What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

Jeremy Morris2 said:So here I am 😲

My mom is being absolutely relentless about her hatred for pets, and now she’s trying to scare us with all these horror stories about parasites, bacteria, and whatever other nasty stuff a little four-legged creature might pass on to my tiny 🙄 God, give me strength...🙂

And then there's this other thing—this friend of mine pops up one day offering me his wife's pregnancy pillow (which, by the way, survived two kids!), but he won't just be a decent human being and let me borrow it, noooooooo, he insists that I buy it from him 😲 and honestly, I found that so incredibly tacky? Like, when all my girlfriends were having babies before me, I was always happy to lend out things I’d already bought for my own little one, and I think a normal rotation of gear (for free) is just how things work, you know? 🤷

What an absolute character of a friend. If that pillow comes with a few stains and spots, I suppose that constitutes some sort of emotional baggage premium you’re expected to pay extra for.

However, I must commend you for having the heart to lend out items that were essentially unused; I would likely grant you a medal for selflessness, as I am far too selfish and self-centered for such behavior... 😳 Anything purchased for my little guy is required to remain in pristine, brand-new condition until the moment he actually wears it (I practically set aside five minutes every single day just to spread them out on the bed and admire them like a total obsessive)... and regardless, I feel a terrible surge of possessiveness whenever I think about the baby and how everyone else will want to hold him... I suppose, other than 😂
, he'll be allowed to touch him.

On topic: the complete lack of courtesy toward pregnant women. It seems nobody here bothers to offer up a seat, even when someone is sitting in a designated priority spot clearly marked for expectant mothers. Honestly, I find the elderly to be the most difficult demographic—you see them everywhere, especially when you’re stuck in a massive queue at a clinic during the winter flu season. I rarely dare to say anything to them, though if I did, I’d likely be torn to shreds regardless. Just the other day, I was losing my mind waiting at a small Verizon store to finish some business for my partner; if it hadn't been for him, I would have walked out. There were always about five people hovering there, and naturally, since filling out one standard service contract takes forty-five minutes, they managed to form a massive line. Of course, the entire shop only has one single chair. Everyone in that room took turns occupying that one seat, staring at me like I was some sort of alien specimen, yet not a single soul thought to offer it to me. One would think that before taking a seat themselves, they might glance around to see if anyone else in the room actually has priority. I felt physically ill from being in such a cramped space with so many people crowded in; I had to step outside for air several times just to cope. Eventually, I reached my breaking point when some girl in her early twenties wandered in, and I finally asked her if she could let me sit down. She stood up, thankfully. But it is undeniably worse here than even in New York City... there is absolutely no culture of yielding your seat to pregnant women.

I realize this is trivial and that this topic is a constant fixture on this board, but I simply had to vent...

rowdyjackal12 said:I mean, isn't that just the law?
They won't even let you put a baby in the car without an approved car seat.

They do. 🤷
I was following Joe Biden through Beverly Hills earlier, and I saw babies in car seats, babies in strollers, and even babies sitting in those soft fabric baskets—the kind I’d never dream of carrying a kid in.

Susan Martin4 said:They do. 🤷
I was following Joe Biden through Beverly Hills earlier, and I saw babies in car seats, babies in strollers, and even babies sitting in those soft fabric baskets—the kind I’d never dream of carrying a kid in.

Back in Chicago, they told us we had to bring an American Standard car seat to the hospital when we were discharged, and the nurse even made sure it was installed perfectly.😁

Taylor Swift regarding what your coworker said about the belly... whenever people ask me how big I am, I just tell them, "Exactly as big as my baby needs to be." End of discussion.
It’s exhausting how some people just open their mouths to speak without a single thought behind it.

