My Journey

Nothing can prepare you for the experience of bringing a new life into the world. The joy and dread of holding a squirming little miracle in your hands and realizing you're responsible for it for life is everything at once: indescribable, overwhelming, and profound. You realize, all at once, that all your foremothers went through the same thing, in their time, and that like them, you've made it through to the other side.

This experience changes you completely, in ways you will never anticipate. But in the seven months I've had Caterpie, it has been so incredibly worth it. I've found an inner strength I never knew in myself. And this has been the start of the greatest journey of my life.

The Decision

The decision to have her was, of course, an enormous turning point. It was a decision I put off for a long time – I vacillated on whether I was truly ready, whether my partner was ready, and over the practicalities: did I have enough money saved up? Would I have support to lean on if there were complications? What could it do to my health, and was I willing to face those risks?

It all called for a lot of frantic introspection. I spent sleepless nights poring over self-help books, worrying about everything that could go wrong, doing TikTok research, and coming up with intricate plans. But once we set out on this journey, all my meticulous plans quickly went out the window. You can't truly prepare for this until you're experiencing it. And in the end, I realized that I had to grow to love and understand myself before I could try to love and understand a little creature who would be completely dependent on me.

The Birth of Caterpie

From that fateful decision to finally having Caterpie in my hands was a long and challenging time. Carrying that extra weight with you everywhere as you try to perform daily tasks grows trying. You feel your little bean moving around in there, even some hefty little tackles, but you don't know yet what they'll turn out to be like or what to expect.

This is a time to focus on self-care. Take good long baths, get out some aromatherapy oils (50% off all products at Roseli Oils with coupon code CATERPIE!), and get your partner to give you a nice massage: it can be hard on the back, and you're worth it!

You know it's coming soon when you start to hear noises coming from inside. Every little one is different, but mine made adorable little trills and chirps. And then, the miracle of life, that most profound moment:

What a perfect little sweet pea! And she had great IVs first try, too! I thought I might have to spend a lot of time walking or running back and forth before I got a good one, but the universe heard my prayers – perhaps thanks to my liberal use of incense (get them for 30% off from our Celadon Department Store affiliate link with coupon code FULLINCENSE!), or because I pressed A and B in rapid succession while the egg was hatching. Some say it's an old wives' tale, but half of my yoga class would beg to differ.

Caterpie Tips

• Caterpie hatch knowing Tackle, so be prepared for some sharp bonks against the shell for the last few weeks! Don't drop the egg!
• They also hatch knowing String Shot, and they know how to use it. You're going to get covered with white goo at some point – it's all a part of it. They'll even do it in their sleep. There is no escape.
• Beware of leaving your Caterpie on a raised surface! You never know when they'll suddenly manage to wriggle in a way they haven't before and fall.
• Unfortunately, Caterpie cannot do much until they evolve. You can't teach them any TMs, and while they can technically eventually learn Bug Bite, Caterpie is unlikely to impress in battle right off the bat. The job of a Caterpie trainer is 80% patience and 20% putting the unconditional in unconditional love.
• Never fear, though: your Caterpie will evolve at level 7 into a Metapod, and with enough support and encouragement to come out of its shell, it will finally emerge at level 10 as a beautiful Butterfree who can afflict you with any number of status conditions with 97% accuracy. You, too, can be confused, paralyzed, falling asleep, and poisoned at the same time! (If you're having a hard time leveling up your Caterpie, try the Route 5 Day Care! Free trial up to level 5 with coupon code CATERPIE!)

Caterpie Trivia

• Did you know Caterpie's eyes don't close while they sleep? You just sort of see the light in their eyes go out as their head slowly droops. Adorable! (If your Caterpie is having trouble sleeping, try Sleep Powder from a real Butterfree! Use our affiliate link for a promo code with Butterfree Sleep Services, free for one month.* Results not guaranteed. Sleep duration may vary due to nerfs. Once a Caterpie evolves into Metapod, its Shed Skin ability may decrease sleep quantity.)
• Although Caterpie generally cannot learn TMs, there is one exception: in Galar, you can teach one the Electroweb TM, if you desire to have their String Shot emissions also give you electric shocks!
• The pink feeler on Caterpie's head releases a horrible stench if you touch it. Steer clear if you're going to a job interview! (Clothes soaked with a stinky mess? Galarian Weezing for hire can fix it! 50% off with coupon code CATERPIENO!)
• Caterpie can eat a hundred leaves in a day. That's as many as ten tens. And that's terrible.

Final Thoughts

Having a Caterpie changed me profoundly – from a person who did not have a Caterpie to a person who does have a Caterpie.

All in all, I don't regret hatching my Caterpie for a moment. Just look at that little face!

Page last modified April 1 2026 at 00:02 UTC

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My own messages will be signed as Butterfree, with the Admin label below my name. If someone signs as Butterfree without that label, it's probably not me.

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