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Woman gets the surprise of a lifetime after waking up ill. She's pregnant and in labor.

She had no idea she was pregnant.

Photo credit: Canva

Woman didn't know she was pregnant until she gave birth

Many women find out they're pregnant within the first few weeks. Morning sickness, extreme fatigue and a growing belly are usually fairly unmistakable signs that you should run to grab a pregnancy test. In fact, most people don't even get to the growing baby bump before suspecting pregnancy due to the extreme fluctuation in hormones that makes even mild morning sickness unmistakable.

Of course uncharacteristic mood swings and food cravings also play into the suspicion of pregnancy, even for those around you. But surprisingly, not everyone experiences these tale-tale signs of early pregnancy. Kayleigh Tilley and her partner Nick Jerrom had an unexpected delivery on Christmas day–a baby girl. No, the pair didn't think a Christmas baby was a possibility because they didn't realize a baby even existed.

Tilley is one of those women who didn't know they were pregnant until mere hours before giving birth to a healthy baby. The English couple had met just a year prior and spent their time going on adventures and spending time with friends like any new couple. There was nothing amiss for the pair over the course of nearly nine months.

baby i'm sorry GIF by truTV’s I’m SorryGiphy

The 24-year-old new mom explains to "This Morning" that she didn't physically change nor did she feel sick until a few weeks before her daughter Holly was born.

"It was only two weeks before that I was sort of really unwell," she says before explaining further that she thought it was indigestion. "Yeah, cause we went out for like a couple of drinks as well but I didn't have like a lot to drink so it wasn't enough to make me sort of feel unwell. But after about two or three days it all went so I went back to work as normal and then it was only Christmas Eve that it all started."

National Lampoons Christmas Vacation GIFGiphy

Tilley woke up the night of Christmas Even with extreme stomach pains that resulted in the pair calling an ambulance to take her to a local hospital. It was there that she received the news after doctors had run several tests. The woman was eight months pregnant and primed to give birth any minute now. This life altering news was delivered while Tilley's boyfriend was in the hallway so he had no idea what was going on until he went in the room and saw his girlfriend looking shocked.

"Forty-five minutes later I was like a bit worried and I was like 'can I see Kayleigh, is she alright.' Eventually I went in and saw her, she was quite white, pale and she literally, first words were I'm going...they told me I'm going into labor. I was like how's that...how's that happen," Jerrom tells the co-hosts.

Nikki Bella Car GIF by E!Giphy

Tilley is very petite, so it would seem a pregnancy would be difficult to miss but she did not put on any additional weight or have any signs of pregnancy. Her lack of knowledge about her pregnancy made her nervous as she had been out drinking, white water rafting and more throughout the pregnancy. Thankfully, baby Holly was perfectly healthy and what Tilley experienced isn't unheard of.

This type of pregnancy is called a cryptic pregnancy and happens in about every 1 in 250,000 pregnancies. It can occur when someone doesn't get symptoms of pregnancy, have irregular cycles or in some cases continue to have a regular "period" throughout their missed pregnancy. Some people also don't easily recognize pregnancy symptoms and write them off as something else.

While Holly's debut was not something her parents planned for, they all appear to be thrilled that she's here and so are the people in their lives who also got a shock at the baby's arrival.

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Parenting

New mom films emotional message on her last day of maternity leave with twins

"I just don't feel ready physically and mentally."

Unsplash

Taking time off after having a baby is full of paradoxes. It can be strange, and a little boring and monotonous. It's jarring, especially for a busy career-oriented person, to suddenly be at home all the time doing laundry, dishes, and taking the occasional stroller walk. There's a part of you that gets restless and can't wait for it to be over. And that's why it's weird when dread kicks in the moment you realize your leave is almost up.

For many mothers, it can be hard to let go of that time with your baby — time you never really get back. Or, in some cases, babies.

One new mom of twins recently discussed the complicated emotions she was feeling on her very last day of maternity leave.

person's hand holding baby feet Photo by Omar Lopez on Unsplash

TikTok user Marissa Jeanne couldn't hold back her tears as she held her babies and tried to describe the emotional toll she was facing on the eve of her return to work.

“Today is my last day of maternity leave, and I go back to work tomorrow. And I just feel like I haven't had enough time with them," she began bluntly.