I why is it that most people you meet when you're pregnant can't seem to stick to a normal conversation? Instead, it’s always some unsolicited commentary about whether you'll be able to breastfeed because of your chest size, or warnings about how you shouldn't bend over, or don't do this, or don't do that—it’s relentless 🙂 honestly, I might as well just tape myself to a piece of plywood and walk around like a rigid board, and as for the whole situation with my breasts, it’s just 😂

Dana Brown8 said:Back in Chicago, they told us we had to bring an American Standard car seat to the hospital when we were discharged, and the nurse even made sure it was installed perfectly.😁

Taylor Swift regarding what your coworker said about the belly... whenever people ask me how big I am, I just tell them, "Exactly as big as my baby needs to be." End of discussion.
It’s exhausting how some people just open their mouths to speak without a single thought behind it.

At my hospital, they wouldn't even put the baby in an AS, even though my husband brought one... they claimed they didn't do that there.🤷
Honestly, these comments get under my skin. I'd love to just silence anyone who dares to critique me... I don't understand why everyone assumes my body is public property and fair game for commentary. If they're so concerned, they can worry about their own midsections and go see a doctor... assuming they aren't pregnant.🙂 😁

Jacob Phillips4 said:Furthermore, this should be considered mandatory; one must learn from the absolute best. A child raised with a dog or a cat at home would undoubtedly emerge as the fastest participant in any crawling competition.

Mine never actually crawled...☕ It was easier for her to just get a shot and start walking with help.😍 🙂

mellowranger16 said:I why is it that most people you meet when you're pregnant can't seem to stick to a normal conversation? Instead, it’s always some unsolicited commentary about whether you'll be able to breastfeed because of your chest size, or warnings about how you shouldn't bend over, or don't do this, or don't do that—it’s relentless 🙂 honestly, I might as well just tape myself to a piece of plywood and walk around like a rigid board, and as for the whole situation with my breasts, it’s just 😂

Because everyone suddenly thinks they’re an expert. Everyone has some connection, some "friend of a friend" who went through it, and they just can't help themselves... they feel the need to lecture you... 😉
If you have small breasts, you're facing an uphill battle just trying to nurse... but if they're large, you're looking at an oversupply that'll leave you in constant pain. It’s a lose-lose situation... ☕
If you lean over, don't crush the baby... If you don't lean over... well, what's the alternative? You aren't incapacitated... ☕🤷

mellowranger16 said:I why is it that most people you meet when you're pregnant can't seem to stick to a normal conversation? Instead, it’s always some unsolicited commentary about whether you'll be able to breastfeed because of your chest size, or warnings about how you shouldn't bend over, or don't do this, or don't do that—it’s relentless 🙂 honestly, I might as well just tape myself to a piece of plywood and walk around like a rigid board, and as for the whole situation with my breasts, it’s just 😂

- Don't lift your arms above your head or the umbilical cord will wrap around the baby's neck.
- Don't cross your legs or... well, same thing with the cord.
- If you have small breasts (mine are a pathetic B-cup), you won't be able to nurse.

God, I've heard it all. At this point, I've just tuned it all out.

What really gets to me is how much my back—which was already an issue—is absolutely killing me during this pregnancy. Then there's the heartburn every single night. Everything feels heavier this time around. 😢
Don't get me wrong, feeling the baby kick is great, but while I was so energetic during my first pregnancy, right now I just want to lie down and sleep until the sixth month when it's finally time to deliver.

I honestly haven’t encountered anything truly obnoxious or overtly hostile quite yet...
But then, I’ll run into a neighbor, and just as I’ve made my way down the stairs, she starts shouting after me: "Who is that heavy one? Who is that heavy one!?" I was completely caught off guard—what on earth is happening? I was wearing a jacket, so my midsection wasn't even visible, but clearly, the old ladies in the building have started gossiping about me. I can handle a little neighborhood chatter, but there is absolutely nothing okay about having someone scream at you through an entire apartment complex instead of just speaking to you directly. 🙄

Sam Baker6 said:I honestly haven’t encountered anything truly obnoxious or overtly hostile quite yet...
But then, I’ll run into a neighbor, and just as I’ve made my way down the stairs, she starts shouting after me: "Who is that heavy one? Who is that heavy one!?" I was completely caught off guard—what on earth is happening? I was wearing a jacket, so my midsection wasn't even visible, but clearly, the old ladies in the building have started gossiping about me. I can handle a little neighborhood chatter, but there is absolutely nothing okay about having someone scream at you through an entire apartment complex instead of just speaking to you directly. 🙄

You could have just turned around and said, "Excuse me," or maybe realized I’m pregnant and not just gaining weight. Is that too much to ask?

