Pregnancy and Birth

I’m Having a Baby With What?
Now What?

In the United States, 1 out of every 1,900 babies is born with an upper or lower (or both) limb difference.
“Facts about Upper and Lower Limb Reduction Defects,” National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, December 29, 2022

When I first began writing this site many years ago, I assumed that my audience would be parents with young children with hand/arm differences who were looking for information on specific topics of interest. I was shocked when I began to receive almost weekly emails from expectant moms and dads. As ultrasounds have become routine prenatal procedures, increasing numbers of expectant mothers are finding out at 18 to 22 weeks that the child whom they are carrying has a hand or arm difference.

Whether you were informed of your child’s hand situation prior to the birth or not, you still may be in some form of shock. Take a deep breath!! Remember that you are in good company. There are thousands of children with hand/arm/multiple limb differences around the world, who grow up to be happy, competent, and contributing members of society.

I also want to welcome those of you who are adopting, fostering, or raising children who are not your biological children, as well as those of you raising children who have experienced limb loss due to an accident, injury, cancer, or some other form of traumatic experience.

I suggest reading I’m Having a Baby With What? to learn about about some of the issues that you might facde as you think about raising a child with a limb difference.

And as always, please let me know if there is any additional information about this critical stage that I should have on this website here.

Posted in Life Stages, Pregnancy and Birth