Down Syndrome diagnosis in a first time mom, it is an  anomaly that can occur in any pregnancy regardless of age, race, culture or socioeconomic status.  Though it is true that the incidence of Down Syndrome rises for older mothers, that doesn’t mean that young mothers are unable to bear a child with Down Syndrome.  When a mother, especially one under the age of 25, finds out she is having a child with Down’s Syndrome, that Prenatal Down’s Syndrome diagnosis in a young mother often becomes a huge shock.

The beauty of Taylor’s story, however, is her embrace of the diagnosis and the life she and her family lead with little Treg as their tour guide.

Here is Taylor’s story:

I remember that my husband and I were sitting in a room for our 20 week check up. We were talking to the doctor about why we got charged $2,000 dollars from a lab company for blood work, after all, we had denied all testing.

But at about 16 weeks a nurse came in and took my blood. We asked her why and her response was “its routine, we need to check your blood type, and send all your blood work information to the hospital for delivery.” Somehow my blood work got sent in for quad testing. (Now I thank God that it did, he truly has a hand in every detail of our life).

“Look, guys, I know you were wondering about the bill from the lab company, but it’s pretty much mandatory we do these testings now…. and listen we got the results okay? And, we need to discuss what was found…

You got a positive result for Down syndrome on the testing. How it works is that it takes your blood and factors in a bunch of information about you, and if one thing is wrong, like the conception date, it can mess the whole testing up. I’m sure it’s okay, he won’t have it okay? You are so young, the possibilities are like none.”

I stopped hearing at this point, I was focusing on holding back my tears, I could hardly breathe, the room became really small, and I just couldn’t breathe.

I wanted to shout at the doctor to shut up and leave. What was he even saying at this point? At least Jordan was listening (my husband).

Then it dawned on me…Jordan is still here… I looked up into his eyes, “Sorry” That’s all I could say. I was so sorry. I wanted to give my husband what I thought was a “perfect baby” and I failed, so over and over again, I just said, “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t cry okay? Your baby won’t have Down syndrome, everything is okay. I can offer you another non-invasive test, but I really don’t think you need it, this will just give you peace of mind.” So I immediately got my blood drawn for cell-free DNA testing.

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For being so young, I am only 24, 23 when I became pregnant with Treg, it was surprisingly very hard to conceive. Month after month I found myself heartbroken.

We wanted a baby so badly. Then one month, my period was late, and I had never been happier about it. A week or so went by and I was lying in bed with my husband. I felt something wet and looked down and there was a pool of blood beneath me, I screamed and sat on the floor, “something isn’t right!” I was crying now “something is very wrong!” I finally peeled myself off the floor, scrubbed my sheets clean, and threw them in the washer.

My dreams were crushed. But a few weeks had passed, and still, I hadn’t really gotten a period. So I used one of my old pregnancy tests from the month before.

It was positive.

I couldn’t believe my eyes, so I took another. I drove about an hour away from our house to where my husband worked, I handed him one of the SIX pregnancy tests I had taken. I had never felt joy like that. He couldn’t stop smiling. I thought my baby had disappeared, but he was pure magic. Somehow he survived.

So those were my thoughts when the positive results came back for the cell-free DNA testing. The doctor called and told Jordan because I was at work. Jordan said to me, “Tay I think there is a good chance our little boy is going to have Down syndrome.” But I had my magic baby, and that’s all that mattered.

People often ask me “what would you tell yourself then, when you first found out, that you know now?”

But I don’t think I could have told myself anything different. I think my reaction was human. I think everybody needs time to heal and feel their emotions. The only thing that could’ve changed is actually meeting Treg.

The moment I met Treg, I met the purest truest love of my life. He is my son, not just a baby with Down syndrome. Most days I don’t even think about Treg having Down syndrome. He is just my baby, and I am his mother. There is nothing weird, or uncomfortable or awkward about it, and that’s what I wish I could have let myself know, or feel I guess you could say.

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I don’t feel different than any other mother with a typical child. I cry during the tough moments, I celebrate our success. They might just be harder to reach than the typical child, but they are magnificent and that much more fulfilling when they do come.

Treg has truly been such a blessing he is doing tremendously, and partly due to early intervention he is crushing all his milestones right alongside the typical child. Although it is crazy to think of how young I am, to have a child with Down syndrome, and Treg being my first at that- I am thankful for my circumstances. I am able to keep up with Treg, play with him, and go above and beyond tending to all his special needs, therapies, doctor visits, etc. I’m just like any mother, I am full of love and pride for my child.

Taylor is a 25-year-old mother, who is a makeup artist for Lancome. Taylor married her sweetie 4 years ago and Treg is their one and only child. Taylor and her family live in Houston. The family spent 1 month in the NICU with Treg where he struggled with oxygen, and learning to eat without a tube; before they finally took home their bundle of joy! Treg is a smart, curious, and wild almost 11 month old. He is the center of joy in the Wheeler home!

You can find Taylor blogging at ridingathreewheeler.blogspot.com or on instagram as @Thehouseofwheeler

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