Kimberly Phillips6 said:A question for the group—are you planning on driving your newborn home from the hospital in a car seat? 😲 "

Ugh, so my mom 🙄 is basically asking how we're supposed to put a newborn in a car seat when she used to just carry us in those little infant pillows when leaving the hospital. And when it's the grandmother of your baby telling you this—someone who's going to be watching them and responsible for them most of the time—you can't just brush it off, right? 😲

Jacob Phillips4 said:What an absolute character of a friend. If that pillow comes with a few stains and spots, I suppose that constitutes some sort of emotional baggage premium you’re expected to pay extra for.

However, I must commend you for having the heart to lend out items that were essentially unused; I would likely grant you a medal for selflessness, as I am far too selfish and self-centered for such behavior... 😳 Anything purchased for my little guy is required to remain in pristine, brand-new condition until the moment he actually wears it (I practically set aside five minutes every single day just to spread them out on the bed and admire them like a total obsessive)... and regardless, I feel a terrible surge of possessiveness whenever I think about the baby and how everyone else will want to hold him... I suppose, other than 😂
, he'll be allowed to touch him.

I don't think you're wrong at all—some days I think to myself that it would be totally fine to lend out stuff that's brand new—like, unused items from my daughter—but once I realize I'm passing on things that my own little girl actually wore and filled with that sweet baby smell, well, I just can't do it. 🤣 Lester, am I crazy? 🤷

Jacob Phillips4 said:On topic: the complete lack of courtesy toward pregnant women. It seems nobody here bothers to offer up a seat, even when someone is sitting in a designated priority spot clearly marked for expectant mothers. Honestly, I find the elderly to be the most difficult demographic—you see them everywhere, especially when you’re stuck in a massive queue at a clinic during the winter flu season. I rarely dare to say anything to them, though if I did, I’d likely be torn to shreds regardless. Just the other day, I was losing my mind waiting at a small Verizon store to finish some business for my partner; if it hadn't been for him, I would have walked out. There were always about five people hovering there, and naturally, since filling out one standard service contract takes forty-five minutes, they managed to form a massive line. Of course, the entire shop only has one single chair. Everyone in that room took turns occupying that one seat, staring at me like I was some sort of alien specimen, yet not a single soul thought to offer it to me. One would think that before taking a seat themselves, they might glance around to see if anyone else in the room actually has priority. I felt physically ill from being in such a cramped space with so many people crowded in; I had to step outside for air several times just to cope. Eventually, I reached my breaking point when some girl in her early twenties wandered in, and I finally asked her if she could let me sit down. She stood up, thankfully. But it is undeniably worse here than even in New York City... there is absolutely no culture of yielding your seat to pregnant women.

I realize this is trivial and that this topic is a constant fixture on this board, but I simply had to vent...

Look, isn't it kind of your own fault that you're pregnant, though? It's almost like that attitude of "well, I did it, so now I'll just sit here, blame's on someone else." It sounds super primitive, but man, how many times have I heard that exact thing while riding the subway or buses in NYC... 😢 🙄

The other day, some self-righteous mom at the American Red Cross asked me to stand up for her daughter, who was struggling to stand because she’s morbidly obese (literally, BMI > 40). I'm sitting there 33 weeks pregnant, she's overweight, and she's trying to lecture me about how hard it is for her little girl... 🙂