“I know I got longer than a lot of women get with three months, but I just don't feel ready physically and mentally. I feel like there's so much that you think that you are going to do on maternity leave. I think you're going to accomplish so many things and do so many things with your babies. And then here I am at the end and I'm like, ‘I didn't do any of that,' but I feel like I did do a lot of this and that's one of the most important things,” she says of cuddling her sleeping babies.

“I think the hardest part is it's just like such an abrupt change that you're with your babies all the time, and then you pick them up from daycare and you might just get a few hours with them. So that's just such an abrupt change, and it's really hard.”

Moms often get pigeonholed once their babies come into the world. People assure them that their priorities will shift and they'll probably stop caring about their career (a bias sometimes called the 'maternal wall' that causes all kinds of problems when it comes to hindering moms in their work). Marissa perfectly explained how it's possible, and quite common, to want both things at once — even if it's hard.

“I also love my career. I am proud of what I do, but there's always that mom guilt of you're not giving enough time to your kids, but you can't do it all. You can't give 100% to everything. I think that's something important to remember,” she says.

“I just feel so honored to be their mom and to have gotten the past three months with them. So I'm really grateful for that. For all the working moms out there, you're amazing. Yeah, you can't do it all, but you're doing the best that you can for your kids and that's all that matters.”

Watch the whole video from Marissa's TikTok here:

@marissa_jeanne
Last day of maternity leave and I am a mess. There’s nothing that prepares you for this day in your postpartum journey. #maternityleave #maternityleaveover #postpartumjourney #pospartum #3monthspostpartum #backtowork #workingmom #workingmoms #workingmomstruggles #twinmom

People in the comments were quick to point out: It doesn't have to be this way.

"Maternity leave in the US is way too short," one user wrote.

"Our instincts want us to say with the babies," said another.

"This breaks my heart! It's so unnatural for a mom to be separated from her tiny babies," added another user.

One person noted that since Marissa had twins, she should technically get double the time off. Hard to argue that one!

Other users were quick to share examples of how parental leave in other countries puts the US to shame.

In Germany, parents can take up to three years of leave without losing their jobs! It's unpaid, but parents may apply for an allowance from the government during that time, even if they had no prior income.

In Romania, parents are entitled to 126 days of leave at 85% of their prior pay.

Maternity leave in the UK can be up to a whopping 52 weeks, with 39 of those weeks being paid (starting at 90% of their average earnings and decreasing after 6 weeks). Canada? 15 weeks of paid leave (at only 55% pay, but still!) and an additional unpaid 35 weeks after that.

When you list it out like that, 3 months of unpaid leave is absolutely pathetic. But as Marissa's reaction points out, it's not just the pay.

First, there's the physical toll. Recovering from giving birth could take 6-8 weeks at a minimum, but probably much, much longer. So we're sending moms back to work when they've just barely gotten back on their feet.

And then, even worse, there's the emotional. When your babies are just a few weeks old, you're still deep in the bonding phase, and it's unimaginably jarring to have to cut it so short and drop them off at daycare so you can go back to work so soon. Plus, about 15% of moms will have postpartum depression, which can last for several years. And a whopping 85% will deal with the "baby blues" — hormonal fluctuations that occur after giving birth for several weeks and cause anxiety, crying, and temporary depression.

Most people would agree that 3 months is just really fast to be separated from brand new babies.

It's just sad that moms who work don't get a choice. If you're not ready to go back in 3 months, there's no guarantee that you could extend your leave and keep your job. Even if your family could handle the financial strain of a longer unpaid leave period, it's just not an option for most people. It makes new parents feel cornered and scared, and frustrated by a system that's setting them up to fail.

Luckily, things are steadily getting a little bit better, with more states adopting paid leave policies and more individual employers getting on board. Let's keep the momentum going, because we've got a long way to go.

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Joy

Woman inadvertently captures the moment her cat realizes she's pregnant

"I'm literally crying."

@melkapetani/TikTok

Cat discovering owner's pregnant belly.

Can animals tell if you're pregnant? That question has been asked countless times without a scientifically proven answer, but some people swear their pets started behave differently around them when they're expecting. Some cats or dogs get more snuggly, some get more protective, some get more territorial, but it's not uncommon for people to report their pets acting notably differently when there's a human baby on the way.

