CDoctors warned us against having children—yet we now have three precious miracles. “No” was the answer more times than I can count. No, it was too dangerous. No, it was unlikely to happen. No, the risks were too high for both me and the baby. Every appointment was filled with caution. But we never gave up hope. They saw our diagnosis first, but they never saw the family we were already dreaming of long before any ultrasound. Now, three beautiful children lie beside each other in a hospital room, and I still can’t believe it’s real. Our youngest sleeps quietly in the bassinet, while her big sisters stand close by, as if they understand how far we’ve come. I can still hear the surgeon’s words from two years ago: “You’ve beaten the odds once. I wouldn’t push your luck.” But here we stand, stronger than ever.
Humans are naturally curious, often prying into others’ lives, especially about private matters like family planning. For newlyweds, questions about babies start almost immediately. Charli Worgan and her husband Cullen, both with different forms of dwarfism, faced intense scrutiny for their decision to have children. After their first daughter’s birth, Charli shared the news on Instagram, unaware it would spark backlash over their choice to become parents.
During her third pregnancy, Charli detailed on Instagram the challenges, including painful genetic testing like Chorionic Villus Sampling, which carried a miscarriage risk. Their children had a chance of inheriting one or both forms of dwarfism, the latter potentially fatal. Their daughters, Tully and Tilba, both have dwarfism, and the couple anxiously awaited results for their third child, Rip. Fortunately, Rip was born healthy in February 2021 and is thriving.
Despite criticism, Charli emphasized the complexity of their decision, urging kindness. She expressed gratitude for their family of five, rejecting the notion of a “wrong” way to parent. This resilient couple, who defied odds, wishes for nothing but the best for their beautiful family.
