Courtney Baker went against her doctor’s recommendation and gave birth to Emersyn. (Facebook/Courtney.W.Baker)
Courtney Baker learned during her pregnancy that her baby would have Down syndrome. The doctor who made this diagnosis also recommended that, with this in mind, Baker should terminate the pregnancy.
Baker ultimately did not have the abortion and gave birth to a girl, Emersyn Faith, referred to as Emmy by her mother. This decision also prompted her to, with the help of Emmy, compose a letter to the doctor who gave his recommendation. The letter, finally finished now that Emmy is 15 months old, was mailed to the prenatal specialist and has found a life online, where it has been shared online thousands of times with the help of Parker Myles.
Baker is from Sanford, CA, and says she felt pressured even after her decision to not abort. She told ABC News that writing the letter “was closure for me.” She also added, regarding the doctor, “I hope he sees Emmy, I hope he sees my words on paper… Emmy is proof that children with special needs are worthy and can change the world. She’s doing it right now.”
Here is the letter Baker sent to her doctor.
“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 perfect.'”