99: Family Planning When You Have a Medically-Complex Child w/ Amanda Griffith-Atkins LMFT + 13 Special Guests

When you have a child with a medical complexity or disability, so many things get flipped on their head. And one of those things is family planning. Something that may have seemed relatively simple and straightforward becomes muddled and complicated. We wonder—rightfully so—if we have the mental and physical capacity to care for an additional human being. And if we choose to move forward with adding to our family, how can we endure the anxiety that would likely flood us during a subsequent pregnancy? And further complicating matters still, what if we’re a carrier for our child’s condition and could pass it on to other children as well? In this episode, Amanda Griffith-Atkins and I tackle these very reasonable concerns and include the perspective from 13 parents, each one with a different decision and reasoning behind it. Links: Relevant episodes to listen to: -Ep. 19 and Ep. 20 w/ Kate Peterson -Ep. 33 w/ Palliative Social Worker Orley Bills -Ep. 22: It’s All My Fault (finding out I was a carrier for my son’s condition) -Ep. 50: The Sibling Perspective w/ Katherine Acton -Ep. 47: Siblings w/ Katie Taylor, CCLS -Ep. 40: Wendy + the Sibling Experience -Ep. 98: Siblings | Ways We Can Protect Our Glass Children w/ Melissa Schlemmer Episodes with Amanda Griffith-Atkins: -Ep. 85: Should A Child’s Disability be a part of Their Parent’s Identity?  -Ep. 81: Health Anxiety  Join this group of x-linked carriers called Remember the Girls  Learn about genetic counselors Find a genetic counselor Connect with us on Instagram! -Madeline Cheney (host) @The_Rare_Life -Amanda Griffith-Atkins @Amanda.Griffith.Atkins -Marci Dunning @FreyasLuckyArm  -Maddison Ward @MaddisonJWard  -Brea Rainey @thatonegirlbrea  -Meg Dawley @Meg.Dawley -Rachel Bennett: @rachglickb  -Allison Wolf @AllisonHopes  -Taylor @taylorhuss15 -Katie Peterson @KatiebPeterson  -Caitlin Castro @SeedyCastro  -Emma Bliss @Emma_Blissful  -Thea @TheaMoshofsky  -Marie Wood @chariskaieirene -Karlita @KarlitaBWell23