Cystic Fibrosis News Today Forums Forums Support Groups Adults​ ​With​ ​CF On having CF and having children, or having children with CF

  • On having CF and having children, or having children with CF

    Posted by Jenny Livingston on June 24, 2021 at 3:30 pm

    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? 

    Tim Blowfield replied 3 years, 5 months ago 1 Member · 1 Reply
  • 1 Reply
  • Tim Blowfield

    Member
    June 26, 2021 at 7:28 pm

    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).

Log in to reply.