A woman captured a sweet moment of her cat interacting with her pregnant belly, almost as if it just realized she had a baby inside it. At first, the kitty looks over at her rubbing her belly with its curiosity clearly piqued. Gently moving towards her, it starts sniffing her belly button, peering into it, then oh-so-gently touching it with its paw.

"Oh my god," the woman whispers. "I'm literally crying."

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People loved seeing the cat's "discovery" and shared some of their own experiences with pets and pregnancy.

"My old boy Leon knew ❤️ he laid on my belly every night. He waited to meet his baby brother and then crossed the rainbow bridge 🌈"

"My cat would sleep on or against my pregnant belly, but as soon as the baby kicked she’d wake up and look at my belly in annoyance. 😂"

"My Eddie used to sit on my belly every night -- until I became pregnant, and then he sat close by , but never on my belly. He knew before I did!"

"My cat wouldn't leave my side after my csection. He was stuck to me and baby LIKE GLUE. He never cuddles so much. He was ON ME. Turns out, I had complications, and needed to be rehospitalized. I feel like he knew something wasn't right🥹 I am forever grateful!"

"My cat Minou used to always cuddle me while I was pregnant. He had never been a cuddle before or after."

"My "soul cat" Isabelle would curl up and sleep on my pregnant belly. She only got mad once because she was kicked and acted like I did it 😊"

"Cats know. They know when someone is pregnant and even when someone is ill or about to die. We underestimate them."

Do they really know? The verdict is out on that question in terms of definitive research, but there are some indications that they could. Hormonal changes during pregnancy may result in slight changes in your smell, which cats' incredibly strong olfactory senses might pick up. Cats are also super sensitive to changes in their environment, so their human's growing belly and behavioral changes as they prepare for a baby's arrival may also signal to them that something new is afoot. Whether that means they actually understand that a new human is on the way is an entirely different question, and unfortunately we can't get into the mind of our feline friends.

In Love Cat GIFGiphy

As far as when someone is ill or about to die, we've seen at least one cat who seemed to have a sense for when people were close to death. Oscar "the Hospice cat" lived in the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island, as a therapy cat, but caregivers began to notice a pattern. Once in a while, Oscar would start spending a lot of time in a specific resident's room.

"We would eventually find out after he did this several times that the people he was staying with were usually the next ones to go," Dr. David Dosa shared with Crossroad Hospice. "One death occurred, then two deaths and ultimately he hit about 20 or 30 deaths in a row at which point everybody started to say, ‘Wow, this is something quite unique.’”

In fact, workers at the center began calling people's families if Oscar started spending a lot of time with them, as it was so often a sign that the person would pass soon.

There's a lot we don't know about what animals can and cannot sense, but that doesn't change the sweetness of seeing a cat peer into and paw at the belly button of a pregnant woman. What a lucky baby.

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Family

12 hilariously relatable comics about life as a new mom.

Embarrassing stains on your T-shirt, sniffing someone's bum to check if they have pooped, the first time having sex post-giving birth — as a new mom, your life turns upside-down.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

Some good and not so good moments with babies.

Embarrassing stains on your T-shirt, sniffing someone's bum to check if they have pooped, the first time having sex post-giving birth — as a new mom, your life turns upside-down.

Illustrator Ingebritt ter Veld and Corinne de Vries, who works for Hippe-Birth Cards, a webshop for birth announcements, had babies shortly after one another.

In the series "#ThingsOnlyMomsKnow" Ingebritt and Corinne depict the reality of motherhood—with all the painful, funny, and loving moments not always talked about.

1. Pee-regnant.

Comic of a pregnant mom needing the toilet

Expectant moms plan for the bathroom.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

2. How (not) to sleep.

Learning how to go with the flow.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

3. Cry baby.

Moms can be emotional... and dads too.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

4. The new things that scare you...

Falling in love with the necessary conveniences.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

5. ...and the new things that give you the creeps.

Comic of man speaking to pregnant woman's belly

People have the ability to make normal situations feel weird.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

6. Being a new mom can get a little ... disgusting.

Comic of a woman holding a pregnancy test

The convenience of a pregnancy tests is also peeing on a stick.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

7. And every mom has experienced these postpartum horror stories.

Comic of a woman sneezing and wetting herself

Taking advantage of two bodily functions at one time.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

8. There are many, many memorable firsts.

Walking into a house with babies... yep.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

9. Getting to know your post-baby body is an adventure.

Comic of two women having tea while one lactates

Have a spare shirt ready to go.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

10. Pumping ain't for wimps.

Looking behind the magic of a breast pump.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

11. You become very comfortable with spit-up. Very comfortable.

No need to duck.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

12. Your body, mind, and most importantly, heart, will expand in ways you didn't know possible.

There are going to be changes.

