I too have a mirena IUD and I love it (there are medical reasons why I can't take the Pill). but as someone who hasn't had a child, I found the insertion and first couple days to be EXTREMELY painful. and rather bloody. and pretty frightening. (supposedly the uterus tries to expel it more, or gets irritated more, or something along those lines, when it's never carried a child....)

all is fine now, the IUD hasn't budged for months, and I'd still recommend an IUD to anyone. still, I wish I'd known a little more to expect from the insertion. so if your doctor is upfront with you about the possible complications if you haven't had children -- more than mine was! -- I'd be inclined to listen.

if we agree that "there are probably instances in which Plan B causes an 'abortion' by preventing implantation" then we cannot categorically state that Plan B "will not cause an abortion." . . . even if it prevents conception, and does not cause an abortion, only "more often than not."

you may have a different definition of abortion than those who oppose Plan B (as, for the record, do I). but if there truly are, as you admit, instances when Plan B causes an abortion, we can't afford to turn around one paragraph later and claim that Plan B does not cause abortion. this debate deserves better debators than that.

So it's okay to say that Heidi Klum isn't a Real Woman (she doesn't Have a Body!) but oh, God forbid any of us make, on the other hand, derogatory comments about morbidly obese women.

What exactly is the BMI that this culture allows us to maintain? Some women are genetically obese, and others are genetically thin. LOTS of women are one or the other, without genetics entering into it. Is it really positive and healthy to slam one end of the spectrum, even in some admittedly well-meaning attempt to please the other side?

this was a wonderful article to read today, when I've just gotten my IUD out one week ago and am now ready to try conceiving . . . and am already petrified. (it's been very strange for me to realize I'm absolutely terrified by the prospect of being a parent -- when I'm not even pregnant yet.)

assuming we can all realize irony when it's in front of our faces, it's great to see heather putting a very real face on the scary kind of Bad!Mom propaganda out there. oh sure, I stuff myself absolutely full of any reputable source of information and advice on parenting, and I have ever so many plans to be the Perfect!Mom who doesn't overindulge her kids or withhold things from them or feed them cheap, non-organic baby food or kraft mac and cheese or any of that stuff . . . but I also am old enough to recognize that there are probably going to be times in my parenting career when I f&*% up.

I'm not qualified yet to give any advice, but I can at least quote the basic gist of my mother's own advice to me: "listen to your baby. try your best, do your best. and don't sweat the small stuff." as advice goes, I have only my own happiness and sanity as an adult to recommend it, but I do find that it nicely quells some of my own pre-parent angst.

you're never going to please everyone in this world. you can hark back to the LWs who used this forum as an excuse to bash your tastes in television as an example of that. so heather, I hope you ignore this long, loud batch of still more negative propaganda, in favor of enjoying one more last movie night / spa day / lazy morning in bed / whatever . . . in the hopes of being just that much more relaxed and ready to combat the months of chaos that (they assure us) are about to befall you.

all the best!