As a childless/childfree woman in my thirties I find this kind of statement very upsetting and damaging. The media has always liked to set groups of women against each other and for now the trend seems to be parents vs non-parents with conclusions being drawn from extreme examples to perpetuate the myth that we cannot possibly continue friendships across the divide. The sad thing is that so many women, from both sides, believe this and start to live their lives accordingly.
I am part of a group of 6 women who have known each other since childhood. We no longer live in the same city, or in two cases, the same country and our lives have taken very different turns in terms of careers and lifestyles but we have always been there for each other and are in regular contact with annual, at least, meet-ups. I am the only one of the 6 who has no children and although this has not changed things with 4 out of the 5; one friend appears to go out of her way to avoid me and will never now get in contact. I now only see her at group get togethers and will never say anything about how hurt I am in case it damages the dynamic of the rest of the group but she has often dropped into conversation that I have nothing in common with the rest of them. I would like to respond, as WinterLace said in her excellent post, that I never really have had anything in common with her - apart form being friends, liking each other and having shared experiences.
My SiL once spent ages telling me that she found it difficult to talk to me because all her friends are mum-friends and that's all she really needs and she couldn't possibly imagine what she could chat about with someone who has not shared in that experience.
Equally, I have heard from other women who have decided not to have children that they need to cross former friends off their list now they are pregnant because they won't have time for me now and will only want to talk about the baby. How about giving your "friends" the benefit of the doubt and trying the new phase of friendship first before making any rash decisions?
But I look on these as specific examples of people doing what they think they are supposed to do in these situations. I can point to many other friends, including 3 very close friends, with whom my relationship hasn't changed - because we have both worked at it and understand that we each have different choices and demands at play in our lives. I have a long-standing monthly dinner arrangement with one friend and regular visits to the other two and their kids. With these three I actually feel that our friendships are stronger than they were pre-kids because we make the most of the time we have to catch up and I love being a part of their kids' lives. It does however strike fear into my heart every time I see a headline like this in the media or threads like this because I worry that my parent friends might get sucked into believing it and I could lose them for now reason other than stupid generalisations. Equally and rationally however, I know they might be thinking the same could happen to me - which is won't. I like my friends for who they are and not who they are, or are not, raising to adulthood.