People are strange. When you're.... pregnant.

TheHauntedHauswife

Is it just me or does pregnancy really bring our the strangeness of others?
Maybe its our hormones making us more sensitive to it, or maybe people just really dont know how to act around pregnant women.
What strange behaviors have you been dealing with recently?

Some strange behaviors recently:
+ People keep buying things off my registry that i registered for in the color grey, but instead buying said items in pink. I asked for grey because i dont want to re-buy for a second potential boy child in the future, but people keep choosing pink instead! [its now happened a total of 5 times.] 
+ Two different people who are pretty removed from us, both expected us to tell them the baby name despite that we arent sharing it. One of them was adamantly told no by my husband as she is closer with him, but still opted to corner me bring it up to me as if she had never brought it up to him. Not even giving me an option to respond, she literally just said she needs me to give her the information in the next few weeks, okay thanks bye and walked away. No lady. No.
+ My mother in law has been having a coronary because my shower location only offers white napkins. I had 4 different people this weekend contact me about said white napkin issue. I finally had to say. ''Please stop, I want white napkins!" because i honestly dont care and am so tired of hearing about all these issues i shouldnt even be involved in.

Who were your weirdos of the week?

lm45678

A woman I had never met started asking me about birth control, how long I was on it, how long it took me to get pregnant, etc.

I'm an open book and she had been drinking. But still... I just met you.

likeabel

The cashier at the grocery store asked if I needed help out because if I lift more than 5 pounds by baby will come out deformed.... 

edeibel89

This wasn't even to me but I still find it weird so I'll share. My SIL just gave birth to her little girl December 10th and at Christmas one of our Hs' relatives asked her if she was wearing maternity jeans or her regular jeans....who asks that????

MamaNicoleof3

I'm eye rolling so hard right now.

@TheHauntedHauswife- seriously? Napkins? Yes, totally something to freak over. And WTH about the names and especially that lady?!

@laurenm2123- wow. Just....wow.

@likeabel- Be careful lifting that bag of flour.

meggyme

I haven't had anything nearly that weird. It was uncomfortable when my male coworker was talking to me about breast pumps, but his wife just had a baby. I was actually expecting a lot more strange conversations and anecdotes with my largely male, foreign coworkers, but so far everyone has been pretty normal.

mrsschmity

The various forms of "too many beers" comments that I have received since getting pregnant. As my belly continues to grow, several people have made comments joking about me having one too many beers - I'm not sure if I should take that as I now look like I have a beer gut, or that the pregnant belly is a result of having too much to drink one night and H just accidentally knocked me up.

WinniethePoohsPants

Nothing too strange, yet
Though to be honest I'm still put off by complete strangers randomly asking me when I'm due - I feel like I could still pass for chubby in the middle.

amidavey06

I had a lot of strange comments when I was pregnant with DD but I think weirdest and most uncomfortable came after she was born and I returned to work. My regional manager was in our office for a visit (I worked in an office of about 15 people, so really small). He started asking me about nursing. He asked me if I had stopped eating tomatoes and all other acidic foods because they will give the baby gas. It was just so weird but to be fair he was a very awkward man. He would say awkward crap like that all the time. 

ahernandez16

I find it annoying how every time I breathe funny people (my parents, colleagues, husband, etc) FREAK out and say, "Oh my god! What's wrong!?!" Like they're expecting me to answer that I'm in hard labor or something. 

Well, I'm growing an actual whole human inside of me and sometimes it's fucking uncomfortable and sometimes I just have to fart so I make a face. 

ahernandez16

Oh, also. I've literally been asked at least 100 times what I'm "going to do" if this baby is black. 

My husband and I are both white and Hispanic. I'm pretty sure there is about a zero percent chance of me giving birth to a baby that isn't white and Hispanic and I don't know why so many people keep asking me this question.... 

TheHauntedHauswife

ahernandez16  That is... really... weird.... I cant believe more than one person has asked that!

WinniethePoohsPants

ahernandez16 said:

Oh, also. I've literally been asked at least 100 times what I'm "going to do" if this baby is black. 

My husband and I are both white and Hispanic. I'm pretty sure there is about a zero percent chance of me giving birth to a baby that isn't white and Hispanic and I don't know why so many people keep asking me this question.... 

