We have all been asked about having children, but for Charli Worgan and her husband Cullen, the question was often ‘why’. They both have different forms of dwarfism, which subjected them to public scrutiny, especially when Charli became pregnant with their first child.

In response to the curiosity and misconceptions surrounding their family, Charli started a social media account to educate people about their life. Little did she know that her account would gain over 300,000 followers. Now, with two beautiful daughters, Charli recently announced that she is 14 weeks pregnant with her third baby. However, her announcement carries bittersweet emotions.

Each pregnancy for Charli comes with the added challenge of painful genetic testing. Because of their genetic conditions, their children could inherit Charli’s form of dwarfism, Cullen’s form, both, or have average height. Unfortunately, inheriting both types of dwarfism would be fatal.

Charli courageously shared the heartache of not being able to enjoy the 12-week milestone in her pregnancy like most moms. Instead of celebrating, she had to undergo a Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS), a procedure involving a massive needle through her abdomen to extract placenta samples. This testing carries a 2% risk of miscarriage, and it determines the genetic makeup of her baby.

Their daughters, Tully (2 years old) and Tilba (4 years old), already have one of the two types of dwarfism. Thus, when Charli fell pregnant with her third baby, they waited to find out which possibility their child would have:

1. A baby of average height.
2. A baby with Achondroplasia, the same form of dwarfism as Charli.
3. A baby with Geleophysic Dysplasia, the same form of dwarfism as Cullen.
4. A baby with both genetic variations, known as “double dominant dwarfism,” which would be fatal upon birth. In this scenario, Charli would have had the choice to continue the pregnancy or terminate it.

Charli revealed the emotional truth, stating that she was waiting to discover if her baby’s journey would extend beyond March 2021 or if it would come to an end.

Sharing her life so publicly comes with its fair share of criticism, a topic Charli also addressed in her post. Despite the doubts and criticisms, Charli highlighted the complexity of her decision and emphasized the importance of kindness.

Now, the couple is blessed with three beautiful children who are thriving. They continue to share their journey’s ups and downs, inspiring others along the way. Charli’s recent post featured a picture of her with her newborn baby boy, Rip, born at the end of February. She accompanied the photo with words of wisdom for every parent, acknowledging that there is no ‘correct’ or ‘wrong’ way to do motherhood.

Ultimately, Charli’s journey as a parent reflects the experiences of many others. She reminds us that parenthood is filled with both struggles and joys and that her life is just like everyone else’s. Let’s celebrate and support this inspiring family as they navigate their extraordinary journey together.