All illustrations by Ingebritt ter Veld. Reprinted here with permission.

This story first appeared on Hippe Birth Cards and is reprinted here with permission.

This article originally appeared eight years ago.

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Family

One couple's perfect response to people asking when they're going to have kids.

Choosing to have kids or not have kids is no one else's decision but yours.

Photo via Carrie Jensen/Imgur, used with permission.

She’s giving birth to a puppy.

"When are you guys going to start having kids?"

Like many couples, Carrie Jansen and her husband Nic had heard this question a million different ways, a million different times.

The pressure really started to mount when the pair, who've been together for eight years, got married three years ago. While Carrie loves kids (she's an elementary school teacher, after all), she and Nic simply aren't interested in having kids of their own. Now or ever.

"It's not what I was meant for," explains Carrie in a Facebook message. "It's like, I love flowers, and everyone loves flowers. But that doesn't mean I want to grow my own. I'm perfectly happy admiring other people's gardens."

Carrie wanted to tell her family that they don't plan on having kids but knew if she did, they'd say something like, "Oh you'll change your mind one day!" and that pesky question would keep rearing its ugly head.

marriage, adults, children, social pressure, pregnancy

Dressed to the nines on their wedding day.

Photo via Carrie Jansen, used with permission.

Rather than continue to deflect the question over and over, Carrie decided to do something a little bit different.

Since the couple was adding another mouth to feed to the family, they decided to announce it with a series of maternity-style photos, revealing the twist: The new addition was a puppy named Leelu, not a baby.

pets, viral, moms, dads, maternity, babies

Look at my newborn baby... puppy.

Photo via Carrie Jensen/Imgur, used with permission.

"My husband and I have been married 3 years and everyone is bugging us about having a baby. Close enough right?" she captioned the photos.

Her pictures went insanely viral, with many of the commenters giving her props for hilariously addressing the dreaded "kids " question.

The adorable pup.

Photo via Carrie Jansen, used with permission.

"If you don't want kids, don't have kids. Seriously. Have fun with each other. I had three kids early and it's all about them now," wrote one user. "I wish people would just mind their business raising a kid ain't easy and cheap," wrote another.

"I got my husband a vasectomy for his birthday this year. Best gift ever," chimed in a third.

Carrie was overwhelmed and inspired by the viral response. "Having children is definitely a hot topic, and one that is evolving in this generation like so many other social issues," she says. "It's exciting to find others that feel the same way I do.”

Carrie is hardly alone in not wanting to have kids — in fact, a record number of women are choosing not to have kids today.

In 2014, the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey found 47.6% of women between age 15 and 44 had never had children, which is the highest percentage on record. Despite the numbers, however, because we still live in a patriarchally-driven society, women regularly face the expectation that they should be mothers, and they often are judged if they decide not to be.

Whether you want to have one kid, five kids, no kids, or a puppy, the choice should be yours and no one else's.

$holidays, gifts, woman\u2019s rights, gender equality,$

The holiday photo in front of the Christmas tree.

Photo via Carrie Jansen, used with permission.

No one else has the right to put pressure on you to change your body and life in a drastic way. Thankfully, because of women like Carrie — and partners like Nic — who aren't afraid to bring the subject out in the open, the expectations are slowly but surely changing.

This article originally appeared on 12.19.16

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Humor

Teacher returns from maternity leave to field hilariously sweet questions from her class

Who better to ask where babies come from than a second grade teacher?

Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash

Curious second graders ask questions about pregnancy.

Whoa, baby! Fielding questions about where babies come from can be a full-time job, especially when you’ve got a classroom full of curious kids. Most times, this big question is left to the parents, who sometimes give elaborate answers that they invariably need to correct when the child is older. I’ve heard parents tell kids that babies come from watermelon seeds that get accidentally swallowed or that a stork drops babies off on doorsteps (I’ve yet to hear where the stork gets this unsuspecting child). People can spin some tall tales in an effort to avoid answering the question of where babies come from and how they get out.

