Charlotte Taught Us A Lot About Family Planning

On Monday, May 4, Prince William and Kate Middleton announced what had caused breaths to be bated across the globe: the name of Royal Baby #2, i.e., the Princess of Cambridge. We all now know that the royal baby has been named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, and upon hearing the news, scores of Sex and the City fans took to Twitter to post their delight over the royal baby being named after one of their favorite characters — Charlotte York. Although I'd wager a guess that the naming of the Princess of Cambridge had nil to do with SATC (I'm not even sure if the Duke or Duchess have ever even watched the show) but it's fun to think about.

The naming — and subsequent SATC fanfare — also offers us a trip down memory lane to when we would avidly watch Charlotte York's poise, style, and unabated quest for love. Of all four ladies, Charlotte was the most impassioned when it came to the idea of marriage and family, and never was there a friend that would participate in or plan a baby shower with more alacrity. Need a diaper genie? Charlotte would have 12 waiting for you complete with stork emblems and an engraved rattle.

If you're as much of a SATC fanatic as I am, you remember that Charlotte's road to marriage and motherhood wasn't an easy one. Through all her trials, Charlotte never strayed from her dreams, and became a quintessential guru of mommy-to-be planning before adopting a daughter in Season 6, and becoming pregnant with a second child in the 2008 SATC movie. Without further adieu, I present to you the ways that — as far as fictional characters go — Charlotte York was the ultimate family planner.

Learn Everything You Can & Don't Be Afraid To Ask Questions

There's no such thing as a bad question or concern when it comes to family planning. When Miranda became pregnant in Season 4, Charlotte had plenty of advice and tips in tow, which later came to her aid when she met the love over her life (Harry! Yay!) and the two wanted to start a family.

Take Care Of Yourself

Although she enjoyed her cosmos just like the rest of the ladies (nothing wrong with that!) Charlotte spoke of tracking her health, and checking in on the best methods to take care of herself during her pregnancy in the first SATC movie.

Utilize Your Support Network

While Charlotte and Harry were able to rely on each other, she also utilized her network of friends for support and advice, which can be exponentially helpful when beginning the process of planning for such a big chapter in one's life.

Try To Avoid Stress...

I'll admit it: it's impossible to avoid stress all the time, but finding ways to decompress and unwind is essential for those planning a family. We all saw Charlotte benefit from acupuncture in Season 6, and Samantha appeared to be an avid fan of yoga.

Obviously, Samantha had some different...er...motivations (no hate, of course — play on player), but the fact remains: we all need a method or two (or five) when it comes to relieving stress.

...But Also Know It's OK To Become Frustrated At Times

Even with her seemingly eternal optimism, Charlotte could succumb to stress and frustration at times. It happens to all of us, and that's OK!

Diaper Genies, Diaper Genies, Diaper Genies...

In one episode of SATC, Charlotte tells the girls, "I promise I won't become one of those mothers who can only talk about diaper genies." She didn't talk about them all that much, but we all knew that Charlotte was consistently equipped. It's a good thing, too — you can never have too many diaper genies.

Believe In Yourself

Despite all the obstacles Charlotte faced, she always continued to push for her dreams — the most prominent of those dreams being to enter into motherhood. Family planning can be overwhelming and deliver unexpected challenges. If Charlotte taught us one thing, it was to believe in yourself, the future, and that the rewards of that endurance make the trek well worth it.

Images: HBO; Giphy (9)