To Pre-born Babies in America,

 

img source: https://christianresearchnetwork.org/2015/09/14/evidence-mounts-for-viability-of-babies-not-considered-legally-human/

I have great news for you. When you come out of your mommy’s belly, the world will revolve around you. Everyone from all walks of life, from every profession will make sure you are safe and sound. At the hospital where you are born, most nurses won’t allow you to co-sleep with your mom because the American Academy of Pediatrics believes that co-sleeping is one of the leading causes of infant deaths. Doctors, nurses and lactation consultants will freak out if you are not latching properly or if you are losing too much weight. Your pediatrician might also scare the heck out of your parents by calling them to come back to the hospital immediately because your bilirubin test result came back abnormally high. The hospital will also make sure you go home in an unexpired car seat facing backward and from then on, all of society will make sure that you are not left alone inside a car, regardless of any circumstances. Grandmas will break car windows for you. The neighbors might call the cops if they find out your mom spanks you at times. When you’re a bit older and in school, all the cars in front and behind your school bus will stop until you are able to safely get off.

 However, I have some bad news for you little one. These same people might not fight for your life while you are still inside Mommy and you will get to enjoy all the benefits I have mentioned if and only if your mother decides to keep you. Yes, if she wants you alive. If she doesn’t want you, you will be called a “fetus” or a “clump of cells”. Otherwise, you will be called a “baby”. If she wants you, she will have a baby shower thrown for her where everyone will celebrate your life and be excited about you. They will talk about what name to give you; spend a lot of time, money and effort designing your nursery; google the best pediatrician in town and decide whether to vaccinate you or not. Your parents might even have a maternity shoot or go to birthing classes, read tons of books about parenting and baby-proof the whole house and even the yard just for you. It’s a million-dollar industry.

 But like I said, you are at the mercy of your mom’s choice. I am sorry that the value of your life depends on whether your mom or dad is ready to have you, or whether they want to give you a chance to live even if the doctors said you wouldn’t make it or whether they want to let you live anyway despite knowing you are going to be different from most people. I am sorry that many “endangered animals” like pandas and polar bears are more protected than you.

            So I have some advice for you little one: Make it through the birth canal – because in America, your successful passage through it will endow your “humanity”. You will be called a “person” if you make it. People will stop calling you mere "clump of cells". Do not be even a day late because in some states like Colorado and New York, your mom’s doctor can take away your life even a day before you begin your journey out into the world. Even if your mom did not plan you, your life and even hers might still turn out amazing. YOU could still turn out amazing. You have so much potential simply because you are human – right from the very start, even while you are still small.

 

Love,

Jill

Are You Really There?

 

img source: https://figtreefreedom.blogspot.com/2012/12/ultrasound-photos.html

I am about 9 weeks pregnant today and aside from the ultrasound photo I took home with me a couple of weeks ago, nothing visual seems to prove that I am really with child. To be honest with you, even though I prayed so hard for this baby, his or her existence in my body does not seem real. He or she does not feel alive. I am looking forward to my next doctor visit when I could finally hear his or her heartbeat for the first time and not just see it beating on the ultrasound monitor. Perhaps by then, I will completely believe that there really is a life trying to grow inside me and I am not just pretending to be tired and hungry all the time. This made me realize why it’s easy to call a human being this small with a different name – because they are so tiny, so dependent, so underdeveloped and so quiet.