In 2022, A K-5 science teacher in North Carolina decided she was going to answer questions from her curious second grade class with age-appropriate truthful answers. Nancy Bullard was preparing for maternity leave with her first child and realized she would need to inform her class that she would be out for a few months so they wouldn’t be concerned.

Bullard told Today Parents, "I didn’t want them to get caught off guard when I stopped coming to school. Plus, I wanted to reassure them that my leave was temporary." Bullard has a rotating group of students that come through her science lab weekly and she decided to turn her expected absence into a lesson she titled “Baby Bonanza.” During the lesson, the kids were able to draw the baby and guess his birthday, weight and time of birth.

Bullard also said the students gave her very cute parenting advice and tips on how to be a good mom. Some of this included singing the baby a song to throwing a piece of cheese on its face. The cheese was inspired by a TikTok video, the child admitted, but other gems included feeding and changing the baby, while one child suggested running away if the baby started crying.

When Mrs. B. returned to work after welcoming her first child, Sam, a baby boy, the kids were ready to learn more, and Mrs. B did not disappoint. Bullard told Today Parents, "I wanted to take a few minutes to catch up with students, introduce them to my son, and let them ask questions. When I wrote my lesson plan for this day I planned to spend about five minutes answering questions, but ended up spending nearly 20 minutes doing so."

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The students were filled with curiosity when their teacher returned. One asked “Is it difficult to have a baby?” to which Mrs. B. responded, “Yeah, yeah it is. It’s pretty tough.” Another student asked if the baby slept with his mom and dad, while another wanted to know the big question. You know: Where do babies come from? Without missing a beat, Bullard answered like the science teacher she is, with “They come from an organ called your uterus,” while pointing to her lower belly.

Bullard explained to Today that she taught a lesson earlier in the year about organs and organ function to her kids in K-5. “Regardless of age, all my students understand the basic concept of pregnancy: There was a baby inside me, now that baby is out, and I spent maternity leave taking care of him … Students were interested, curious, and excited to get their questions answered," the new mom said. "As a science teacher, I welcome curiosity and always strive to answer questions factually."

The elementary science teacher shared the video on TikTok and Instagram, “Mrs. B TV,” where the video has racked up more than 7 million views across the two platforms.

May all children be so lucky as to have a Mrs. B. at some point in their school career.

This article originally appeared on 4.5.22

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Mom’s blistering rant on how men are responsible for all unwanted pregnancies is on the nose

“ALL unwanted pregnancies are caused by the irresponsible ejaculations of men. Period. Don't believe me? Let me walk you through it."

Gabrielle Blair/Twitter

Mom has something to say... strongly say.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as Mormons, are a conservative group who aren't known for being vocal about sex. But best selling author, blogger, and mother of six, Gabrielle Blair, has kicked that stereotype to the curb with a pointed thread on reducing unwanted pregnancies. And her sights are set directly at men.

She wrote a Cliff's Notes version of her thread on her blog:

If you want to stop abortion, you need to prevent unwanted pregnancies. And men are 100% responsible for unwanted pregnancies. No for real, they are. Perhaps you are thinking: IT TAKES TWO! And yes, it does take two for _intentional_ pregnancies.

But ALL unwanted pregnancies are caused by the irresponsible ejaculations of men. Period. Don't believe me? Let me walk you through it. Let's start with this: women can only get pregnant about 2 days each month. And that's for a limited number of years.

Here's the whole thread. It's long, but totally worth the read.

\u201cThat makes 24 days a year a women might get pregnant. But men can _cause_ pregnancy 365 days a year. In fact, if you\u2019re a man who ejaculates multiple times a day, you could cause multiple pregnancies daily. In theory a man could cause 1000+ unwanted pregnancies in just one year.\u201d
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876945

But what about birth control? If a woman doesn\u2019t want to risk an unwanted pregnancy, why wouldn\u2019t she just use birth control? If a women can manage to figure out how to get an abortion, surely she can get birth control, right? Great questions.
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876946

\u2026 because of the side effects. And the list of side effects was about 1/3 as long as the known side effects for women's oral contraception.https://ow.ly/Hqdx30lOrKJ
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876947

But good news, Men: Even with the horrible side effects, women are still very willing to use birth control. Unfortunately it\u2019s harder to get than it should be. Birth control options for women require a doctor\u2019s appointment and a prescription. It\u2019s not free, and often not cheap.
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876947

