Congratulations on the birth of your new baby…! Do not forget over the next few days that you have a baby who needs love, and will be more like the baby you were expecting than different. However, I have been in your shoes and it is ok to grieve the loss of a child that you envisioned, and grieve for the challenges your little one will face in their future. Do not be afraid to cry, but remember to celebrate!
Your friends and family will likely not know what to say to you, and several will likely say things that you will laugh at in the future. You will get several “they are a blessing”, and probably a few “I’m sorry.” Everything you are feeling is normal. There is a lot of information out there and this is just a starting point that can hopefully get you through the first few days before you really dive in.
Resources For New Parents
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Start here!
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The New Parent Guide To Down Syndrome
This is a resource written by my wife who also happens to be the mother of a child diagnosed with Down Syndrome, and a Medical Doctor! It tells with many of the questions and issues that you will have during the first month after the birth of your baby. I would highly suggest you start with this helpful New Parent Guide.
Down Syndrome Guild Of Dallas Guide For New Parents
This new parent guide, produced by the Down Syndrome Guild Of Dallas is a comprehensive guide for new parents. It is available as a free download by clicking on the link above.
Subscribe To NoahsDad.com
I would encourage you to visit the link which will give you the option to stay connected by RSS, Email, Twitter, and Facebook!
Thank you so much for stopping by our site. Our hope is that we can be a source of encouragement, resources, and facts for you! If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or just need someone to pray for you, please feel free to contact us!
Looking forward to getting to know you!
Rick, Abbie, and Noah Smith
I love what you are doing! My friend told me about this blog and your FB. My daughter Marlee is 17months old now and we feel so Extremly lucky to have her in our lives. I listened to you on the radio the other day and I’m so glad you are getting the word out about our children, it’s a beautiful thing:) Thank you for all you are doing!!
I have added a few pages on my business website for Down Syndrome Awareness please feel free to offer suggestions, resources etc… http://signartanddesign.com/down_syndrome_awareness
Thanks!
Tara Triggs-Sample
****Elijah Michael 1-23-2010****
I love what you’re doing! Your son is so adorable! He looks so happy and proud for his crawling! If you ever visit NYC make sure to visit the new Gigi’s Playhouse that just opened up!
I just want to say – this blog has been amazing! We just discovered our son has DS (at 4 months..) and this has helped up to get through a lot and gives us so much to look forward to! I look forward to continue reading everything you have posted! So helpful! 🙂
HI I M CHIRANJIT LIVING AT INDIA, MY 14MONTHS BABY NAME: AKSHAT
HE HAS DOWN SYNDROM, PLS TELL ME WHAT ARE THE EXERCISE OF DOWN SYNDROM BABY TO IMPORVE THEIR FITNESSNESS.
IS THEIR ANY VIDEO SO THAT I CAN DOWNLOAD IT AND CAN PRACTICE TO MY BABY.
PLEASE HELP ME
I M WAITING FOR YOUR FAVOURABLE ANSWER
CHIRANJIT BHATTACHARJEE
INDIA
EMAIL ADDRESS: cybernetbhattacharjee@gmail.com
CONTACT NO: +91-9433196509
So glad you found us all the way from India 🙂 how cool is that. Have you seen the books Gross Motor Skills in Children with Down Syndrome or Fine Motor Skills for Children with Down Syndrome. If you look at amazon and type in “topics in down syndrome” it pulls up great resources. I am not sure where your child is at currently as our videos are at a younger age, but we have several videos of our therapy sessions if you go back and look at our archives. We use an exercise ball a lot as well as swings. If you let me know what milestones you have achieved so far it will help me give you a better answer 🙂
Dear Rick and Abbie,
What an emazing site you have created! I am so grateful to come across your story and admire your attitude that ispiring many people like us. We were blessed with our baby boy named Rayan born on 12-06-2012 with down syndrome. Reading your story was like reading ours… I truly admire you two and feel like knowing you and Nohaalready.
We are based in Auckland, New Zealand and looking forward to take Rayan home once he is discharged. Rayan was born after 35 weeks in a norma delivery. He is doing fine and the focus is to get breastfeeding established before sending home. We are both accadonic have a lot to learn and cope.
We love what you are doing!
