What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

Hannah Lewis2 said:Look, everything you said is valid. But by that logic, people who put their kids in a separate room shouldn't even be parents. If I'm gonna be blunt—and I guess I am—families with five kids crammed into a tiny apartment in Chicago, sleeping in one room because they have no choice, are a lot more likely to need birth control than some couple with a massive house where the kids have their own wings.

I hear what you're saying, and I see plenty of them around my neighborhood too. But there's a difference—we actually have a dedicated nursery, whereas they tend to end up sleeping in the same room as us quite often.
I wish things were different, especially with my older daughters. I’m doing everything I can to get my middle child into her own bed so she could actually get some sleep, but she insists this is the only way. What am I supposed to do?

I think we were actually talking about a newborn here, which is a vital distinction to make. But people tend to just read whatever fits their own narrative, and that’s how you end up with a hundred pages of pointless filler.

This is starting to rub me the wrong way.

Steven Reed said:Maybe she didn't—but that is exactly how she phrased it.
Come on, girl—you've been on this forum long enough to spot a troll from a mile away. She showed up, started trolling, and was met with exactly what she deserved: some good old-fashioned sarcasm and mockery.
I joke around in the other thread all the time, yet here I am—both my kids sleep in my bed. My oldest crawled back in once the younger one arrived, even though she used to go to her own room without being asked. And guess what? 🤷
It is honestly idiotic to claim someone is a bad parent just because they don't think exactly like you do. That is precisely what Pink did—and she got exactly what was coming to her. A healthy dose of ridicule.

😍 Greetings to you too (immediately brings the BBC to mind).

I think that sentence might have rubbed Chloe Mendoza2 the wrong way, which is probably why she responded. Maybe her choice of words comes across a bit harsher in writing than if she’d just said it out loud?

Honestly, it doesn't even matter. I'm not even sure how I ended up wandering into these threads in the first place.

I’ve already got three at home, and I have zero interest in ending up back in the maternity ward. 😂😂

Samuel Ross60 said:I suppose when one is capable of making statements like that, then yes, this is precisely the kind of topic where people tend to stay quiet, especially regarding matters of this nature.

~~~Penn positive~~~

My mistake...

I thought I was in the "what's been driving you crazy since becoming a mom" thread; it took me a second to realize where I actually was.😲

But don't worry, I'm all too familiar with this kind of PDF.😉

Chloe Mendoza2 said:My mistake...

I thought I was in the "what's been driving you crazy since becoming a mom" thread; it took me a second to realize where I actually was.😲

But don't worry, I'm all too familiar with this kind of PDF.😉

It's fine 🙂
I definitely overreacted for no reason myself! Let's just keep things calm and peaceful. 🙂

As for those people on Fox News, they irritate me more than most, specifically those who act as if they are the only ones not doing the right thing while judging everyone else for their own shortcomings.

~~~Penn positive~~~

Samuel Ross60 said:It's fine 🙂
I definitely overreacted for no reason myself! Let's just keep things calm and peaceful. 🙂

As for those people on Fox News, they irritate me more than most, specifically those who act as if they are the only ones not doing the right thing while judging everyone else for their own shortcomings.

~~~Penn positive~~~

Samuel Ross60, I really do care about you, but you're always the first one to snap whenever someone happens to disagree with you. 😉 Not too long ago, you were tearing into some woman on another thread just because she wasn't following your specific advice on bed rest, acting like your methods are the only safe ones and that anything else anyone suggests is going to put the pregnancy at risk. 🙂

dustymaker642 said:Samuel Ross60, I really do care about you, but you're always the first one to snap whenever someone happens to disagree with you. 😉 Not too long ago, you were tearing into some woman on another thread just because she wasn't following your specific advice on bed rest, acting like your methods are the only safe ones and that anything else anyone suggests is going to put the pregnancy at risk. 🙂

You want me to explain my reasoning? Fine.
The woman was right there in the middle of a breakdown, crying about how carefully she had to watch her every move, yet in a completely different thread, she was casually talking about planning trips and similar activities. I just chose not to call out the hypocrisy right then and there. Other users saw it too, which is exactly why I felt the need to be so incredibly blunt. Please understand, I truly wish nothing but the best for her!
I actually reached out to her privately to set the record straight after she started acting all smug and celebratory about my doctor's appointment—basically making snide, indirect comments hoping things wouldn't go well for me. We are drifting quite far off-topic here, but I can elaborate more in a private message if you're interested.