Jacob Phillips4 said:On topic: the complete lack of courtesy toward pregnant women. It seems nobody here bothers to offer up a seat, even when someone is sitting in a designated priority spot clearly marked for expectant mothers. Honestly, I find the elderly to be the most difficult demographic—you see them everywhere, especially when you’re stuck in a massive queue at a clinic during the winter flu season. I rarely dare to say anything to them, though if I did, I’d likely be torn to shreds regardless. Just the other day, I was losing my mind waiting at a small Verizon store to finish some business for my partner; if it hadn't been for him, I would have walked out. There were always about five people hovering there, and naturally, since filling out one standard service contract takes forty-five minutes, they managed to form a massive line. Of course, the entire shop only has one single chair. Everyone in that room took turns occupying that one seat, staring at me like I was some sort of alien specimen, yet not a single soul thought to offer it to me. One would think that before taking a seat themselves, they might glance around to see if anyone else in the room actually has priority. I felt physically ill from being in such a cramped space with so many people crowded in; I had to step outside for air several times just to cope. Eventually, I reached my breaking point when some girl in her early twenties wandered in, and I finally asked her if she could let me sit down. She stood up, thankfully. But it is undeniably worse here than even in New York City... there is absolutely no culture of yielding your seat to pregnant women.

I realize this is trivial and that this topic is a constant fixture on this board, but I simply had to vent...

I think it's okay to share an anecdote about people not standing up for pregnant women that I experienced during my first pregnancy. Now that I'm pregnant again, I feel like I should retell it.🙂 I'm sitting on the bus quite late in my pregnancy, and this elderly gentleman gets on and comes straight to me, expecting me to stand up so he can sit because seniors are supposed to get priority on the bus. I told him he should ask someone else because I'm pregnant and I also have the right to be seated. To that, he basically told me it wasn't his fault that he was old, but that it was my own fault for being pregnant, and therefore I should be the one to stand up for him.☕

Sam Baker6 said:I honestly haven’t encountered anything truly obnoxious or overtly hostile quite yet...
But then, I’ll run into a neighbor, and just as I’ve made my way down the stairs, she starts shouting after me: "Who is that heavy one? Who is that heavy one!?" I was completely caught off guard—what on earth is happening? I was wearing a jacket, so my midsection wasn't even visible, but clearly, the old ladies in the building have started gossiping about me. I can handle a little neighborhood chatter, but there is absolutely nothing okay about having someone scream at you through an entire apartment complex instead of just speaking to you directly. 🙄

The women who actually know I'm pregnant usually tell me 🙂 they think it's kind of cute, and they aren't even trying to say I'm not "fat," they're basically saying I'm like a walking billboard for pregnancy 😁 (or so I tell myself 🤣)

Jeremy Morris2 said:Ugh, so my mom 🙄 is basically asking how we're supposed to put a newborn in a car seat when she used to just carry us in those little infant pillows when leaving the hospital. And when it's the grandmother of your baby telling you this—someone who's going to be watching them and responsible for them most of the time—you can't just brush it off, right? 😲

I don't think you're wrong at all—some days I think to myself that it would be totally fine to lend out stuff that's brand new—like, unused items from my daughter—but once I realize I'm passing on things that my own little girl actually wore and filled with that sweet baby smell, well, I just can't do it. 🤣 Lester, am I crazy? 🤷

Look, isn't it kind of your own fault that you're pregnant, though? It's almost like that attitude of "well, I did it, so now I'll just sit here, blame's on someone else." It sounds super primitive, but man, how many times have I heard that exact thing while riding the subway or buses in NYC... 😢 🙄

The other day, some self-righteous mom at the American Red Cross asked me to stand up for her daughter, who was struggling to stand because she’s morbidly obese (literally, BMI > 40). I'm sitting there 33 weeks pregnant, she's overweight, and she's trying to lecture me about how hard it is for her little girl... 🙂

It looks like we're actually talking about the same thing now😉

Jeremy Morris2 said:Ugh, so my mom 🙄 is basically asking how we're supposed to put a newborn in a car seat when she used to just carry us in those little infant pillows when leaving the hospital. And when it's the grandmother of your baby telling you this—someone who's going to be watching them and responsible for them most of the time—you can't just brush it off, right? 😲

I don't think you're wrong at all—some days I think to myself that it would be totally fine to lend out stuff that's brand new—like, unused items from my daughter—but once I realize I'm passing on things that my own little girl actually wore and filled with that sweet baby smell, well, I just can't do it. 🤣 Lester, am I crazy? 🤷

