For the average couple, there's a window of about 2 days in which the woman is out of commission. (Yes, that's simplifying things.) I vehemently disagree. Act

For the average couple, there's a window of about 2 days in which the woman is out of commission. (Yes, that's simplifying things.) I vehemently disagree. Actually, I think it is an utter load of crap. I've had the good fortune of seeing many of women in my friends and family have children. To an individual, these are unbelievably talented women: savvy, smart, driven, and focussed. Ivy League and MIT degrees all around: undergrad and graduate. The reality that I've seen is that a pregnancy and childbirth slows them down -- temporarily -- both physically and mentally. It can be difficult to keep focussed when you're spending your first trimester getting sick every day. A lot of them talk about "pregnancy brain" somewhere during their third trimester. Keep in mind that these are women that slice and dice differential equations and have been quoted by the Supreme Court. Afterwards, the constant interruption of a newborn every 2-3 hours is debilitating for both parents. I know this because of how I watched my own productivity and focus redouble when my youngest started sleeping through the night. That can take a while. If you're a wuss, like me, over a year. I'm not saying you can't juggle having babies or children while starting a company -- I've done it, twice -- but pretending that there is no impact is ludicrous.