Omg seriously? What the dang heck?! How did you respond to that?

MamaNicoleof3

ahernandez16 said:

Oh, also. I've literally been asked at least 100 times what I'm "going to do" if this baby is black. 

My husband and I are both white and Hispanic. I'm pretty sure there is about a zero percent chance of me giving birth to a baby that isn't white and Hispanic and I don't know why so many people keep asking me this question.... 

WTH? Why would anyone ask that?!?!?

hockeyfan42

ahernandez16 said:

Oh, also. I've literally been asked at least 100 times what I'm "going to do" if this baby is black. 

My husband and I are both white and Hispanic. I'm pretty sure there is about a zero percent chance of me giving birth to a baby that isn't white and Hispanic and I don't know why so many people keep asking me this question.... 

Um...wat? 

ahernandez16

Ha. To be fair, it's been mostly our families. Just weird that I've been asked more than once, by more than one family member, on both sides. 

I've told everyone that's asked, "Well I didn't cheat on my husband if that's what you're asking." We're both have a fairly light complexion so I'm assuming they mean what are we gonna do if this baby is darker than us to which I'd side eye them for even thinking that'd be an issue. 

mrsschmity

ahernandez16 said:

I find it annoying how every time I breathe funny people (my parents, colleagues, husband, etc) FREAK out and say, "Oh my god! What's wrong!?!" Like they're expecting me to answer that I'm in hard labor or something. 

Well, I'm growing an actual whole human inside of me and sometimes it's fucking uncomfortable and sometimes I just have to fart so I make a face. 

Ded. So accurate.

chelseay416

@ahernandez16 hahaha to both of your posts. Literally laughing on my couch right now. 

I went with my H to his favorite gun shop. He's pretty good friends with the guy who runs the place and I've met the guy a handful of times. When my H ran out to the car, the guy started talking to be about breastfeeding IN DETAIL. He has 3 kids under 5 and was telling me about what positions his wife nurses in and other stuff like that. It was uncomfortable to say the least. I kind of pushed my H out the door once he was ready to go. 

wbwells

Not this week but about 3 weeks ago I got:
"Don't breastfeed, it spoils the baby because it forces them to rely on one person and that makes children pussies"

"whenever he cries from day 1- put him in the carseat and leave him for 1 hour, then go check on him.  It teaches him who's boss."  she did this- literally as soon as her kids cried she put them down for an hour before checking if they're hungry, wet, dirty etc.

"From day one put them in bed at 7pm.  Whenever they cry go in their room to check on them, but don't turn on the lights, don't tlak to them, don't make eye contact.  Change them and feed them and put them right back down.  Show them who's the boss"

Umm, thanks random drunk stranger for telling me how to raise a sociopath 

Diesel615

@wbwells Wow....cause you know babies totally understand dominance and who the boss is....That almost makes me want to cry thinking that women really treat their babies like this. Ignoring a crying baby for an hour is considered neglect in my book. Wow, just wow. 

wbwells

Diesel615 said:

@wbwells Wow....cause you know babies totally understand dominance and who the boss is....That almost makes me want to cry thinking that women really treat their babies like this. Ignoring a crying baby for an hour is considered neglect in my book. Wow, just wow. 

I started tearing up knowing she's raised 3 children.  And they're little a$$holes too if I might add.  She's trying to convince me whenever we go there (Abu Dhabi.  We go once a month for hubby's work) to drop MY baby off with her babysitter and leave the baby for a few days to get a break.  (She's best friends with really good friends of ours so isn't a total random stranger).  When i told her we plan on breastfeeding and co-sleeping she laughed in my face and congratulated me on raising a pussy child.  I started crying at that point and got up and walked out.  Thank GOD my husband was drunk and didn't hear her otherwise he would've laid her out on the floor for speaking to me that way.

lm45678

wbwells said:

Not this week but about 3 weeks ago I got:
"Don't breastfeed, it spoils the baby because it forces them to rely on one person and that makes children pussies"

"whenever he cries from day 1- put him in the carseat and leave him for 1 hour, then go check on him.  It teaches him who's boss."  she did this- literally as soon as her kids cried she put them down for an hour before checking if they're hungry, wet, dirty etc.

