Support Mum
“A diagnosis of Down syndrome does not define your child. Your little baby is still just a little baby. This baby is 50% you and 50% your partner. This baby doesn’t belong to an unknown and scary tribe of babies called “downs babies”. This is just your baby and it just happens to have Down syndrome. The rest is all uniquely your baby. Their personality, their likes and dislikes. All your own family traits – not traits of Down syndrome.”
“Don’t buy into the old wives tales of “oh they are all so loving” “they all love music” etc etc. Your baby is your baby. The more you get to know your baby, the less important the Down syndrome will become. It really is just a part of your child. It is a learning delay full stop. Don’t over think it! Keep it simple in your head. Remember they will do all the same things that other babies do. They will eat, sleep and poo for the first few months. They will smile and laugh, rollover, crawl, walk – just in their own time. As with any baby I say enjoy it, it goes way too fast!”
This quote is taken from an introductory piece that Triona wrote for us which you can read in full here.
Contact Triona
If you would like to have a chat with our Support Mum, Triona, about becoming a parent of a baby with Down syndrome please contact our main reception on (01) 661 8000 or email info@downsyndromecentre.ie
About Triona
In addition to being DSC’s Support Mum, Triona Cussen leads our Triona’s Tots classes (formerly Team 21 Tots). She is a qualified Montessori teacher and has attended Lámh and Hanen courses. Triona is mum to four boys and her youngest son Joshua has Down syndrome.
Joshua has taken part in our 21 Faces campaign, which celebrates the uniqueness and diversity of children with Down syndrome.
Triona recently wrote a fantastic article full of developmental advice about young children with Down syndrome – you can read it here