GTKY: Ridiculous "Rules" for Pregnant Women.

HMcDade1

What's the most absurd thing someone has told you that you can't do since becoming pregnant?

Examples: Walk up stairs, shovel snow, snorkel, travel, drive etc

Give us your most ridiculous examples.

Snow Storm Jonas is making me want to bang my head on the wall and June 2016 has a similar thread that is so funny. I need some laughter tonight!

Nerdchild

One of my coworkers asked if I should be in high heels the other day (it is the ONE girly thing about me). The security guys at my work also get on me for carrying anything or jogging through the parking lot to my car. My husband freaked out on me for moving the treadmill and won't let me carry anything heavier than bread.

Basically, I feel like everyone in my life is telling me I am no longer able-bodied. Stupid.

nopegoat

I've been told not to get on a step ladder and not to lift things above my head. People are fun.

sunshineandwhiskey

My co-worker told me I couldn't stand on a chair or move desks in my classroom.   

blackgirlmagic

My neighbors would not let me shovel today. I cannot move any type of furniture, nor lift heavy grocery bags and I told my husband I don't like bending over to pick things up so I make him do it. but for real it's uncomfortable bending over. I can only imagine what it will be like with a bigger belly.

thebigoaktree

My baby is going to come out weird because I dye my hair.

magzor

My friend's grandmother told me I shouldn't vacuum while pregnant. She pulled my husband aside and told him he has to do all of the vacuuming until baby arrives. But she didn't know WHY.

kayham12

Kids have the craziest ideas about pregnancy. Maybe it's because the teen moms in their school act like they're going to break. I get one at least once a week. I should preface this conversation with I teach 12th grade social studies.

Student A: ugh dude that's not right it's like this
Student B: I can't remember I think I'll ask her
Me: do y'all need help over there
Student A: no no we got it.
Student B: (looks worried he's an over achiever)
Me: (gets up from desk, walks across the room)
Student A: ugh see what you did? She's coming over here and you know she's pregnant.
Student B: I think it's good to exercise when you're pregnant, right?
Me: yes, I'm fully capable of walking across the classroom.

kayham12

Also someone told me not to carry my one year old. She can't walk and weighs 18lbs. I think I'm good.

hannahmp

I had to see a fill-in doctor that came out of retirement the other day. Everything about my pregnancy is healthy. No bleeding, bloodwork is good, etc. My blood pressure is also perfect. I have been running a lot for a long time. I do half marathons on a regular basis, and even did my latest one at the end of October around the time of conceiving. This doctor told me I should stop running, or if I do continue, only go about 3 miles and take walking breaks because, "If I were to bleed and miscarry, I would never forgive myself." and that I also might, "Dehydrate and begin to vomit." This was after I explained to him that I have slowed way down, take walking breaks, and will not go further than 9 miles. (I want to do the Seattle Hot Chocolate 15k) I also told him after I did that (in 5 weeks), I would taper my mileage down from there. He said, "No, I'm telling you, we doctors like to be pretty liberal, but that's a bit much." What happened to, if you were doing it before, you can continue with modification? I'm super irritated.... This is my second pregnancy by the way, and I ran last time too...

DominiqueU

A coworker told me I should never lift more than 5 pounds while I'm pregnant. She thinks I'll immediately miscarry if I do. I picked up 4 laptops and she yelled at me across the hall.

nopegoat

Oh yea I have been told many many times not to pick up my kids.

HMcDade1

@marowan I would just go with that one haha. Sorry husband you're stuck with the vacuum for then next 5 months !

magzor

HMcDade1 said:

@marowan I would just go with that one haha. Sorry husband you're stuck with the vacuum for then next 5 months !

Yeah, I didn't question it too hard!

elenabrent

I've been told not to get on step ladders too, and the other day my boss asked me if I needed "accommodations" when I was dusting off some of the shelves in the classroom. I mean, I don't love dusting but I'm also perfectly capable despite being pregnant. 

PinkLady2015

Don't get my heartbeat above 140 bpm... From a nurse (I was doing intense workout pre-pregnancy so am used to high intensity, tho I have scaled it down)

SIL told me I couldnt eat the ham sandwich I was about to dig into.

Friend grabbed the plate of sushi from me the other nite- it was a shrimp tempura roll.

Aunt-in-law said NO caffeine. I told her I was having -200mg as played by my physician.

PT said don't do squats because of relaxin. Ummm, no, I'll be spending the next 6 months squatting, lunging and anything else to strengthen the hell outta my pelvic floor and core. Imma be a pushin machine. Also no hip openers bc I'm more flexible than usual... Also a hard no... I've been practicing yoga for 6 years bro.

That's about all... Although only close family knows that I'm pregnant so I've been able to avoid unsolicited advice from randos at work...

jlgriff11

I find it sweet when people at work or my family won't let me do anything. I got the bosses parking spot when its icy and they don't let me walk up and down stairs very often. I don't have to shovel and Adam helps me from the car to the door if its snowing so I don't fall. I am sometimes annoyed when its regular normal stuff but I try to remember that they love me and love these babies and want me to be safe, rested, and careful. Since I'm a high risk pregnancy I let them baby me a little. I don't get babied very often so I try to enjoy it.

mamafox14

I was told NO sex or exercise AT ALL for the entire first trimester. My husband looked like he was going to pass out. Luckily my midwife said that was not necessary at all, whew.

elenabrent

@PinkLady2015 my MIL was very alarmed that I was drinking a cup of coffee one morning and when I said I was allowed up to 200mg she asked if I'd considered the caffeine in the chocolate ice cream I had the night before. 

