Delicate Condition

by Danielle Valentine

For everyone who’s experienced pregnancy, child loss, infertility or labor.And for the people who believed them when they said it hurt.

All mothers have one thing in common: pain.

Starting Off with a bang. Truth!

Don’t go to a cemetery or your child will die young. Circling birds are bad luck. Avoid large bodies of water if you don’t want to miscarry. Wear a closed loop around your neck and your baby will be strangled by their umbilical cord.

Ive never heard these. They are dark!

My favorite superstition is the one that says more women deliver during a full moon than at any other time of the month. Transforming into mothers instead of wolves. Howling like wild things.

I love this.

We started dating the next week, became engaged over the holidays, and got married just eight months after the night we met.

I could never move that fast and trust so quickly.

It made me feel incredibly naïve that I’d ever believed it would be that simple.

For some it is that simple. In my case it wasn't either.

My husband wasn’t conventionally attractive,

The best aren't!

‘Hey girl, I’ll give you a baby tomorrow, but in exchange I want your soul for eternity.’ What do you do?”

Nope! My answer is nope!

“I think easy pregnancies only exist on TV. In real life, everyone’s dealing with something.”

Was there some magical, next-level love I wouldn’t be able to feel until I became a mother?

The answer is yes. I never believed it until i had kids.

I didn’t want to be sent away, some woman verging on hysterical, too delicate for the harsh realities of life.

“Both of us?” Dex interrupted, frowning. “I’m sorry, why do you need my phone?”

Suspish. I just dont like or trust her husband

Get me a heartbeat.

Sobbing

The thing that really sucked about hope was how good it felt, like a cold drink of water on a hot day.

I want to warn you. They did something to your baby.

Yikes

I felt disgusted with myself, disturbed. I’d craved that dead raccoon.

Ohhh not good. Things are going south quickly

“I’m sorry. I know this is considered rude now, but would you mind if I…” She didn’t even wait for me to answer; she just reached for me, pressing both hands to my belly.

NO! I hate when people feel entitled to put their hands on your belly, especially strangers

I stumbled back into the bedroom, wondering if a woman has ever calmed down after a man told her to.

Haha! Nope

We were just wombs to him, just things. He didn’t love us. He didn’t even see us as people.

they’re more likely to send us home in the middle of a medical emergency

This happened to me while i was in labor. They told me i wasnt.. My water broke only an hour or so later and the next thing i know im pushing my baby girl out. The OB ER doctor was not listening to me at all, like i didnt know my own body.

I hope that men will read this book and feel a little less comfortable with women’s suffering. I hope we stop assuming that pain is a woman’s birthright and start trying to find a way to ease the burden, just a little.