Episode 87: Receiving a Down Syndrome Diagnosis

Guest: Stephanie Weinert, PICU & Special Needs Mom

In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, we shed some light on life with a DS child with PICU mom, Stephanie Weinert. She shares how she received the diagnosis and how Beckett’s entrance into the world changed her life. In this episode we briefly discuss death, dying and grief.

In this episode, we chat about:

• The day she learned her son was diagnosed with Down Syndrome.
• What were some of the things you had to re-learn as a mom after Beckett’s diagnosis?
• What were some of Beckett’s challenges and how did those affect your family?
• What are some of the greatest things Beckett brought to your family?
• Often, we fear what we do not know. What’s something you feared that either never came to fruition or was less stressful than you imagined it might be?
• What are some ways you honor Beckett’s life and how are you managing your grief particularly during anniversaries or the holidays?
• What’s something you want people to know about Down Syndrome?
• What would you tell old Stephanie, knowing what you know now, about having a child with DS?

Stephanie Weinert is a wife, mother, writer and media personality. She served as a radio host before becoming a stay-at-home mom. Stephanie has spoken nationally and internationally on topics related to faith, family life, homeschooling, motherhood, and the suffering path to salvation. She and her husband Peter share openly about their youngest son, Beckett, who was born in 2019 with a surprise diagnosis of Down Syndrome and a serious heart defect. Beckett’s short life of 18 months changed the Weinert family forever. Caring for a special needs child and walking through grief and child loss helped Stephanie see motherhood through a new lens.

Connect with Stephanie:

Instagram: @stephanieweinert 

Website: motherandhome.co