Recently, my energetic toddler turned our living room into a chaotic playground by digging for dinosaur fossils in the potting soil, flushing a plastic T-Rex down the toilet, and, in a moment of sheer defiance, stripping off his diaper to pee on the kitchen floor. As I scrambled between chasing him and cleaning up the ensuing messes, I couldn’t help but mutter a string of “OMG, seriously?!” under my breath.
By 7 a.m., my children have already drained my energy reserves, which is why I rely on copious amounts of coffee to keep up. After the birth of my second child, my husband and I made the decision to call it quits on expanding our family.
However, every now and then, I spot a newborn—whether at the park, during school pickup, or even on social media. This sparks a familiar internal struggle. My hormones engage my rational mind in a tug-of-war. It begins innocuously, with my hormones questioning my brain about what’s happening. My brain, ever the pragmatist, immediately counters with, “I’m making plans for permanent birth control.”
Yet, my hormones don’t take kindly to that response, leading to a spirited back-and-forth:
- Hormones: Imagine the joy of another baby!
- Brain: How about a nap instead?
- Hormones: Think about being pregnant again! The curves, the excitement, and holding that little bundle of joy—smelling the sweet scent of a newborn’s head!
- Brain: Oh, come on! You want sleepless nights, postpartum recovery, and your bank account disappearing? Sign me up for that!
- Hormones: Remember how much fun trying to conceive was?
- Brain: You could also go for a run and shed those 10 pounds you’ve been complaining about.
It’s during these exchanges that I start to question if we were too hasty in deciding to stop at two children. Could my hormones actually win this debate? As they volley their arguments back and forth, the conversation distills down to simple, competing notions:
- Hormones: Babies!
- Brain: Finances!
- Hormones: Exciting intimacy!
- Brain: Exhaustion!
- Hormones: Cuddles!
- Brain: Your other kids!
- Hormones: A break from monthly cycles!
- Brain: Not having to endure labor!
- Hormones: The miracle of life!
- Brain: The tranquility of silence!
In this ongoing debate, my brain usually claims victory, pushing back against the longing for another child. But then, the plot thickens:
- Hormones: Hey, there are ways to enjoy babies without the pregnancy hassle!
- Brain: I’m intrigued…
- Hormones: Did you see how excited Karen got over Jess’s baby bump?
- Brain: Oh, I see where you’re going. We could encourage our friends to expand their families!
- Hormones: Exactly!
Thus, my brain and hormones devised a plan to keep my womb empty while I navigate the chaos of parenting my current little ones. Besides, I can always revel in the joy of being that enthusiastic friend at baby showers and inhaling the delightful scent of a newborn.
In summary, the internal struggle of wanting another child is an ongoing conversation between hormones and rational thoughts. While the allure of a new baby tugs at the heartstrings, practical considerations often tip the scales back toward the realities of parenting. Embracing the joy of friendships and the excitement of others’ growing families can provide the baby fix without the challenges of pregnancy.