shanparadise

@hannahmp This made me ragey. Pre pregnancy I had a nurse tell me if I continued to stay on my prescription anti-inflammatory for migraines I would go into organ failure. Freaked out I asked my doctor as soon as she came in. She was like uh no, I wouldn't knowingly let you risk going into organ failure. Sometimes health professionals are no smarter (or even dumber) than we are.

hannahmp

@shanparadiseThat is crazy. I generally don't like to contradict my doctor, but I really think this guy was dead wrong. Needless to say, I requested the other doctor in the practice for my next appointment!

juliagulia38

My dad said not to lift my suitcase into my car and Not to lift my 2 year old. My doc said its fine.

fleurdelakeview

The NP I saw at my first prenatal visit said I shouldn't lift anything heavier than 5 pounds. I just said, "my damn purse weighs 7!" And she told me to lighten the load or leave it at home. When I saw my OB later and asked her, she just rolled her eyes and said it was fine. 

DobbysSock

Well, I'm either surrounded by extremely sensible, MYOB people, or I'm surrounded by people who aren't saying anything because they don't want to pick up my slack, but are silently judging me. 

ButterMyBiscuit

I can't remember which board it was but another poster said she was told not to go swimming because the baby would drown. I nearly peed my pants.

rakel88

Anyone telling me anything regarding exercise. Just stop.

Heathereaddy

My mom told me not to exercise, wear high heels, or eat haphazardly because I might choke. As if I Forgot how to chew and swallow since becoming pregnant. 

Nerdchild

ButterMyBiscuit said:

I can't remember which board it was but another poster said she was told not to go swimming because the baby would drown. I nearly peed my pants.

I'm glad you didn't, what if your baby had......drowned?

Nerdchild

Heathereaddy said:

My mom told me not to exercise, wear high heels, or eat haphazardly because I might choke. As if Imforgot how to chew and swallow since becoming pregnant. 

thebigoaktree

ButterMyBiscuit said:

I can't remember which board it was but another poster said she was told not to go swimming because the baby would drown. I nearly peed my pants.

My nana actually told my mom that while she was pregnant with my sister. She's also the type of old that thinks Jesus is white and not a Jew soooo.

Y0urm0m

I work at a really cool bar at a really famous place. I'm a waitress and I get yelled out daily for wearing my apron to tight and tying it in the front. I'm a horrible mom because I'm squishing my baby.

WorkingMom562

I have a male co-worker that thinks he knows everything. He told me that working at all the entire last month of my pregnancy is bad/harmful for the baby. He knows this bc he read it in an article somewhere. He also keeps asking me when I'm taking my maternity leave. I feel like screaming at him "when this baby falls out if my vagina, that's when!"

I work an office job, sitting 90% of the time.

Lyssiana

I get both sides:

Neighbors who tell me I'm not allowed to be outside too long in the cold (despite my being properly dressed and only out there long enough to give my dogs time to stretch their legs). This happened tonight.

People who tell me to not watch what I eat (I lost 180 pre pregnancy but I'm still 100lbs overweight. I'm not trying to lose, just be careful) and who are making eating healthy harder on purpose, and who continue to freaking insist I'm "eating for two."

And then my aunt, who is my hairdresser, refusing to dye my hair.

The other side of that are people who think my pregnancy is an excuse for everything from my not wanting to move a wardrobe that weighed as much as me, to not drinking. Do you know how many eye rolls I've gotten for refusing alcohol? It's infuriating.

TiffanyRickF

@hannahmp we belong to a huge local running group and we have women running up til due date. Was at a event a few weeks ago and one girl had juat done a full the previous weekend. Maybe seek another opinion, cause unless you are having a complication, I was told as long as you were running before you can still run but dont train for a longer distance then what you normaly do and listen to your body. (I am not running at all this pregnancy I have SPD and my pelvis hurts to even walk alot)

dolewhipper

My H told me to take off my pre-pregnancy jeans because I was "squishing his baby". They fit fine.

Weville

My boss freaks out every time she sees me squat to pick something up. If I can't squat and I can't bend is someone going to follow me around tying my shoes for me?

foxa319

That I shouldn't pick up ds in his car seat. He's only 7 months, I usually just carry him but if he's sleeping I'm not gonna wake him up and take him out in the cold!

Weville

I think my boss is actually going to end up being the one to give me all my crazy advise. The other day she went on a coffee run for some of my managers so I suggested she grab one for me too. I was very sternly told me I can't have coffee. I pointed out I wanted decaf and was told that decaf is just as bad.

Edited- I don't think some caffeine is bad. I'm just a coffee junkie so I'm trying to keep caffeinated coffee as an occasional treat

nugget71116

Here's one for everyone who has been told not to lift anything: I asked my doctor about this at my first appointment because I'm a wedding florist and routinely am carrying boxes of heavy arrangements, etc. She said I can lift anything as long as I'm not trying to lift a piano by myself, haha. (Side note, love my doctor). So that's the rule I'm sticking to. Of course the other day while I was hanging new curtains (by myself, on a ladder, omg!!!) I found myself trying to move our ridiculously heavy treadmill a few feet and started wondering how it compared to a piano...

I also have one super concerned friend who, before we eat anything, asks if I can have it. Yesterday she asked if I could have tap water and I said no, you should have seen the horrified look on her face! Heheh.

Heathereaddy

@Nerdchild haha! As long as my food doesn't actively start trying to evade my mouth, I think I got this whole eating thing down!

Nerdchild

@nugget71116 I have both a treadmill (relatively large one, I might add) and piano (a small upright piano). No weight comparison, trust me. It's about the equivalent difference of trying to pick up a Newfoundland vs. Clydesdale. It took 4 huge guys to struggle to move my piano into my house.