I also think "incompetent cervix" my mother's condition that started this whole CP odyssey, carries more of a value judgement than is strictly necessary. It sounds like the cervix was the boss' daughter and took a lot of weekends off. Maybe "insufficient" might say the same thing without being all "macht schnell" about it. My brother tried to make me feel good yesterday by telling me "it was lucky that I have my brain." I like my brain, too, but somehow lucky doesn't really come to mind anymore. Also, it sounds like he feels lucky that he doesn't have to put up with my drooling or making sounds for no reason or whatever the Special Olympics crowd traumatized him about when he was a small child. Hard to know what to say about that.

My mother once described to me how her OBGYN had described to her what was "wrong" with her lady parts that made childbirth so difficult for her. At the time, I was a tween-ager and even then I was skeptical. Now I know for certain that what he told her, complete with explanatory hand gestures, was utter nonsense, and he probably knew it was nonsense.

He told her that a cervix was supposed to open outward, like a church door, to let the baby out, and her cervix instead swung inward, so the baby had a hard time getting past it. He also told her that the "relaxed" uterus was supposed to fold down and lay backward, and instead hers flopped forward against her bladder, and that was why she had minor incontinence. A gynecologist once told me I had a prolapsed uterus and that was the cause of my menstrual pain, and I believed him. I don't even know what that meant, but subsequent gynecologists, and a couple ultrasounds for fibroids, have assured me that no, my girl parts are totally normal. I wonder where some gynecologists get their licenses from.

"it was lucky that I have my brain."

I've heard this more times than I can count.

The classes were actually a lot of fun an informative yesterday. I learned a lot, especially from the breastfeeding class. And it was fun watching TCG try to diaper, swaddle, and put a onesie on a plastic doll.

I've never been pregnant and it's highly unlikely now that I've been through menopause and going to be 60 and most importantly haven't had sex in years, but it was just a few years ago that a gyro told me that I have a back-tipped uterus. Still not sure what that means.

I had a nurse tell me I had a tilted cervix and that it would make conception difficult. When we moved back down here, my ob-gyn didn't seem that concerned about it. Not that I'm trying to get pregnant.

As far as "having" my brain, I'm glad, I expect, but it's not like anyone sent an owner's manual, and extended warranty, or even "50 Ways To Blow Off Phoenix" which, in many ways would prepare me more than my enjoyment of fiction and literature.

erika, your wonderful brain is not some consolation prize. That just seems like such a weird thing to say.

He also told her that the "relaxed" uterus was supposed to fold down and lay backward

I'm not sure if he's saying a proper uterus is Thinking Of England, or if he secretly thinks it's kind of a slut.

I think he was saying he doesn't know how to gynecologist.

I keep looking for a "like" button. My gyno is pretty awesome, and I'm getting an IUD that I hope will help with my New! Improved! PMS with 50% more rage.

Speaking of geriatric pregnancies, I just watched Catastrophe and it was super great. Very real, totally charming, hilariously funny. If you have Amazon Prime you should check it out.

Dude from Thursday date never texted me back, so I guess it didn't go as well as I thought. Moving on!