Most married couples are asked when they’ll have kids — but for Charli and Cullen Worgan, the question was often why.
The Sydney couple, who both have different forms of dwarfism, faced public scrutiny — especially when Charli became pregnant with their first child. After their daughter was born, Charli started sharing their family life on social media to educate others. Her Instagram quickly grew to over 300,000 followers.
Now parents to three children, Charli recently opened up about the emotional challenges of pregnancy. Because of their genetic conditions, each baby has four possible outcomes: average height, inheriting Charli’s form of dwarfism, inheriting Cullen’s, or inheriting both — the last being fatal.
At 12 weeks, instead of celebrating, Charli underwent Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS), a risky procedure to test her baby’s genetics. She shared the heartbreaking wait to find out if she could bring her baby into the world.
Charli has faced criticism for having children despite the odds but continues to advocate for kindness and understanding.
In February, she and Cullen welcomed their third child, Rip. Reflecting on motherhood, Charli wrote: “I’m tired but ever so grateful. There’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to do motherhood.”
Through her story, Charli reminds others that her life as a parent — full of challenges and joy — is much like anyone else’s.