My husband and I are both totally uninterested in having children at this point in our lives. We were uninterested in having children before we found at that he was bipolar. We agreed that we like kids, but since both of us are about as mature as the average 12 year old, we should wait - a long time - like 10 years or something.

Now I read another person's post about how lithium might affect her unborn child.

Here's what I'm wondering - how many of us that are bipolar or have a bipolar spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend want to have kids? I know that I do at some point in my life - but I also know that I will never have my husband's child.

I will not bring a child into this world knowing that they will probably inherit my husband's mental illness. I would never wish that my child's future spouse will have to go through what we've been going through.

If we ever have children, we will adopt.


Now -

I know I'm being melodramatic, and since my husband and I have not been planning on having children for some time, this isn't a big deal right now. And, he's only been diagnosed for about 3 months. I know that things can get a lot worse. I have only lived with this illness for a short time.

But what are your thoughts? For those of you that are older and have older kids, are your children bipolar? Did the thought of bipolar being hereditary turn you from having more children?

And for those bipolar women, how did you handle your pregnancy? How was the stress, did you still take your medication, etc, etc.

See, I don't want a kid right now - but my cousin's 2 year old son is starting to look awfully cute...

But not cute enough. He still seems like an awful lot of work.



Coal