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I'm sure the most effective thing to do is to teach them how to have safer sex and to make reproductive healthcare access easier, but I wonder if it will be at

I'm sure the most effective thing to do is to teach them how to have safer sex and to make reproductive healthcare access easier, but I wonder if it will be at all useful to simulate pregnancy. I am not sure I would go through with having kids if I knew what was in store. Being unable to move without pain, not having had a restful night of sleep in 7 months, feeling like I'm constantly hung over for 7 months... everyone jokes about how a baby will wreck me but I'm actually looking forward to birth and dealing with a newborn because at least I'll mostly have my own body back. Pregnancy is wrecking me.

drdeadringer 10y ago
I'm wondering how one simulates pregnancy, especially as you describe.
- sqldba 10y ago
  There were pictures in the article of body suits that simulate the 3rd trimester.
- silencio 10y ago
  I don't know either, although wearing the simulator mentioned at the end of the article 24/7 for a few days might approach part of it. Maybe you can simulate the exhaustion by having an alarm on the vest wake you up every couple hours in the middle of the night, if you can even sleep with a 30+lb vest on! Bonus points if it can figure out how to kick your bladder right as you're about to sneeze. I suspect I am a bit of an outlier though, as plenty of people have uneventful pregnancies. Although... I am finding that most of my friends experienced a lot of my pains and then forgot about it. Maybe mother nature will be kind enough to gaslight me so all I have are journal entries and HN/reddit comments complaining about this :)
tominous 10y ago
For me, if you wanted to simulate the worst part of having a baby, it would be a random alarm clock (5+ times a night) with a ridiculously complicated off switch. Maybe with sprays of bodily fluids. A cross between sleep deprivation torture and that number-entering bit from Lost that stops the world from exploding. Every baby is different and every parent is different, but: - You may not get restful sleep for a couple of years after the birth (my daughter didn't go to bed easily and sleep through until 3 1/2). - If you breastfeed, you may not get your body back for a while yet. Even if you don't, it is exhausting catering to the whims of small kids. I'm a guy and my body is tired every day after carrying two kids around. - There are new and exciting forms of pain waiting to be discovered. Luckily the memories fade pretty quickly - I got a rude shock when the second came along and reminded me of what it's all about.
- pavel_lishin 10y ago
  Ten percent of the random alarm clocks should ship with no off switch at all, but not indicate that this is the case.
- silencio 10y ago
  That's my body right now though, which sucks, and I can't share the burden with anyone yet - down to using up all the sample nursing pads due to leakage. Plus having to roll around in my office chair to go to the bathroom when I'm having a bad pain day. And nausea 24/7 (what "morning" sickness?). I know most folks have it easier than me, I got the shit end of some sticks (to the point my OB wanted me to take disability leave if I was still working). I can only hope that most of this isn't permanent and that the actual birth isn't too traumatic.

drdeadringer 10y ago

I'm wondering how one simulates pregnancy, especially as you describe.

sqldba 10y ago
There were pictures in the article of body suits that simulate the 3rd trimester.
silencio 10y ago
I don't know either, although wearing the simulator mentioned at the end of the article 24/7 for a few days might approach part of it. Maybe you can simulate the exhaustion by having an alarm on the vest wake you up every couple hours in the middle of the night, if you can even sleep with a 30+lb vest on! Bonus points if it can figure out how to kick your bladder right as you're about to sneeze. I suspect I am a bit of an outlier though, as plenty of people have uneventful pregnancies. Although... I am finding that most of my friends experienced a lot of my pains and then forgot about it. Maybe mother nature will be kind enough to gaslight me so all I have are journal entries and HN/reddit comments complaining about this :)

tominous 10y ago

For me, if you wanted to simulate the worst part of having a baby, it would be a random alarm clock (5+ times a night) with a ridiculously complicated off switch. Maybe with sprays of bodily fluids. A cross between sleep deprivation torture and that number-entering bit from Lost that stops the world from exploding. Every baby is different and every parent is different, but: - You may not get restful sleep for a couple of years after the birth (my daughter didn't go to bed easily and sleep through until 3 1/2). - If you breastfeed, you may not get your body back for a while yet. Even if you don't, it is exhausting catering to the whims of small kids. I'm a guy and my body is tired every day after carrying two kids around. - There are new and exciting forms of pain waiting to be discovered. Luckily the memories fade pretty quickly - I got a rude shock when the second came along and reminded me of what it's all about.

pavel_lishin 10y ago
Ten percent of the random alarm clocks should ship with no off switch at all, but not indicate that this is the case.
silencio 10y ago
That's my body right now though, which sucks, and I can't share the burden with anyone yet - down to using up all the sample nursing pads due to leakage. Plus having to roll around in my office chair to go to the bathroom when I'm having a bad pain day. And nausea 24/7 (what "morning" sickness?). I know most folks have it easier than me, I got the shit end of some sticks (to the point my OB wanted me to take disability leave if I was still working). I can only hope that most of this isn't permanent and that the actual birth isn't too traumatic.