Any childbirth is going to be celebrated, but there are times when it may have happened against incredible odds. That is what happened with the woman in the following story, because she had Down syndrome and she gave birth to a child with Down syndrome.
Not only was this mother able to give birth to a child, but she also became a single mother and faced the challenges of raising her son. In fact, she has been raising him with the best care for some 27 years.
When an individual is born with Down syndrome, it is likely that they will be judged negatively by others. In the past, individuals with Down syndrome were sterilized forcibly but that is illegal now.
Despite the fact that there have been steps taken in the right direction, there is still a stereotype associated with the condition. This included when Lisa got pregnant at the age of 30 because many of her friends left her at that time thinking that she was a bad influence.
When Lisa’s son was born, it was determined that he also had Down syndrome. Her boyfriend at the time, who was the father also had Down syndrome. They had been dating after meeting at work and he was there with her when she gave birth but they broke up not long after.
Patti, Lisa’s mother was shocked when she found out her daughter was pregnant. She said: “I was checking my messages at work, and there was this message from Lisa saying, ’Hi, mom. I just wanted to call to let you know that you’re going to be the grandmother.’”
Lisa was living on her own at the time and her mother knew about her boyfriend but thought that men with Down syndrome were sterile. She said: “A lot of people, even close friends, said, ’Patti, you shouldn’t take this on, you can do an open adoption and remain in the baby’s life.”
The grandmother decided that she would move closer to the daughter and help her raise her grandson. She was giving up on her own dreams of traveling the world after recently remarrying.
The two of them shared responsibilities with each other. Lisa took care of the diaper bag and Patti would make sure that she packed the right things. Lisa would change his diapers and bathe him but her mother would supervise.
Their son, Nic, is now 27 years old and his grandmother, Patti, is 75. Lisa still lives nearby in an apartment and stays in close contact with her son. He really lights up when he talks about his mother and speaks about how ‘loving and caring’ she has been.
He also says that his grandmother is a ‘great cook’ and she can’t help but express her gratitude for having Nic by her side through the years. This is especially true after her husband passed in 2021.
Nic says: “I consider myself lucky because I have 2 incredible moms.”
This is a story that has inspired many, letting us all know that with the right support and enough work, anything is possible.