Best for you all,
Akbar, Sara and Rayan
Thank you for what you do. My husband and I have a 5 month old son who happens to have downs syndrome. So much to learn but wouldnt change him. He and our daughter give us so much joy. Your blog is awesome and inspires me!!
Hello, Rick. I like your site and videos. Noah sure is a cute kid! My wife and I are expecting our third in less than 2 wks. We found out last spring that she (Olivia) has T21. So far the ultrasounds look good. We are very excited about welcoming our new baby!
Joe so nice to “meet” you. Thanks for sharing your story with us.
How are you guys doing?
My grand daughter has features of DS although not diagnosed I as her grandmother have noticed some signs my daughter and her husband refuse to acknowledge my feelings. I have ask them about Chloe and they both say she doesn’t have DS and have ask sea themselves. They say she was tested During pregnancy as well as other test done as a infent I have approached this w caution. I love her no matter what. I feel that if I am wrong I will be delighted. But if I am correct the Drs have done a great disservice to my daughter as well as my granddaughter for not pushing this to the for front if they as parents are In denial what do I do as a grand parent .
Hi Rick & family,
Nice to know u and I am from Malaysia and I got a third son who detected to be ds and he is three years old now ..he can stand without support now ..not yet walk ..can u guide me how to make him walk soon..
And he crawl not in correct way ..like hopping like rabbit how to correct him .. where u get the walker to train u son walk..
Tq for sharing u blob
.I learn alot
Dear Rick, Abbie and Noah.
What a great website you have here, very positive and full of inspiration and information. I would like to know if I could have your permission to use some of your lovely photos of Noah and yourselves for a leaflet assignment I have to do as part of my University degree on Early Childcare and Education? The photos would not be used for reproduction without your consent.
Regards
Sue Tarling
suetarling68@hotmail.co.uk
Hi
My wife and I just had a baby boy Liam and he is showing signs of DS. Being our first born child we both are scared feel sorry for our child. What would be the starting point ? However we love our Liam
Hi. My name is Jennifer. I’m 21 weeks pregnant and was just told me son has Down syndrome. I’m so scared and lost. All I can do is lay in bed and read articles. How do I get out of my fear? I don’t him to think I don’t love him. I’m just lost
I have a daughter 6 month old prenatal diagnosis down syndrome.My husband wanted me to continue pregnancy and he refused further amniocentesis because he was thinking it’s a risk.
My daughter born with no health issues so far and she is so dear to my heart. I don’t know future and i cry every day but when she gives me smile it’s even painful to see through her innocent soul and being in this cruel world.I hope you will be strong enough to take a decision to continue.let me know update and i will be in touch. thanks
I was only 21 yrs old when I found out my 6 week old precious baby had DS. I would have given ANYTHING to have been able to talk to another Mom that could have answered the million questions I had. If anyone would like to email me with anything I might have learned in these last 36 years I would love to help if I could. I was so young I was embarrassed by asking what I thought it a dumb question . Their are no dumb questions. If you would just to chat or tell me your story I will get back as quick as I can . I wish their was blogs like Noah’s Dads when I had my son . I was one scared young mother who knew no one that had DS.i thank God for allowing me to be his mother.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Hi,
Five weeks ago on the Sunday morning was one of the happiest days of our lives when I gave birth to our beautiful boy. The next morning my world just crumbled, I was told at 7am (2h before my partner and our eldest son were supposed to get to the hospital due to visiting hours) that our baby had all the markers of DS. My first thought was “will he be happy? I just want him to have a normal life”. Obviously as soon as the dr left and I had to break the news to my partner over the phone to tell him to get to the hospital straight away; I googled! And luckily before I got onto any website that mentions all the scary things like heart problems, delays in walking and talking, I found this website. I didn’t have the courage to scroll too much but I looked at how happy Noah was and how you guys had great family fun. I did a screenshot to shot my partner how gorgeous Noah was and to show him (and probably to reassure myself) that everything will be ok.
Five weeks have past now and we are having the best time, we do tummy time classes and baby massage classes to get us out and about and meet other babies and mums. Every day is a new day and i still have days where I cry (not really sure why I cry most times!). But doing research on how we can support our son, seeing your videos helps me.
The futur is bright and I am excited to support our boy all the way and see him grown up happy with his big brother.