My wife [30/f] and I [36/m] postponed a decision on kids until our lives were settled. Now a medical condition might take that decision away. How do I deal with this?

I don't know you well enough to gauge the extent of your desire for fatherhood, but I'd recommend you do a bit of soul-searching first before discussing this issue with your wife.

What is it about fatherhood that appeals to you? Do you just like the idea of having a child, or are you gung-ho over the diaper changing, teething meltdowns, lack of sleep/privacy/money, etc. too? Do you enjoy being around kids in general? Do you actively seek out ways to mentor kids, spend quality time with them, etc.? Are you preoccupied with you & your wife having a biological child? Is your desire so strong that you're willing to ask your wife to undergo invasive/painful fertility treatments, have her body permanently changed with pregnancy/childbirth, have her career (and possibly yours) put on hold/stagnate/end due to the demands of raising a child? Are you prepared if the child should be born premature (lots of IVF babies are) with potential life-long disabilities? Are you prepared for twins/triplets (often the case with IVF)? Are you interested in pursuing adoption & its potential complications?

Only you can answer these questions. I don't mean to overwhelm you, but you need to ask yourself if you're mourning the reality of never having a child or just mourning the idea of never having one.

FWIW, my husband & I were in a similar situation. I was always on the fence, but leaning more towards never having kids (he never really wanted them.) Still, I wondered if I was somehow missing out. Who would care for us as we aged, etc.? Yet, I felt no special urge to have kids, nor sought any occasion to be around them. As the years went on, I became happier & happier with our decision to remain a DINK couple.

When I began showing signs of menopause, there was a 2 week period when I was actually depressed about no longer having the option - despite the fact I didn't really care about the option in the first place! Surprised me, but I realized I was upset over losing the ability to choose - not upset over my actual choice.

This might be what you're facing right now. If so, it's fine to mourn a little, but realize it's okay to put some dreams to rest. If after careful thought, you are gung-ho over the reality, then have a candid discussion with your wife about how you really feel & go from there.

/r/relationships Thread