Guys- skip this post, it's chick stuff.

I read a few blogs on a regular or semi-regular basis. For some reason, I have on my list a couple of blogs written by young married women who are in the process of growing their families, a season of life I only see in my rear-view mirror. I have noted an alarming tendency over the last couple of years to announce a much anticipated pregnancy very early in the process. The new pregger tests seem to be able to detect those tell-tale hormones starting about ten days after fertilization - and that might be 2 weeks before the little momma misses her menses. The result of this is that thses eager ladies are jumping outta bed, peeing on the sticks, and running to the computer to announce that "We are 3 weeks pregnant with either Dustin or Alia! Too bad we can't find out what sex for another 8 weeks!" - seemingly before they have time to comb their hair and put on a fresh coat of lipstick.

My blood always runs cold at these announcements. Statistically, between 25 and 40% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, depending on where you get your statistics. The vast majority of these in the first 6 weeks - or within three weeks of the missed period, and often are mistaken for a late and heavy flow. Well, what if they've peed on the stick, gotten the happy sign, posted a picture of it on the blog, and named the baby while it was 32 cells big and not implanted - and then their body flushed it out? Now instead of a private grief or an unknown body glitch they have a very public trauma.

This happened to 'Lotus' this week. I read her blog mostly because she is funny, and takes great pictures. I know what kind of pain she is in right now, and I also know that pain would be less if she had been more prudent about things.

My advise is to keep it to yourself, your husband, and perhaps your mom until those perelous forst 12 weeks have passed. It hurts less, and who said it's bad to have a secret now and then?

Not that anyone is listening.