Archive for the 'Babies' Category

If you’re from the Chicago area or just happen to be passing through next Saturday, December 23, feel free to join the Pro-Life Action League and Generations for Life for the annual “Empty Manger” Christmas Caroling Day. Or print the Carol Booklet[PDF]] and start the tradition in your area.

At each of four Chicago abortion facilities, we will gather around an empty manger, which symbolizes both the hope that new life can bring as well as the emptiness left behind when an unborn child is killed by abortion.

The schedule for the Dec. 23 caroling day will be:

• 9:00 Planned Parenthood, 1200 N. La Salle Dr., Chicago (map)
• 10:00 Family Planning Associates, 659 W. Washington St., Chicago (map)
• 11:00 American Women Medical Ctr., 2744 N. Western Ave., Chicago (map)
• 12:00 Albany Medical Surgical Ctr., 5086 N. Elston Ave., Chicago (map)

I hope you’ll join us!

There’s a great article in Friday’s Chicago Tribune about a home for unwed mothers run by the Missionaries of Charity in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.

The article is titled “Sanctuary for moms-to-be”, and is subtitled, “Nuns in Chicago offer unwed mothers safety and support during their pregnancies.”

Read it here.

An article in today’s Chicago Sun-Times highlights a new study’s finding that children born before their mothers’ 25th birthday have a significantly higher potential for longevity.

I mention this not only because I find the study interesting, but mostly, I must concede, because my beloved wife Jocelyn is quoted in the article. (She’s also pictured, along with our three daughters, in the print edition — the article appears on page 3.)

And, as you’ll see from the article, the cat is out of the bag: We’re expecting our fourth child in May 2007!

Here it is:

Thanks, mom!

Want to live to 100? Having a young mother helps

November 22, 2006

BY JIM RITTER Health Reporter

If your mother was young when you were born, you’re more likely to live to a ripe old age, a University of Chicago study has found.

Children born before their mothers’ 25th birthday were nearly twice as likely to live to 100, the study found.

Husband-and-wife researchers Leonid Gavrilov and Natalia Gavrilova suggested two possible reasons: (more…)

My sister received an e-mail this past Friday from someone on her Respect Life Committee saying she should watch Oprah. A young girl was going to talk about how she killed her baby. My sister called me up and reported the same message to me. So I did something I very rarely do—I turned on my TV!

There sat Oprah, interviewing a young woman from prison via telecast. This was the story: In February 1999, Jessica Coleman killed her four pound baby boy after giving birth to him alone in her bathroom. She was just 15 years old at the time. She was able to keep the pregnancy a secret from everyone, including her parents. The only person who knew was her then boyfriend, Tom Truelson, Jr, who was a freshman in college. (more…)

A couple weeks ago, my wife and I received some mail from:

The Executive Mansion
410 E Jackson
Springfield, IL 62701-1719

It was addressed “To the Parents of Maria Jansen.”

“What could this be?” we both thought.

Upon opening it, we found a card saying “Welcome, Little One” with a collection of stuffed animals looking out the window at an approaching stork carrying a bundle in its beak.

Opening it up, the right flap said, “The world is one baby sweeter now.”

The main part of the card reads:

Congratulations on the birth of your new baby! Childbirth is an exciting event for every family, and we are proud to share in your joy.

A healthy child is a happy child. Therefore, it is important that your baby receive proper immunizations by two months of age. It will help to ensure protection against future illnesses.

Best wishes to your whole family on this very special occasion.

Rod Blagojevich

At this point, we had to chuckle. Honestly, we don’t know which of our girls’ births this card was intended to recognize, as all three of our daughters are named Maria. (We call each of them by their middle names).

Presumably, it was sent in response to the birth of our yountest daughter, Maria Lucia, who was born in September 2005. Which means the card is at least a year late (“…it is important that your baby receive proper immunizations by two months of age”).

I guess when your office is as scandal-plagued as Governor Blagojevich’s is, these sorts of things get put on the back burner. (more…)

“In 24 years in law enforcement, I have never seen a case like this.” –Hialeah Detective Tony Rodriguez

A Miami-area facility that specializes in killing unborn babies is now closesd amid reports that its workers killed a born baby.