Look, isn't it kind of your own fault that you're pregnant, though? It's almost like that attitude of "well, I did it, so now I'll just sit here, blame's on someone else." It sounds super primitive, but man, how many times have I heard that exact thing while riding the subway or buses in NYC... 😢 🙄

The other day, some self-righteous mom at the American Red Cross asked me to stand up for her daughter, who was struggling to stand because she’s morbidly obese (literally, BMI > 40). I'm sitting there 33 weeks pregnant, she's overweight, and she's trying to lecture me about how hard it is for her little girl... 🙂

I actually had a standoff with mine about the car seat (she thinks holding the baby in her lap 🙂 is fine), but then I showed her some crash test videos on YouTube and printed out those safety pamphlets from the hospital. Now there's peace. 😁
It was simpler back when we were kids and there were only two beat-up old Ford Pintos or Chevy Novas on the road... times have changed.

Dana Brown8 said:I actually had a standoff with mine about the car seat (she thinks holding the baby in her lap 🙂 is fine), but then I showed her some crash test videos on YouTube and printed out those safety pamphlets from the hospital. Now there's peace. 😁
It was simpler back when we were kids and there were only two beat-up old Ford Pintos or Chevy Novas on the road... times have changed.

you're totally right, you basically need to slap one of those YouTube videos in front of her to get her to snap out of it 🙄 I really thought I could just count on her common sense and stuff, but nope, no luck there...

It honestly drives me up the wall when people won't stop asking if I’m struggling, if it’s too much, or if I’m just completely exhausted... especially since I have a 19-month-old at home and some people seem to think I’ve lost my mind for getting pregnant again so soon. When I tell them everything is fine—thankfully, because I actually feel great—they still give me this look of pure disbelief. It’s particularly annoying with my colleagues at Goldman Sachs; they’re all such high-powered career women who either don't have kids or only have one. One of them even had the nerve to ask if it was even healthy to get pregnant again so shortly after giving birth. For what it's worth, I actually conceived my daughter when she was 14 months old, so this isn't even my first time doing this

Jeremy Morris2 said:you're totally right, you basically need to slap one of those YouTube videos in front of her to get her to snap out of it 🙄 I really thought I could just count on her common sense and stuff, but nope, no luck there...

I made the same assumption, but it didn't pan out. Once she heard we spent $600 on a Ford F-150....it was just unbelievable...
But like I said...a few crash tests and she might actually settle down. She turned pale watching how at even low speeds, you can't hold a baby in your arms—they just launch like a catapult. Brutal footage, but effective.

boldbison32 said:It honestly drives me up the wall when people won't stop asking if I’m struggling, if it’s too much, or if I’m just completely exhausted... especially since I have a 19-month-old at home and some people seem to think I’ve lost my mind for getting pregnant again so soon. When I tell them everything is fine—thankfully, because I actually feel great—they still give me this look of pure disbelief. It’s particularly annoying with my colleagues at Goldman Sachs; they’re all such high-powered career women who either don't have kids or only have one. One of them even had the nerve to ask if it was even healthy to get pregnant again so shortly after giving birth. For what it's worth, I actually conceived my daughter when she was 14 months old, so this isn't even my first time doing this

Listen, those comments from others are just plain stupid, but now that I'm nearing the end of this pregnancy, I find myself constantly wondering how women who already have a little one at home manage to pull it all off while constantly chasing them around and looking after them 😲 seriously, massive props to all you repeat moms out there 😍

Jeremy Morris2 said:Listen, those comments from others are just plain stupid, but now that I'm nearing the end of this pregnancy, I find myself constantly wondering how women who already have a little one at home manage to pull it all off while constantly chasing them around and looking after them 😲 seriously, massive props to all you repeat moms out there 😍

My situation: I got pregnant again when my little one was 15 months old 😁 so there'll be about a two-year gap. My due date is just a week before her second birthday. It’s quite a whirlwind... though luckily, she's an easy baby, so I'm managing 😁