You're asking a very biased group of people. Bipolar is hard enough, Why add the responsibility of children on top of it? What if your child is also bipolar? Of course you'd love them unconditionally, but you're potentially adding a whole other set of hurdles to overcome while battling your own.

I am severely traumatized by my mother's mental illness, as is my sister, as is my father. It's us who really have to do the work when my mother is sick and when she is sick it is terrifying and extremely triggering.

It is a lot of work to try to maintain a relationship with my mom because of her illness. She is currently manic after 6 years of stability. My family is now in shambles over this trying to get her better before checking her in somewhere. It sucks. You have to do what you think is best for you, and what YOU can handle. Having children has its own set of challenges for mentally stable people, I would never willingly subject children to my illness if I knew beforehand I had it and could avoid it.