When to Wean Your Baby (1881 vs. Today)

Allyssa, completely understand your perspective. Life is hard for women, then and now, for certain. Motherhood is wonderful for some, but that isn't everyone's ideal path, and becoming a parent can do more harm than good in many cases. My mother is a lovely woman, but a poor mother. She took care of me because she had to, but she made certain I knew that she felt burdened by it along the way, and I never want that for myself. I never want to be in a situation where I could potentially make a child feel that they are unwanted or unloved, but some parents don't think about things like that and how that can affect their child long-term.

As for what you said about abortion, Rachel, it should be every childbearing person's right to choose what happens with their body. If you would not like an abortion, do not receive one. But removing another person's right to that healthcare means giving state governments a place to take medical rights in the first place. It means something that impacts you will be next someday, and you won't like it then. You reap what you sow. Sow respect and positivity now, for others' sake, even if you think it's not important or goes against their best interest. Or, I can promise you: you'll be reaping misfortune when someone else takes your right to decide what happens to your body away from you.

Don't bother writing back if all you have to say is, "What about the baby's right to choose what happens to their body?" Let your baby make decisions for your body if that's what you want. Don't make someone else do the same.

I'm sorry to see that you feel this way about motherhood, especially with all our modern conveniences to make life easier that they did not have back in the day. Many women who are unsure about becoming a mother at first will tell you it's the best thing that ever happened to them. It's also sad that you feel being a mother and being a "brilliant" woman who contributes to her field are mutually exclusive. I'd like to reassure you they are not, and many women enjoy both being a mother and having a career today.

We are surely not headed back to the days before birth control. There are a plethora of birth control options available today, more than in any other age of the world, even if you exclude the possibility of abortion, which I suspect is what you're referring to. I'd also like to briefly bring up the millions of "brilliant women" who have been lost to abortion (at a higher rate than male children are, by the way). I wonder what the world could look like today if not robbed of their contributions and voices as well. You see, part of equal rights for women means not pre-determining which voices are important and which are expendable.

Rachel, I could not of said this more perfect myself! I for one am a mother of 2 boys ages 11 and 2 my stepson (age 11) is just as important and loved as my bio boy. I choose to be a mom before having biological children due to health reasons, and it’s the BEST choice I’ve made. I love ALL my children, and I LOVE having a career. Is it hard? ABSOLUTELY, but I never had anyone making it easy either. I was always taught women work just as hard if not harder than men. It’s amazing to see others having similar opinions. However, It is also sad to have women believe the way the lady above your comment believes too. 🤷🏼‍♀️