Do people have children for themselves or for the child?

I'd genuinely love someone to convince me that their having a baby was selfless. I had a baby because I wanted one, that doesn't mean that I don't make sacrifices or do selfless things now she's here, but I can't pretend she's here for any other reason.

Both. I wanted to be a parent but I also equally wanted to give the human experience to someone new. I am the person that introduced them to life, but it's theirs to do with. Difficult doesn't always mean bad and easy doesn't always mean good, these aren't the circumstances I imagined when I decided to start a family but I don't think of myself as selfish for bringing new life into this world (but I know a lot of people see it that way).

For me it’s both!

I waited a long while before I figured out for certain I wanted to take on motherhood, & when I made that decision I had high hopes to give a child an amazing life in the process.

Yeah not for the child. If they weren’t here it wouldn’t matter. So I do it because I want children I want a family and it’s great they have life experiences and then they can have families and what not. But I’m not just gonna have a child so they can grow up and have life experiences that doesn’t really make sense for a reason

I went through ivf because I wanted a baby. Once he was born, I then wanted another baby for him. We are older and we dont have any family so my son would have been the only one left in about 40 years. So we went through IVF again twice and now have twins on the way. In 40 years time when me and my husband passes away the three of them will have each other

Everyone involved in a loving family dynamic benefits. It’s kind of like how YOU feel good from being generous with someone else, and they feel loved too. It can simultaneously be generous and selfless *and also* satisfy something in you.