I don’t know about you, but I’m so happy to be done having babies. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t still enjoy babies and celebrate birth. I totally get the difference between my having babies and the joy of babies. And I have to be honest – I was totally taken aback by the fury over the media attention given to the recent royal birth of Prince George. Comments and observations were everywhere, from blogs to my Facebook newsfeed. Why were people so annoyed by the attention given to a baby?
I’m more than willing to celebrate with Kate Middleton and Prince William even though my dirty little secret is that when I see a pregnant woman or a baby screaming, I am so happy that it’s not me. And if you’re like me, and have taken action to make sure that a pregnancy is not going to happen for you, like having a vasectomy and checking your post vasectomy results more than twice – you know what I mean.
It’s so interesting to me that at one point I struggled with having baby and wanted one so badly that I would have given anything for one. My biological clock was bursting at the seams, screaming “I must get pregnant now!” And now? Well things have changed, and I’d rather not sit in a restaurant near a young family with cheerios flying.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not a sour puss. It’s just that life is now going in a different direction for me – and I guard that choice!
But ever since Kate Middleton gave birth to the new prince, George Alexander Louis, in July, the cynics and curmudgeons have been going wild with statements like “Why should I care?” and “Aren’t there more important things to talk about?” Then add in the tons of comments under these rants that self righteously agree that we are giving way too much attention to celebrity infants and that they could give a “donkey’s behind about this little newborn prince!”
Okay, I get it. We could be talking about crime, disease, hunger, child abuse and the melting ice caps. There is more bad news in the world than my heart could possibly take in. So therefore, perhaps, it is wrong to distract ourselves with something joyous when there is so much suffering that deserves our attention. Or maybe that’s just the point of it all.
At least that is what the birth of Prince George means for me. That despite all that is real and uncomfortable right now in the world, the birth of a baby is a reason to stop, feel hope and celebrate.
Even if the baby is not ours, and even if we really, really, really don’t want a baby of our own!
Yep, it’s true – this little prince is getting more than the average amount of attention! And maybe that’s okay – because Prince George is also a symbol and a reminder to all of us, that each baby is a miracle and worth stopping to celebrate always – even if we don’t want one!
Maybe we are celebrating him for all the babies that don’t get celebrated.
So, I’m happy to look at the baby pictures and join in the party. Even if I am quietly celebrating that it’s not me!
Welcome, George Alexander Louis. You are a beautiful baby boy and I’m so happy to celebrate your birth. And I am totally thrilled you are not mine!
Pamela Madsen
 |
Pamela Madsen was the first Executive Director of RESOLVE NYC and is the Founder of The American Fertility Association. Pamela is an internationally known fertility advocate who has appeared on Oprah and countless other major media outlets. Currently, Pamela is a fertility coach and publisher of The Fertility Advocate. She is also a blogger for Psychology Today and SpermCheck Fertility. |
