Generally, when people start talking addictions, the topic at hand is something inherently bad -- say alcohol or gambling. But a 37-year-old mom is getting a lot of attention lately for an addiction that sounds rather nice! In short, Tara Sawyer is addicted to ... pregnancy!
So "addicted" that the mother of four has been pregnant seven times -- four of which were as a surrogate mother -- because she feels "at my best whilst pregnant." She's even gone so far as to say she doesn't want to stop getting pregnant until her "womb falls out."
OK, that last part is a joke ... we think?
Sawyer's glowing assessment of pregnancy seems to have set off the ick factor for a lot of folks around the Internet. Jezebel's assessment is a simple: "ew."
But is it really that strange or icky?
Some women love pregnancy. They have that mystical glow you're always hearing about. Their hair is GORGEOUS. They can't get enough sex. They're healthy and vibrant.
More From The Stir: A Surrogate's Story: The Joy of Growing a Baby for Someone Else
Not all of us, mind. There are plenty of us who feel like elephants and can't stop throwing up and would rather our husbands stay far, far away for nine whole months. If you had a horrible or even just a not so great pregnancy, being "addicted" to carrying around a child for nine months might be hard to fathom.
But the enjoyable pregnancy is not a myth. In fact, when CafeMom and Self surveyed moms, 14 percent actually said pregnancy made them feel MORE confident about their bodies.
And surely most women who have been pregnant can recall how much nicer people seemed to be when you have a bump -- holding doors for you and offering to carry your groceries. If we could get that treatment all the time, life would be a lot easier!
So is pregnancy addiction weird? If you indulge it to the point where you're constantly having kids you can't afford or care for, then it's a problem.
But Tara Sawyer has found a way to help other people become parents while indulging in that love. She enjoys being a surrogate, she has no problem passing the babies off to their new moms and dads, and she's helped bring healthy babies into this world. Oh, and she does this all for free.
Sounds like a win-win! And maybe not the worst idea for other moms who just love being pregnant?
Did you love being pregnant? What did you love most?
Image via Johannes Jander/Flickr