You’ll fight and give up and fight some more.
You won’t be stopped by seemingly closed doors.
You’ll give more than you knew you could.
And though you’ll grow weary you’ll still see the good.
Yes this child— unhealthy as they may be.
This child has allowed you so much to see.
Joy and beauty. Pain and sorrow.
A gratitude for every single tomorrow.
This child is adored— a gift from above.
A newfound passion full of parenthood love.
So this is to the parent of an unhealthy child.
Who holds up their head, moves forward and smiles.
Your parenthood was not the way that you planned.
But today you love more— and stronger you stand.