The local CBS affiliate in Miami reported:

Hialeah Police Homicide Detectives are investigating the gruesome discovery of a dead baby’s body inside of an abortion clinic but conflicting stories may prove there’s more to the discovery than meets the eye.

The body was found at “A Gynecologists Diagnostic Center,” 3671 West 16th Avenue in Hialeah.

Witnesses tell police that a young woman, whose identity has not been released, arrived at the clinic last Thursday at roughly 22 weeks pregnant for an abortion procedure.

Police say the woman arrived the next day after the procedure complaining of severe pain. Workers at the clinic explained to her that the doctor was not available and she’d have to wait.

The woman was taken into a recovery room and according to witnessess, gave birth in the clinic.

”Employees cut the umbilical cord, put the baby in a bag and walked away with it,” Hialeah Lt. Ralph Gracia said.

An anonymous caller, who police believe to be a clinic worker, alerted officials that the baby was born alive and possibly killed. When officials arrived, however, there was no body to be found.

CBS4′s Dave Malkoff reported that when police were called to the scene a second time Friday night, they found the body of a dead baby in a biohazard bag. (more…)

One of my girlfriends recently had her second baby – a little boy. Of course our first conversation was all about the labor. Women who’ve had children love to talk about their birth stories. Ever since I had my little girl 9 months ago, I’ve found the subject fascinating. I like to hear how long they were in labor, how the labor progressed, how it compared to the first time, etc.

Listening to my friend talk about her birth story reminded me of my own. I wondered what it would be like the second time around should we be blessed with more children. Then I started thinking about what it means to want more children. To be honest, when I was in the middle of my 19 hour labor, I remember very clearly thinking that this was it. I was not going to have any more children. This baby was going to be our first and our last.

So why would I or anybody else want to have another baby? It’s really hard work! Even for the woman who gets an epidural, she still has to go through quite a bit of labor. And then there are the c-sections. Your body is cut open to get your baby out!

Almost any woman will tell you that right after she gives birth is not a good time to ask her about future children. But after some time passes, most women, including myself, start thinking about baby #2. I believe this is a great sign of hope. In spite of all the pain a woman must go through to bring her little one into the world, not only is she is grateful for that little life, but she is willing to go through it again.

The way I see it, life, though filled with pain is still good. Even in the deepest, darkest moments, life is good because there is always hope. A child is a sign of that hope. After all the pain, all the hard work, all the tears and agony, a beautiful thing happens both in labor and in life – a new life is born.

Now I look forward to getting BabyTalk just to see what silly thing they are going to say. There are some helpful things in there for sure, but here’s what I found in the latest issue:

My Two Moms

Children raised by same-sex parents fare as well as children from traditional mom-and-pop homes when it comes to their self-esteem, gender identity, and other psychological issues, according to an analysis of more than 15 studies of 500-plus children. In fact, children in single-parent homes had higher stress levels, more discipline problems, and more trouble with social adjustment when compared with children raised by lesbian couples, showing that two parents (regardless of their gender) are better than one.

(more…)

We recently got an e-mail from Sam Ingersoll, a dad who has a son with Down syndrome. He’s started an organization, Gabriel’s Angel Network, that is dedicated to encouraging parents to choose life for their babies who are diagnosed prenatally with Down syndrome.

Sam writes:

This is the story of my son and I….Gabriel has Down syndrome. I think it has the power to change a lot of people’s minds…and if it gets to people “before” they find that they are pregnant with a baby with Down syndrome, they’ll be less likely to abort.

Considering that over 80% of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome prenatally are aborted, the importance of this mission cannot be understated.

You’ll be moved by these beautiful images of Gabriel — a testament to the wonder of God’s creation.

There’s a new film that’s just been released in Germany called Into Great Silence. Though the movie is nearly 3 hours and has less than 3 minutes of dialogue, the theaters are packed.

So I began thinking about the life of a monk and the life I know – the life of a mom. I haven’t seen the movie so I don’t know too much about being a monk, but my dad was in the monastery for four years, so I have an idea. (more…)