[PhoenixAzul]

My husband and I are childfree. We will not have children. Period. I have no desire to be pregnant, to give birth, to parent, to do any of that. Zero. What I find galling is that it is so difficult in the US for a childless woman under a certain age to get her tubes tied or have the Essure procedure or have an IUD inserted.

The reason?

"You might change your mind."

Apparently, women are smart enough to be able to decide they WANT children, but not smart enough to decide they DON'T WANT children. I've had so many doctors go, "YOU HAVE AN IUD?! WHY!!!" umm...because I got it free through the NHS, it lasts for 10 years, BC pills cost money every month and you've got to remember to take the dang things, I'm married and I don't want kids. If my body becomes possessed, I can have it removed. Seems like a good solution to me?

And like others have said...I like my lifestyle. I like being able to spend weekends going on roadtrips, or sleeping in with my husband, or spending 3 hrs on my bike because I want to. I love my work and research and there's no way I can do that with a kid (especially with how crappy maternity/paternity leave is in this country).

This is not to say that I hate kids, quite the opposite. I volunteer for a Boys and Girls Club, the Girl Scouts, I teach catechism...I just have no real desire to be a parent. My brother and SIL are very keen on having kids, and they'll be tremendous parents, and I'll be psyched to be an aunt. It's just that it isn't for everyone.