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On having CF and having children, or having children with CF
Anytime I babysit my nephews or spend time with families who have several children (most of my closest friends have 4-5 children which absolutely blows my mind), I can’t help but think of how suitable it is that I have an only child. This was never my plan. I always thought I’d want 2-3 children, perhaps even more. But as things are, I am very content with just one.
Due to my health, by the time my daughter was a toddler, I knew I’d never carry another child. I wasn’t closed off to the idea of adoption, but also never felt pulled toward it. As time went on, I found peace in the decision to not pursue having more children biologically or otherwise.
I’ve sometimes wondered if I’d have had more children if not for CF. Would I have made the same choices in my motherhood journey if my body wasn’t so weak and sick during those early years of my daughter’s life? I truly believe things are perfect as they are and wouldn’t wish for them to be any different. Even still, I sometimes picture a Gwenyth Paltrow Sliding Doors situation where I have 5 kids, living a life with no resemblance to my actual life.
Did CF influence your choice to have children or perhaps how many to have? If you are a parent to a child (or children) with CF, what role did CF play in your decision to have them? If you don’t have children, does CF have something to do with that?
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1 Reply
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We have 4 children and 2 miscarriages. At the time they were conceived and born we did not know my wife had CF – indeed we knew nothing of CF when the first 3 were born. Labours were generally tough and long with the last 2 by caesarian.
Throughout her younger years she experienced quite nasty menstrual pain and frequent headaches. After our 4th child was born menstrual issues were nasty and a year later she had an hysterectomy. (I don’t recall any histopathology being done on the uterus).
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