Ask my husband about when I first started wanting babies and he’ll quickly respond, “right away!” Even in our first year of marriage, despite the fact that I’d always said we’d wait four to five years, I wanted to have a baby already. The months passed and the desire grew. It’s hard to describe how bad I wanted to start having kids. I almost became obsessed with the idea and would test for pregnancy often, hoping for an “accident” and assuming every upset stomach or mysterious symptom was pregnancy. Finally, I got a grip… and a few months later, my husband decided he was ready. I probably jumped clear out of my site with excitement when he announced we could start trying to conceive. That week I purchased a basal body temperature thermometer and started charting my ovulation. Two months later we got pregnant. We were pretty lucky, looking back. It felt like it took forever, but in reality, it happened so fast!
When I think back to how strongly I felt about having a child, it’s not hard for me to understand why women would be willing to give themselves injections, take medication and go through other uncomfortable procedures all for the sake of getting pregnant. I understand why families will spend thousands and thousands to adopt. But what if you were able to get pregnant, but your doctor and your family asked you not to because it would threaten your life? Would you still try to get pregnant? Would the desire to have a child outweigh the possibility of death?
That’s what happened to Stacey Herald, who is just 2ft 4ins tall. She has a condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Her doctors warned her that pregnancy could crush her organs from the inside out. Even her mother asked her not to get pregnant, and yet, she has had two healthy children and is pregnant with her third. I’m so happy for this woman. She must be so grateful for her children on a level that many of us cannot understand.
So, would you risk your life for a child?