"From day one put them in bed at 7pm.  Whenever they cry go in their room to check on them, but don't turn on the lights, don't tlak to them, don't make eye contact.  Change them and feed them and put them right back down.  Show them who's the boss"

Umm, thanks random drunk stranger for telling me how to raise a sociopath 

I guess I want my baby to be a pussy....?

Seriously? What. The. Actual. Fuck.

goldie987

These are all just...wow...what makes people think these are okay?!?!?!

MsBeachNJ

Upon learning that I was pregnant, a woman at work told me "you know every time someone in my family gets pregnant another family member dies". 

What are you gaining by telling me this, are you trying to freak me out because I'm already hormonal and sensitive and dealing with some new health issues in my family ... like WTF?! 

kbequette08

No strange comments hallelujah from strangers. I guess I just don't attract the comments just the stares. Feel like asking,"What you've never seen a pregnant woman before?"

SoEnamored

It hasn't happened yet, but I'm just waiting for a stranger to touch my belly so that I can touch theirs back.  Ha!  I remember hearing of giving that response on the Sept 2012 board.  Someone, please do this.  I'm not sure if I am gutsy enough.

It's our third kid so people are quite curious as to whether or not we tried to get pregnant this time.  Really?  You want to know about our birth control practices?    How much detail do you want on how, exactly, this happened?

ahernandez16

MsBeachNJ said:

Upon learning that I was pregnant, a woman at work told me "you know every time someone in my family gets pregnant another family member dies". 

What are you gaining by telling me this, are you trying to freak me out because I'm already hormonal and sensitive and dealing with some new health issues in my family ... like WTF?! 

Oh my god! I've heard that one too! Not myself, but the last cousin of mine to get pregnant told me that some lady at her church asked her who died/was sick in our family because that's what happens when a baby is born. 

Then my grandma got sick in December and I was convinced I was killing her by procreation. What the fuck. 

TheHauntedHauswife

wbwells Thats literally the worst parenting advice ive ever heard. I honestly though pretty much hate ALL unsolicited parenting advice. Or just generally people with kids who like try and teach you something as theyre doing it, and its like... no thanks random person for your free parenting class i didnt sign up for. Its the best when its parenting advice that you personally think is atrocious. 

MsBeachNJ

@ahernandez16 what is wrong with people... if my family hadn't already been blessed with 5 nieces & nephews over the last 7 years without any incident I would be seriously freaked out. 

@SoEnamored I did this the other day to my cousin... we were posing for a picture & she put her hand on my belly so I put mine on hers & she freaked out... I was like, see how it feels??? 

HBamama2B

Wow. These are really terrible. Like really really terrible. 

I get a lot of the crackpot parenting/BF/etc advice from coworkers to strangers on the subway. My current pet peeve is when people say "wow your finally popping" repeatedly...as in every other day. One day I'm going to look down and be like "shit! Your right! That the 120th pop, I must be done growing!" Then pop a squat like I'm pushing him out. Just, people are so weird.

I told DH this morning I want to write a pamphlet on 'What Not To Say To Pregnant Women' and start giving it out at offenses. Kind of a targeted 'here's your sign' approach.

ETA- also those who say "It's ok, you're carrying it all in your tummy." Yes, it's a compliment, but it's a dirty dirty lie which is why my ass is in size LG granny panties thank you very much!

kwife15

Whoa some of these are insane! I'll add a minor one--when people do something rude and then say just wait until you have kids and then you wil understand. Maybe but I sure hope I won't turn into an inconsiderate moron.

michellabanana

@TheHauntedHauswife love the napkin story lol...I remember for my sister's wedding we talked about invitations for months...literally months   

Omg to the lady who seemingly would call all of our babies pussies.  I think I would be shocked if someone said that to me, and the fact she uses that word so much in casual conversation. (Jeez I'm such a pussy lol)

My one friend asked " when can pregnant woman not go out anymore"  I told her I'd let her know when I was being quarantined.