If we\u2019re talking about the pill, it requires consistent daily use and doesn\u2019t leave much room for mistakes, forgetfulness, or unexpected disruptions to daily schedules. And again, the side effects can be brutal. I\u2019M STILL GRATEFUL FOR IT PLEASE DON\u2019T TAKE IT AWAY.
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876948

Men can keep them stocked up just in case, so they\u2019re always prepared. Amazing! They are so much easier than birth control options for women. As a bonus, in general, women love when men use condoms. They keep us from getting STDs, they don\u2019t lessen our pleasure during sex\u2026
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876948

Oh. I remember. Men _don\u2019t_ love condoms. In fact, men frequently pressure women to have sex without a condom. And it\u2019s not unheard of for men to remove the condom during sex, without the women\u2019s permission or knowledge. (Pro-tip: That's assault.)https://ow.ly/UHgP30lOse3
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876949

So\u2026 there are men willing to risk getting a woman pregnant \u2014 which means literally risking her life, her health, her social status, her relationships, and her career, so that they can experience a few minutes of _slightly_ more pleasure? Is that for real? Yes. Yes it is.
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876949

So it\u2019s not like sex with a condom is _not_ pleasurable, it\u2019s just not _as_ pleasurable. An 8 instead of a 10. Let me emphasize that again: Men regularly choose to put women at massive risk by having non-condom sex, in order to experience a few minutes of slightly more pleasure.
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876950

So surely, we can expect men who aren\u2019t wearing a condom to at least pull out every time they have sex, right? \n\nNope. \n\nAnd why not?
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876950

It\u2019s mind-boggling and disturbing when you realize that\u2019s the choice men are making. And honestly, I\u2019m not as mad as I should be about this, because we\u2019ve trained men from birth that their pleasure is of utmost importance in the world. (And to dis-associate sex and pregnancy.)
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876951

So surely, we can expect men who aren\u2019t wearing a condom to at least pull out every time they have sex, right? \n\nNope. \n\nAnd why not?
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876950

It\u2019s mind-boggling and disturbing when you realize that\u2019s the choice men are making. And honestly, I\u2019m not as mad as I should be about this, because we\u2019ve trained men from birth that their pleasure is of utmost importance in the world. (And to dis-associate sex and pregnancy.)
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876951

But did you further know that men CAN get a woman pregnant without HER feeling any pleasure at all? In fact, it\u2019s totally possible for a man to impregnate a woman even while causing her excruciating pain, trauma or horror.
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877031

No matter how many orgasms she has, they won\u2019t make her pregnant. Pregnancies can only happen when men have an orgasm. Unwanted pregnancies can only happen when men orgasm irresponsibly.
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877057

Let\u2019s talk more about responsibility. Men often don\u2019t know, and don\u2019t ask, and don\u2019t think to ask, if they\u2019ve caused a pregnancy. They may never think of it, or associate sex with making babies at all. Why? Because there are 0 consequences for men who cause unwanted pregnancies.
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877098

If the woman decides to have an abortion, the man may never know he caused an unwanted pregnancy with his irresponsible ejaculation.
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877110

Blair's controversial tweet storm have been liked hundreds of thousands of time, with the original tweet earning nearly 200,000 likes since it was posted on Thursday, September, 13.

The reactions have earned her both praise and scorn.

Most of the scorn was from men.

Men AND women both need to take responsibility for their own actions. I've said that many times. To say otherwise just isn't being realistic.
— CitizenPatriot (@CitizenPatriot) 1537102869

But Blair wouldn't budge.

You are incorrect. A woman having an orgasm while with a man risks nothing and hurts no one. A man having an orgasm while with a woman risks her life. A dick without a condim is a dangerous thing and has killed more people in human history than any war or weapon.
— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1537085191

For other men, the tweet thread was a real eye-opener.

I just want you to know from a guy that your entire line of argument on this thread is 100% accurate. Thanks for taking the time to put this out there. Every adult in this country SHOULD read this.
— Jarrod Broussard (@Jarrod Broussard) 1537235101

Women everywhere applauded Blair's bold thread.

Thank God for this. I have had so many arguments with men over the years about their part of responsibility for pregnancy. The phrase "she got pregnant" sends me to the moon! Blessings to you Gabrielle!
— What else is possible? (@What else is possible?) 1537204198

This article originally appeared on 02.22.19

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