I have heard that menopause mimics the intensity of your period. So if you have monster periods with mood swings and terrible cramps, bad news menopause might be awful. But if your period is chill you are probably in for a mellow menopause. I am hoping that’s not just some old wives tale because I dodged the family…

I think it’s also about leaving baby-mama alone at the time when she most needs the help. And you (figurative you, I’m not assuming that you specifically have done this) can say you’re still going to help, be there, etc. but the feelings run so high that it gets in the way of that, and she’s extra alone at that time.…

Don’t fret. You hear about the unhappiness a lot more now because we are actively working to destigmatize it. And people that become mothers before you have a tendency to play “scare the newbie.” My completely unscientific anecdata is this. I was certain I would have PPD due to a long history of depression in my life.…

Best thing you can do while pregnant is to be realistic that postpartum depression is a possibility, and get your support structures lined up and ready to go. Even if you don’t experience PPD, having resources will be helpful anyway!

Do what you need for you and your baby to survive. Get as much help as you can from whoever you can get it from. Treat yourself regularly. You will be okay. Newborns are so, so hard, but they get better; you just have to make it through the first six months.

Don’t be scared. There is so much more out there (Internet) about things like postpartum depression, other new mom’s feelings, hormone shifts, etc. than there was when I had my son 25 years ago.

Yep. I got asked when the baby was due once and I laughed and said, “Oh! I’m not pregnant, I’m just fat. And I suggest you never, ever ask a woman that question again.”

Yikes. That poor teenage daughter. You know she’s got some stories.

And don’t FUCKING PAT THE STOMACHS OF WOMEN YOU DON’T FUCKING KNOW.

The other cast iron rule is if someone touches your stomach without your permission you can hit them with cast iron objects.

If a stranger tried to touch my stomach I would use my pepper spray.

But seriously, who says a size 4 woman is pregnant? Except someone who expects non-pregnant women to be smaller than that. Or a negger.

Motherfucker. No.

Fuck. If we aren’t being told to smile all the time, we’re being told we’re eating too much.

These should be made into cards.

Be the default size 0/2 or risk being mistaken for pregnant!!!!

“Lose some weight, girl! I can almost see you.”

Didn’t realize Kermit had a case of Bacon Fever.

I just recently went from red to blonde (neither my natural hair color). I’d been red for about 3 years. It took multiple dye jobs across a few weeks, and hundreds of dollars, and the blonde is still a little bit more strawberry than I’d like.

This is gut-wrenching. Horrific.