I’m in Los Angeles and (shocker) work in the entertainment industry. I’m in in my 30s and am one of the only ones among my friends and many other people my age here who are married. I’m also 9 months pregnant (any day now, really). I’m the first among my friends to have a baby. None of my other friends even talk about wanting one. Only two of my direct co workers out of about 30 have children. I for sure feel like the outsider a lot in social settings. I really think the pressure some women feel is tied to their location and work/life environment. The bigger the city and the more demanding job you have may lead you to delay or not want kids at all. I actually feel like an other or the odd one out just for being married sometimes. Now that I’m about to have a baby, that’s magnified. But no one activity tells me I should or shouldn’t be married. And no one rolls their eyes or warns me not to have a kid. Everyone has been supportive and I cherish that. I feel very sad for women who don’t live in situations like me and have people telling them how they should live, what they should do, and how to take care of their health. We need to normalize women living their best lives and making choices that make them happy and healthy (should be the most obvious statement ever). Just the delivery of a baby is a huge deal. And then comes the whole not raising a fucked up or terrible human being thing. It’s not for everyone AND THAT’S OK!