{"id":43052,"date":"2024-05-01T09:30:13","date_gmt":"2024-05-01T14:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/differentdream.com\/?p=43052"},"modified":"2024-05-01T09:30:13","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T14:30:13","slug":"deciding-to-have-more-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jolenephilo.com\/staging\/deciding-to-have-more-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Deciding to Have More Kids after the Birth of a Child with Disabilities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_fullwidth_post_title featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ title_font=”||||||||” title_text_color=”#42313A” title_font_size=”40px” meta_font_size=”14px” background_color=”#B4DBC0″ custom_padding=”50px||50px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_post_title][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ specialty=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ specialty_columns=”3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9mZWF0dXJlZF9pbWFnZSIsInNldHRpbmdzIjp7fX0=@” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”src” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.22.2″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Deciding to have more kids after the birth of a child with disabilities requires careful thought and advice from trustworthy friends and professionals. Today, guest blogger Kelly Simpson describes how those factors and faith played a part in their decision.<\/em><\/p>\n

Oliver, our EA\/TEF<\/a><\/span> baby just turned 5! For years we lived taking extra precautions knowing what would help keep him healthy, out of a hospital and an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The number of daily tasks needed to accomplish that could be overwhelming to some, but it was all that we knew and felt normal since he is our first child.<\/p>\n

The odds of being born with EA\/TEF<\/span><\/a> are 1 in 5,000 births according to Children\u2019s National Hospital. The fear of it happening again was a heavy burden that held us back from trying for more children. Oliver\u2019s specialists and surgeons have been very happy with his growth and current condition. (Check the Different Dream article Update on Oliver<\/span><\/a> for more details.) His progress has been a blessing from God.<\/p>\n

Having several children was a desire for us, and as Oliver began to get older, we questioned ourselves. \u201cWill we try again?\u201d We consulted with Oliver\u2019s specialists and doctors on the odds of having a second baby with the same or similar conditions. They were very low, as the condition is considered rare. I still wasn\u2019t convinced.<\/p>\n

We (mostly I) wrestled with the \u201cwhat ifs.\u201d Our fears that we (I) gripped so tightly began to show our (my) biggest doubts:<\/p>\n

Did we trust <\/em>God\u2019s goodness?
Did we trust<\/em> that he would again make a way for us, even if it looked different than what we wanted?
Did we trust <\/em>that He really has our best interests in mind?<\/p>\n

Eventually, I had to hand my fears over to God. I could not trust Him with everything except<\/em> my children. I had to trust that He would again make a way regardless of what was to happen. We already knew we had some of the best doctors and surgeons on our side. They had already walked through our hardest times with us, and they would do it again.<\/p>\n

So we tried and are blessed to say that we are pregnant with our second child due later this year! As I look back over the past several months and year, I identified several things that made deciding to have more kids after the birth of a child with disabilities easier for us. Though I don\u2019t want you to view me as an expert, I want to share some truths that I try to practice (and have failed to do many, many times) with you.<\/p>\n