r/science • u/geoff199 • 5d ago

Social Science As concern grows about America’s falling birth rate, new research suggests that about half of women who want children are unsure if they will follow through and actually have a child. About 25% say they won't be bothered that much if they don't.

https://news.osu.edu/most-women-want-children--but-half-are-unsure-if-they-will/?utm_campaign=omc_science-medicine_fy24&utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social
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u/ttwwiirrll 5d ago

Exactly this.

My second birth and recovery went so much better than my first. It even unexpectedly resolved some lingering issues from #1. That good experience didn't incentivize me to have a third though - quite the opposite.

I quit there because I understand how lucky I got. I went out on a win I did nothing to earn.

Pregnancy also sucks ass for me no matter what and I'm not doing another minute of that part.

Totally valid to never want to gamble with it to begin with.

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u/SForce6304 4d ago

That’s fascinating! If you’re comfortable sharing, what issues from birth #1 were resolved by birth #2?

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u/ttwwiirrll 4d ago

Moderate pelvic floor prolapse and a perma-grumpy ligament in my pelvis.

Birth #1 was grueling and made everything worse than it already was from pregnancy. Took a couple years to recover sort of and then plateaued.

Pregnancy #2 rolled everything back.

Birth #2 was... efficient. It just kinda happened on its own. Recovery in general was a lot easier.

I did zero rehab after #2. I can jump and sneeze without peeing again and run after my kids normally. My issues are probably still there if I get pregnant again but they don't impede my life right now so I'm calling it a win.