Friday, December 9, 2011

Through the Looking Glass: What it's Like to be Infertile

If you want to understand what it's like to be infertile, try this simple exercise tomorrow:

1. Count the strollers, toddlers, pregnant women, and babies.  A newborn or a nursing mother counts double.   Extra-adorable babies also count double.  (And all babies are extra-adorable.)

2. Count how often raising children comes up in conversation, especially raising small children.  Yes, even the little things like "I have to pick my daughter up from day care again!"  Notice particularly what turn the conversation takes when a pregnant woman is around.

3.  Count the TV commercials related to babies/parenthood.  Aren't there a lot of them?

4. Pretend you must answer the question of "Do you have any kids?" when you would cut off your right arm in order to answer yes.  But you have just miscarried.  Again.

Do this while imagining your family telling you this painful struggle is "no big deal," your pain is complete overreacting, and more friends are getting pregnant each week.

No comments:

Post a Comment