Disclaimer: Please pardon the grumpy/sarcastic tone of this post. I am home sick for the second time this pregnancy and am feeling pretty miserable.
What is it about pregnancy that brings out the crazy in people? And I’m talking about the pregnant lady herself. I’m talking about all those around her. Its like as soon as someone gets pregnant, it is automatically acceptable to suddenly tell her how to live her life, what to do, how to handle her labor, and remind her how much everything is going to change…..multiple times. And by strangers or people I barely know most the time!
Here are some of the things that are really starting to bug me.
1. “Oh, where are you going to deliver the baby? You should really go to ObviouslySuperior Hospital. They are so awesome. That is where I had my baby.”
Okay. So I get this constantly. My OB and my hospital are 15 minutes away. I like that fact. Your hospital may be great, but having to make the 45-60 minute drive when in LABOR, is not something I want to do. Nor do I want to change my doctor. I know what is right for me and my baby. But thanks.
2. “You haven’t been sick, have you?”
This is always said in such a way like having morning sickness is a terrible thing or makes me a horrible, weak person. Morning sickness is just a part of it. No big deal. Great if you didn’t get it but you are a minority. So keep the judgmental tone to yourself.
3. “Oh, you are going to have to get an epidural.”
Why? I have made the decision that I want to try this without drugs. I have a fairly high pain tolerance and have more of a fear of needles going in my spine then I do of the labor pains. I won’t force my ideas of trying to go natural on you so don’t try to tell me I have to get the drugs. (I seriously hear this one fairly often….and I’m only 14 weeks.)
4. “I hope you’re taking a prenatal.”
Yes I am. But that isn’t a concern of yours, random person I barely know. My doctor can ask me that but not you. None of your business what I am or am not taking. Do I ask “oh, I hope you’re taking you birth control/anti-depression/crazy pill,” do I?
5. “You better be careful not to gain weight early on. That can be bad for the baby.”
Again, random person, you are not my doctor. My doctor says I am doing just fine and I’m not gaining too much right now. My weight wasn’t your business before, and it still isn’t now.
6. “Enjoy that sleep now while you can. Once the baby gets here, you’ll never sleep again. You’ll have to get up and take care of it at night you know.”
Really? You mean I can’t just roll it into the closet at night and then just start again in the morning? I understand that babies are a lot of work and I’ll lose sleep for awhile. That doesn’t mean it needs to get pointed out to me often.
There are more and I’m sure there will be more. But those are just the top ones right now. I’m really not sure what the obsession is with pregnant women. Why is it okay to be obnoxious to pregnant women but not anyone else? I never got random comments concerning my health/weight/life/choices until I got pregnant.
Further proof, we should have gone with my husband’s idea of just waiting until the baby was old enough to tell people itself instead of announcing.
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