the ultimate female challenge

[Sally2005]

Nope. No desire to even look like a pregnant woman...except it would be really nice to be able to capture that nice glow.

[Maddie22]

I think some people are missing the point of why it is a womanly thing to do.

It is not about labor, and having your legs spread out in front of everyone in agonising pain.

It is about life, birth, the miracle of creating a new person, the attatchment to the child, holding the child in your hands after labor, the bonding.

Its the ability to create life is what is so beautiful about a woman.

[Joann0830]

No thanks but breast feeding is another story. From what I have learned it is possible to do for men. Now that would be really sweet. Hmmmmmmmm, yes.

Keli

That would be the experience I would like to have tried Joann0830

[ReineD]

It is about life, birth, the miracle of creating a new person, the attatchment to the child, holding the child in your hands after labor, the bonding.

Its the ability to create life is what is so beautiful about a woman.

You have a good point and I don't mean to be flip, but it takes two people to create life. One of them just incubates it for awhile. But once the child is born, both parents are attached, both bond, and both raise and nurture the child.

Yes, I did feel a thrill when I found out I was pregnant. I was also amazed at the miracle of life. Imagine that! A brand new person! But, my husband felt the miracle equally. He felt the joy, the pain, the sorrow when things went wrong. Our son was just as much his as he was mine.

When my first child was born, I was so exhausted immediately after the birth, it was my husband who held our son and stared in his eyes for an hour. I was watching from the birthing bed and I'll never forget the expression on his face. He was mesmerized! I cannot say that one of us felt a deeper emotion and attachment to the child than the other.

We both changed his diaper. We both got up in the night. We both bathed him. He slept on both our chests at night when we were watching TV.

And then for the next 21 years of his life, our son was equally both our priority.

[raleighbelle]

I would absolutely love to get pregnant, even go through the birthing process, nursing, and being a mom to my own child. I have felt that way even since I was a child. Although it takes two to create a child, there is still quite a difference in the relationship that a mother has with her child than that the father does. I have not had kids and do not plan to, but if I could do it as a female I would definitely want to (were I a bit younger).

[stormrider]

IN A HEARTBEAT!!!!!! (If I was still young enough)

[jenniferj]

Yes, yes, yes!!! Or perhaps if the question were "would you like to have given birth..." I am far too old to start raising an infant.

But I don't think of it as a female experience I need to check off to finish some list. It's just the idea of accepting the life from another and holding and protecting her while she grows inside me, and then presenting her to the world, and raising her and nurturing her - holding her to my breast as she nurses. It's what I have always felt I was born to do.

Yes, childbirth hurts - I was ther to hold DSW's hand for both of our kids and she really did have some serious pain. But within seconds of delivering, she was smiling and laughing and holding the baby - that's really how the female body/endrocrine system is put together. I've done things to my guy-body that took a lot longer to get over.

BTW, I am aware that I refered to the baby I won't ever have as "she"; that's just always how I pictured it. I would certainly love to have a boy also.

-jj

[Fab Karen]

Here's an idea: go out and ask 100 women if they have become the "ultimate female" ( and you explain what you mean ).
Report back after you get out of the hospital.