Dealing with comments on my growing belly

mreneeb85

Hi everyone, I just wanted to share some of my experiences as this is my first pregnancy and I don't have any mom friends atm. I definitely was not prepared for all the comments I would receive from strangers in public about my body and I wonder how other people deal with the rudeness.
I didn't really show for the first 4-5 months, but afterwards my belly grew rapidly. I'm tall and lean so I guess I show more than others because everywhere I went people would point out how pregnant I look and then start asking a lot of personal questions...like "Is this your first?" "Are you having twins (no) are you sure?" "Is it a boy/girl?" "When are you due, are you sure that's the right date?" I was really taken aback as I'm a private person and wasn't ready for all the intrusive questions. If that wasn't enough then the comments started...it got to the point where I would cry when I got home because someone would tell me how big I was. I know I'm sensitive so I try to understand that people don't know what to say but I feel at that point saying nothing is best.
I'm now 38 weeks and when I was at the grocery store someone yelled out to me that I was very pregnant, well ya. I laughed and walked away. I guess it's getting easier to deal with but as someone with pre-existing body image issues some days it's hard. Can anyone else relate?

knottiec45abda6fbf90dba

Yeah I totally get you, mama! While I’ve loved my pregnancy so far and will always feel blessed, there are times when I get a little insecure about it and wonder if I’m getting “fat” due to other people’s comments. I’m almost 6 months along and my bump has been really starting to show lately. I haven’t gotten a whole lot of negative comments about it but I did get someone tell me that “he is gonna be a big baby,” which threw me off a bit.

sjzn

I have found if I wear loose clothing I am alot less likely to get comments. I am short so i tend to feel huge, and getting pregnant less then a year after i delivered a full term stillborn, even more so this time. But at 33 weeks pregnant I only had 1 comment so far!🤞

knottie750ef26e950c4b09

How I handle it, is I think about how i viewed belly bumps prior to pregnancy. I think bumps are beautiful and the bigger the better. I love a good round belly as it is so beautiful what our bodies can do. Yes I do see when they're ready to pop and have a huge belly I think how much it looks like it hurts and how they must be so ready to have that baby! I'm 31 weeks and all week I've gotten the comments of how big I am and how i must be due any day now. I'm also tall and lean and I've never weighed more than 135 and now weigh 165. I've had plenty of people just love my belly and say it's perfectly round and the perfect bump. But 3 weeks ago they said I was hardly showing, so at first I got a little confused as to how I went from barely bumping to due any day now lol. Some friends made jokes about how I need bigger clothes when the clothes I'm wearing are meant to be more snug and form fitting. I know they're joking thankfully. 

I just know how I view baby bumps and really hope that's what strangers are saying when they make comments. I've also had people say I look miserable, but I'm not miserable in my pregnancy, I'm just dealing with allergies now and it's made my eyes puffy and I'm anemic now so I have a pale face, so I had to tell one of my favorite customers that I'm feeling great besides obvious pregnancy discomfort, but I have a ways to go until he gets here. 

So, yes, I might not have the pretty pregnancy glow or the smallest bump anymore, but I'm enjoying pregnancy and anticipating when my little man comes and just want to be in the right head space and be as prepared as possible for something that'll be out of my control. I honestly will miss feeling him move inside of me 🥲

florence24b

This is my fourth pregnancy and I have always popped out right away. I’m fit and lean when I’m not pregnant but I gain 50ish pounds every pregnancy. Thankfully they have all been perfectly healthy, natural pregnancies and births. It’s embarrassing to have to explain to people that I’m only 20 weeks when I look like I’m about to give birth any moment. I’m actually relieved to be in the 3rd trimester where my vastness actually makes more sense. I do have healthy, big, chunky babies, which I love! But I always feel a pang of jealousy when I see little petite mamas with their little cute bellies. Comments from strangers don’t really bother me, I know they are just trying to make small talk with me and they are naturally curious, it is an incredible thing! It’s the comments from friends and family that wear me out sometimes. My grandmother asks me if I’m sure I’m not having twins every time she sees me… No, she does not have dementia. Haha.