In late August, CNN “Crossfire” co-host S.E. Cupp was invited to go dove hunting. And no, she couldn’t refuse, despite having a 7-month bun in the oven with husband John Goodwin.
“Are pregnant people allowed to go dove hunting?” she asks in an essay published Tuesday on CNN.com. “Spoiler alert: ‘dove hunting’ is not in the “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” index. In fact, not one of my many pregnancy books had any answers as to whether this was OK.”
What’s a pregnant TV woman to do?
Cupp had trouble finding answers — even on the Internet. There was pregnancy guidance about everything from playing football to scuba diving, but nothing on hunting. She eventually found a variety of women who’d weighed in on the subject, including Field and Stream that profiled three pregnant female hunters.
But ultimately Cupp grew so paranoid over what could happen that she phoned her doctor.
“It’s me again, with another activity inquiry,” Cupp told her doctor. “I’d very much like to go dove hunting in a couple weeks. We good?”
The doctor, when told about the gunfire vibrating against her shoulder, replied, “Is this necessary?”
Ultimately, Cupp was given the green light and has no regrets.
“I think my son will like hearing these stories one day, about his mom trout fishing in Wyoming and reef fishing in the Caribbean and dove hunting in Maryland while she was pregnant with him,” she wrote. “Especially if he hears them while sitting in a boat or a blind from his father, the real outdoorsman in the family.”
THE AFTERMATH
Commentary underneath the post was mostly positive outside of telling her to edit her story and make it less rambling. A reader remarked, “You neglected to follow your own advice: ‘Don’t talk about your personal life, unless it’s really, really interesting.’ It wasn’t.”
Charge her with endangerment
From a critic: “So wait, isn’t it supposed to be precious life in the womb??? According to the conservative mind set, what you do while pregnant directly affects this precious life inside the woman. Since the conservatives are so tough on crime, she should be charged with endangerment of a child, have her freedom to choose how she reproduces stripped.”
Refreshing from CNN
From a supporter: “It’s awesome that you hunt and fish. And this was an excellent article about doing it while pregnant. It’s refreshing to read a great article like this on CNN. I wish you and your family the best.”