do at-home insemination kits work?
Recently, a group of women I consider my friends went out for dinner and drinks without including me. When I woke up one morning, my social media feed was filled with pictures of their “Girls’ Night!”—smiling faces around a large table, drinks in hand. As I counted the attendees in my mind, it quickly became clear that I had been left out of the invitation.
At first, I felt a wave of sadness wash over me, reminiscent of those high school days when I was sidelined from the popular crowd. My immediate instinct was to type a snarky comment on one of the posts, something like, “Thanks for the invite,” hoping to make them feel guilty. But I caught myself just in time. After all, I’m 33 years old, not a teenager.
I shared my feelings with my husband, who offered comforting reassurances. “You’re probably not the only one who didn’t get an invite,” he suggested. “And let’s be honest, would you have gone anyway?” That last point struck a chord since I’m nearly 30 weeks pregnant and likely would have opted out of any late-night outing.
Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being unwanted. This led to a surge of anger: “Forget them! Next time I plan something fun, they won’t be on the guest list!” My husband urged me to clarify things with one of the women, assuring me that an explanation would make me feel better. Instead, I chose to sit with my feelings for a while.
Over the next couple of weeks, I reflected on whether I’d upset anyone. I observed their behavior towards me, all the while contemplating my own experiences. After some time, I realized that while I would love to be invited, I didn’t want to be included out of obligation or pity.
Yes, I want to feel like I belong, but I also recognize that sometimes, I might not be everyone’s cup of tea. I can be sarcastic, overly candid about my pregnancy, and just not everyone’s vibe at times. And that’s perfectly fine! It doesn’t make me a bad person or a “bitch”—just human.
At the end of the day, I have my husband, who is always in the mood to listen to my rants, and I’m good with that. My hope is that my friends feel the same way about me because, as adults, we all have our quirks.
If you’re interested in similar experiences, check out this other blog post for more insights. For those looking into fertility, Make A Mom offers great resources. And if you want to learn more about pregnancy and home insemination, NHS is an excellent source.