Ellie Simmonds’ Birth Mother Opens Up About Giving Her Up for Adoption
In an emotional phone call, Ellie Simmonds’ birth mother has revealed why she gave the 28-year-old Strictly star up for adoption. The conversation was part of Ellie’s new documentary, Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children?, which explores the swimmer’s journey of self-discovery and her decision to potentially start a family of her own.
According to The Daily Mail, Ellie Simmonds was adopted at just three months old, and it wasn’t until 2023 that she revealed her adoption to the public. The documentary series, which is set to air next week, delves into Ellie’s emotional journey as she navigates her adoption and her relationship with her birth mother. As reported by The Daily Mail, Ellie’s birth mother, who remains anonymous, explained that she gave Ellie up for adoption due to the traumatic experience of discovering her daughter’s achondroplasia, a form of short-limbed dwarfism.
The Daily Mail reported that Ellie’s birth mother told her that she was given misleading information by medics at the time, including the notion that caring for a child with a disability would be extremely costly. “You’re making a decision at the wrong time of your life, because you’ve just given birth, your hormones are all over the place,” Ellie’s birth mother revealed. “You’re physically not right, you’re mentally not right… There was a lot in the background going on. I kept the pregnancy a secret, I gave birth on my own.”
Ellie Simmonds has since spoken about her experience, stating that she understands why her birth mother made the decision to give her up for adoption. In an interview with The Guardian, Ellie said: “When you’ve just had a baby, you’re vulnerable, you’re emotional, there’s a lot you’re feeling. To find out the child’s got a disability, and then to be given this information … You are fearful. It’s that unknown.”
As The Daily Mail noted, Ellie has also spoken about the emotional impact of meeting her birth mother for the first time. The pair shared a emotional reunion, with Ellie describing it as a “positive” experience. “We put a lot of pressure on the mum in society,” Ellie said. “It’s amazing that she’s so honest and open. I think people’s fear of a disability is actually a fear of what’s inside of them.”
Ellie Simmonds has previously gushed about her adoptive parents, Val and Steve Simmonds, saying that they brought her up in a “positive manner” and were very accepting of who she was. As quoted in The Daily Mail, Ellie said: “If I didn’t have my parents, I wouldn’t be the swimmer or the person that I am today. They gave me that opportunity and they put me on that journey.”
Achondroplasia, the condition Ellie was born with, is a form of short-limbed dwarfism that affects bone growth. According to the National Institutes of Health (nih.gov), people with achondroplasia have short stature, with an average height of four feet, four inches for adult males and four feet, one inch for adult females. The condition is also associated with health problems such as apnea, obesity, and recurrent ear infections.
As reported by The Daily Mail, Ellie’s documentary series explores her journey of self-discovery and her decision to potentially start a family of her own. With her characteristic openness and honesty, Ellie Simmonds is set to captivate audiences with her emotional and thought-provoking story.
The documentary series, Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children?, is set to air next week. For more information on Ellie Simmonds’ story, readers can visit The Daily Mail at https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-14741355/Ellie-Simmonds-birth-mother-explains-emotional.html.
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