Parents get used to intrusive questions from strangers and family.
Even innocently asking, "When do you plan on having another baby?" can be very harmful.
Now, a popular blogger is speaking out about how she has been shamed for choosing to be "one and done", and her story will make you rethink asking people when they plan to have more children.
The blog aims to spread awareness about postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety. It is a place where women can share their stories and support each other.
Once she brought her son, Mason, home from the hospital, Jen began feeling the symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD).
"All I wanted was to be the perfect mother madly in love with my son. Two weeks later I was diagnosed with postpartum depression," she wrote on her blog.
It's been nearly six years since Jen was diagnosed with PPD and she's been sharing her story since to help other moms going through the condition.
"I got better. It’s crazy to even think that’s how I felt back then," she wrote.
Jen says, "most people respond with confusion, sometimes horror when they find out you are 'one and done'".
The shaming can come in the form of seemingly innocent questions, but these people have no idea how hurtful this can be for someone who has gone through PPD.
"If you were to ask me when I knew I was done having kids, I would tell you, 'I knew I was done the day after I brought my son home from the hospital. The day when PPD hit me like a category 1 hurricane,'" she said.
"I made the best choice for my family. I wanted to be the best mommy I could be to my son and part of that meant taking care of my health. I chose to give him a happy, healthy mommy rather than a sibling," she said.
At the end of the day, it the parents' decision if they choose to have more kids or not, and we should respect that.
Let's stop the parent shaming and accept that some people are simply one and done when it comes to having kids. End of story.
