Who Are You, and What Have You Done With My Child?

If you've been following me, you probably know that #2 has had some *ahem* challenging behavior issues in the past. He is a very strong willed child. He tends to do what he wants to do, when he wants to do it. His is the type of personality that will probably serve him well as an adult, but as a child unable to control his impulses, it gets him into trouble.

His lack of impulse control has continually gotten him into trouble at school. He can't stay in his seat, he bothers other kids, he even drank the teacher's soda one day. Oddly though, since school resumed after winter break, he has been as close to angelic as a child can get. His behavior has improved exponentially. I wish I knew what was making him follow rules now. Maybe he is just maturing, and realizing that getting in trouble isn't any fun. I don't know if this new behavior will last, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Nadya Suleman and the Octuplets

I've had a difficult time figuring out what I wanted to say about this whole "Octomom" thing. What it boils down to is this: I am angry.

I don't begrudge this woman wanting a large family. Lots of people have large families. To some, my family would be considered large. Although, there is something to be said for only having as many kids as you can actually afford. But I'm not here to discuss welfare and food stamps.

I also understand not wanting to destroy the unused embryos. Those were her potential children. I get that. I waited a very long time until I was able to finally conceive #3. If we had gone the invitro route, I would have struggled with disposing of the embryos as well.

What I can not, under any circumstances, understand, is this mother and her doctor knowingly and willfully subjecting these babies to the potential problems associated with being born prematurely. Multiples are almost always born early. High order multiples face the risk of extreme prematurity. The fact that Nadya Suleman was able to carry these 8 babies to 31 weeks is amazing. Even though she carried them that far into her pregnancy, they were born at about the size of many 23 or 24 weekers. As the mother of a micro preemie, I have to wonder what kind of woman would want to risk the health and lives of her babies? She subjected her children to possible conditions such as Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Chronic Lung Disease, Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), hearing loss, Patent Ductus Anteriosus (PDA), and Cerebral Palsy.

I am lucky that #3, although born at 24 weeks, has no long term problems associated with his prematurity. I pray that her babies will be as lucky. Having spent time on preemie forums, I have "met" many other preemie moms who struggle every day with issues related to prematurity, even years after their children's births. What this woman and her doctor did is unconscionable and repulsive.