Another friend has kidney stones so she already knows what it feels like to be in labor.  (Reminds me of look who's talking lol)

I realize they can be terribly painful, but I feel like she said it in a way to downplay my pregnancy. (You would think she was the one pregnant when we go out)

I hated when people ask if we were trying...it's such an awkward question!

One fifth grade class I was subbing, a little boy asked " was I regular fat or baby fat?"/ I gave him a pass cause it was a special ed class and he kept trying to give me food for the baby lol.  He also asked if I was planning to BF, because that is what is best.  I told him that's up to the baby, depending on what she wants.  

BabyboyS2016

These are HORRIBLE! I'm just like @kbequette08 in that I feel like I always have something on my face or in my nose because I am just STARED at. I despise being the center of attention and this belly is just a beacon for eyes. Plus, I never know if my headlights are on, so I'm always worried I'm just a walking surprised torso. I can't believe some of the things people have said to you ladies. Good lord. 

TheHauntedHauswife

kwife15 I hate the just waits and the youll sees. I realize im going to be an FTM but im not a complete moron living under a rock. On top of that, the way i choose to parent this specific tiny human is never going to be exactly how you parented your specific tiny human. Humans are all so inherently different to assume that another parent is going to have more, less, the same, or different struggles than you just kind of weird. 

crdo

Wow. This thread just further solidifies the notion that many people are, well, idiots.

My MIL says "wow, you're getting bigger!" or "just wait, you'll get bigger!" every time she sees me. NO SH*T LADY. Like what, 1) I haven't noticed? Or 2) I somehow wasn't aware this would happen? *enormous eye roll*.

TheHauntedHauswife

michellabanana Did i mention that my MIL bothered my mother and the venue about it to such a degree i literally had to personally call up the venue and do my own damage control with them and apologize for the collective moms being insane. Shower is being held at a place we are regulars, so i literally had to apologize and explain that it was not me or us doing that an that they were both out of their minds and we hoped it would not negatively effect our relationship with said venue. Cause thats EXACTLY what the pregnant lady, bed ridden with SPD, who shouldnt even be forced to be this involved in her show this much, needed to be doing, right!

MsBeachNJ

@crdo hahah this happened to me this weekend, I walked into my moms house & my one sister said "wow you look really pregnant" and my mom gives me a strange look and says "yeah you do, whats that about"... its about the fact that I am in fact 6 months pregnant... 

crdo

MsBeachNJ said:

@crdo hahah this happened to me this weekend, I walked into my moms house & my one sister said "wow you look really pregnant" and my mom gives me a strange look and says "yeah you do, whats that about"... its about the fact that I am in fact 6 months pregnant... 

Omg. 

MamaNicoleof3

MsBeachNJ said:

@crdo hahah this happened to me this weekend, I walked into my moms house & my one sister said "wow you look really pregnant" and my mom gives me a strange look and says "yeah you do, whats that about"... its about the fact that I am in fact 6 months pregnant... 

That is SHOCKING that you look pregnant.

How stupid can you be?!

kayla2536

Holy crap! I haven't gotten anything that crazy yet but god forbid I mention my back hurts or whatever and everyone says "just you wait!" No shit. Just because I'll get bigger and have potentially more back pain doesn't mean it's all rainbows and unicorns now. Let the pregnant woman have a complaint!

The awkward stares at my belly from strangers/Starbucks baristas (who are probably wondering if I'm fat or pregnant since I'm fairly regular there)

GinnyJ2012

wbwells said:

Not this week but about 3 weeks ago I got:
"Don't breastfeed, it spoils the baby because it forces them to rely on one person and that makes children pussies"

"whenever he cries from day 1- put him in the carseat and leave him for 1 hour, then go check on him.  It teaches him who's boss."  she did this- literally as soon as her kids cried she put them down for an hour before checking if they're hungry, wet, dirty etc.

"From day one put them in bed at 7pm.  Whenever they cry go in their room to check on them, but don't turn on the lights, don't tlak to them, don't make eye contact.  Change them and feed them and put them right back down.  Show them who's the boss"

Umm, thanks random drunk stranger for telling me how to raise a sociopath 

Was she from a different culture? I've read about some that don't make eye contact with children/babies because it makes them needy. 

Either way I think it's awful parenting.