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Courtney Baker from Florida took more than a year to write a letter to the prenatal specialist who advised her to abort her baby girl.

She told ABC News, “I knew how important it was going to be to write that letter, before Emmy was even born.”

With the help of 15-month-old daughter, Emmy, she finally dropped the letter in the mail at the end of May to the doctor who she said delivered her daughter’s prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. She then shared it on the Parker Myles Facebook page, where it has been shared thousands of times.

“Every action, from opening and closing the mailbox to raising the red flag, was closure for me,” she said. “I have no idea how the doctor might have reacted to my letter, but I do have faith that God can work any miracle and he can change any heart.”

“This is Emmy, mailing our letter to the prenatal specialist who didn’t want her to live”, reads the Facebook post.
He repeatedly suggested we abort. He said her and our quality of life would be horrible.”

Emmy was diagnosed prenatally with Down syndrome.

“He was so unbelievably wrong. I want to do something to advocate, but other than my letter to him, I don’t know what yet. Can you please share my photo?” – Courtney Williams Baker

The letter Emmy is holding, says;

Dear Doctor,

A friend recently told me of when her prenatal specialist would see her child during her sonograms, he would comment, “He’s perfect.” Once her son was born with Down syndrome, she visited that same doctor. He looked at her little boy and said, “I told you. He’s perfect.”

Her story tore me apart. While I was so grateful for my friend’s experience, it filled me with such sorrow because of what I should have had. I wish you would have been that doctor.

I came to you during the most difficult time in my life. I was terrified, anxious and in complete despair. I didn’t know the truth yet about my baby, and that’s what I desperately needed from you. But instead of support and encouragement, you suggested we terminate our child. I told you her name, and you asked us again if we understood how low our quality of life would be with a child with Down syndrome. You suggested we reconsider our decision to continue the pregnancy.

From that first visit, we dreaded our appointments. The most difficult time in my life was made nearly unbearable because you never told me the truth.

My child was perfect.

I’m not angry. I’m not bitter. I’m really just sad. I’m sad the tiny beating hearts you see every day don’t fill you with a perpetual awe. I’m sad the intricate details and the miracle of those sweet little fingers and toes, lungs and eyes and ears don’t always give you pause. I’m sad you were so very wrong to say a baby with Down syndrome would decrease our quality of life. And I’m heartbroken you might have said that to a mommy even today. But I’m mostly sad you’ll never have the privilege of knowing my daughter, Emersyn.

Because, you see, Emersyn has not only added to our quality of life, she’s touched the hearts of thousands. She’s given us a purpose and a joy that is impossible to express. She’s given us bigger smiles, more laughter and sweeter kisses than we’ve ever known. She’s opened our eyes to true beauty and pure love.

So my prayer is that no other mommy will have to go through what I did. My prayer is that you, too, will now see true beauty and pure love with every sonogram. And my prayer is when you see that next baby with Down syndrome lovingly tucked in her mother’s womb, you will look at that mommy and see me then tell her the truth: “Your child is absolutely perfect.”

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  • What a beautiful girl and beautiful message from her amazing mum. I love that her friend’s doctor said her son was perfect.

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  • This was touching and so beautiful to read

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  • I got strange looks for refusing to take the tests, 4.5 years of trying to get pregnant and they thought one extra chromosome was going to change anything!

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  • A beautiful letter from a very dedicated Mum. Drs. need to do more research and get follow-up scans done sooner than normal to be certain of the degree of the problem. I would have asked for more tests in case the Dr’s initial diagnosis were incorrect. I am sure your daughter will have great quality of life for a long time. She certainly looks happy with her “cheeky” smile.
    Sadly some don’t. Some have constant severe epileptic seizures and heart problems. Some live ion a vegetative state.

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  • What a brave mother and so true! I opted not to get the 12 week scan on both of my pregnancies because I knew that even if I did have a down syndrome baby that I wouldn’t want to abort it. There are some deformities where it would be necessary to abort a child or even cruel to let them be born, but down syndrome is not one of them. The child may not be normal in terms of other children their age, but they are still human beings deserving of love and can still live lives and even have jobs. It is wrong of a doctor to even suggest an abortion for that, it should be completely the parent’s choice and they should not have to feel coerced into doing it.

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  • Well yeah – except the “he’s perfect” doctor did have a responsibility to say “and he has Downs Syndrome”.

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  • A beautiful letter indeed ! How wrong was this Doctor and how has he wronged this mum, her perfect daughter Emmy and maybe many more mums with perfect babies !! Very sad indeed.

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  • Such a lovely letter. That doctor hurt this woman in the worst possible way. I hope he won’t do the same to other mums.

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  • This is so beautifully worded. It’s not bitter or hateful or spiteful, just honest and heart felt. And Emmy is gorgeous to boot!

    Reply

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