Many married couples are used to hearing the question, “When are you going to have kids?” But for Charli Worgan and her husband, Cullen, the question was often, “Why?”
The Sydney couple both have different forms of dwarfism and have long faced public scrutiny, especially after Charli became pregnant with their first child.
When their first daughter was born, Charli was overjoyed and decided to start a social media page to share their family’s experiences and educate others about their lives. She never expected it to take off the way it did.
Today, Charli and Cullen are parents to two beautiful daughters, and her Instagram account has grown to more than 300,000 followers.
Recently, Charli announced that she was 14 weeks pregnant with their third child. But the announcement came with mixed emotions.
Each of Charli’s pregnancies has involved painful rounds of genetic testing. Because of the couple’s conditions, their children can inherit either Charli’s or Cullen’s type of dwarfism, be of average height, or inherit both conditions—something doctors have explained would be fatal.
Charli opened up about how hard it is not to be able to celebrate the 12-week mark like most expectant mothers.
“While most people at 12 weeks are sharing their happy news, I was waiting for Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS—similar to an amniocentesis). It’s a procedure that involves a large needle inserted through my abdomen to collect a sample of the placenta. There’s about a 2% risk of miscarriage, but it’s the only way to determine my baby’s genetic makeup.”
Their daughters, four-year-old Tilba and two-year-old Tully, each inherited one of the two types of dwarfism. So when Charli became pregnant again, she and Cullen faced the same anxious wait to find out which of the four possible outcomes their baby would have.
In an Instagram post, Charli explained the emotional weight behind that waiting period.
- There was a possibility that our baby would be of average height.
- Our baby could inherit Achondroplasia, the same form of dwarfism that I have.
- Our baby might have Geleophysic Dysplasia, which is the form of dwarfism Cullen has.
- The final possibility was that our baby could inherit both genetic variations, a condition known as “double dominant dwarfism.” According to every medical expert we’ve consulted, this outcome would be fatal at birth. If that happened, I would have faced a heartbreaking choice — to continue the pregnancy and see how it unfolded, or to end it.
Since she has chosen to live her life openly, Charli has also received her share of criticism, which she addressed in her post.
“I’ve been judged for deciding to have children given these odds, and that’s a whole separate discussion. But by sharing this small part of our story, I hope people understand that having a baby under these circumstances isn’t a simple choice. It’s about compassion and kindness.”
The couple is now parents to three wonderful children, all healthy and thriving, and they continue to share their family’s highs and lows with their followers.
Their son, Rip, arrived at the end of February, and Charli celebrated his birth by posting a photo of herself with her newborn, along with a heartfelt message to other parents.
“I’m exhausted, but I feel so grateful and lucky. There’s no single ‘right’ way to do motherhood, but I’m sure there’s no ‘wrong’ way either.”
Through her openness, Charli reminds everyone that her experience as a parent isn’t so different from anyone else’s. Like so many moms and dads, she navigates both the challenges and the joys that come with raising children.