~~~Thinking positively~~~

hey babe 😘

I can see there's plenty of material here, just like seagulls swarming a dumpster behind a Wendy's 😬

You nailed it, babe, but honestly, I’m not even going to bother explaining myself because if you didn't get it the first time, you're probably not going to get it now 🙂.. I still don't wrap my head around the idea of a newborn just sitting alone in their own room. Like, what's the point? The rest of this thread is just a bunch of pointless rambling about moms—you know, those overbearing, possessive types who try to breastfeed their kids until they're graduating college
. The thing is, I truly believe a newborn belongs right next to their mother.
And hey, I'm allowed to have an opinion, right?
I only really jumped in because of that one specific comment... the one claiming a mother doesn't want her baby looking at her 😕

My baby slept right next to us, and my next one will too. How you all choose to sleep with your kids isn't my business, so let's leave it at that.
You all got way too offended, which was totally unnecessary. It doesn't bother me when people try to label me some kind of "incestuous" mom, or when another pregnant woman tells me I shouldn't be pooping, or whatever else... I haven't even kept track of all the insults thrown my way. 🤣

Seriously, don't get worked up; it's not good for you, especially while you're pregnant😉

Samuel Ross60, there’s really no need for any extra explanation, everything is fine; I was just sharing how things came across to me while I was reading through the thread. Personally, I don't really follow posts in discussions that don't interest me, nor do I ever bother messaging people privately, so I just make my conclusions based strictly on what I can see right here in the topic where I'm actually participating. 🙂

Please don't let this get to you or stress out over nothing. People tend to take things way too personally on these online forums, though they really shouldn't. If someone asks for advice or an answer and I feel like I have something useful to offer, then I'll offer it. But if it feels like that person is just ignoring me or isn't getting what I'm saying, I simply stop replying. It never even crosses my mind to get dragged into huge arguments or engage in long, drawn-out debates via private message; I just write what I have to say on the thread and leave it at that. 🙂

If someone asks what steps to take after a bleeding incident and I've been through that exact same thing, I'm more than happy to share my experience. If that same person decides to go out and jump off a bridge regardless, well, that's their call to make. Our responses aren't just read by the person who originally asked the question while waiting for a reply; they're also picked up by random people searching for terms on Google. Because of that, your advice might end up being incredibly helpful to someone else down the road, provided it's solid advice. 🙂

dustymaker642 said:Samuel Ross60, there’s really no need for any extra explanation, everything is fine; I was just sharing how things came across to me while I was reading through the thread. Personally, I don't really follow posts in discussions that don't interest me, nor do I ever bother messaging people privately, so I just make my conclusions based strictly on what I can see right here in the topic where I'm actually participating. 🙂

Please don't let this get to you or stress out over nothing. People tend to take things way too personally on these online forums, though they really shouldn't. If someone asks for advice or an answer and I feel like I have something useful to offer, then I'll offer it. But if it feels like that person is just ignoring me or isn't getting what I'm saying, I simply stop replying. It never even crosses my mind to get dragged into huge arguments or engage in long, drawn-out debates via private message; I just write what I have to say on the thread and leave it at that. 🙂

If someone asks what steps to take after a bleeding incident and I've been through that exact same thing, I'm more than happy to share my experience. If that same person decides to go out and jump off a bridge regardless, well, that's their call to make. Our responses aren't just read by the person who originally asked the question while waiting for a reply; they're also picked up by random people searching for terms on Google. Because of that, your advice might end up being incredibly helpful to someone else down the road, provided it's solid advice. 🙂

I agree with you, though it does irritate me when a person writes one thing in one thread and something completely different in another, only to turn around and attack everyone who tries to warn them about making a mistake. My own advice was quite straightforward—just rest and endure it, meaning nothing that could cause further harm. And as for my tendency to occasionally lose my patience with certain people, I suppose that could be considered an exaggeration here. 🙂

That is precisely what gets under my skin!

~~~Think positive~~~

Are you guys still hanging around here? 🙂

It looks like Richard Morris43 has himself a lawyer now 👍

I’ve been sitting here in the dark since yesterday, just staring into the void and weighing my options on what to actually do with my life.

~~~Thinking positive~~~

Jesse Johnson15 said:Are you guys still hanging around here? 🙂

It looks like Richard Morris43 has himself a lawyer now 👍

well, at least he isn't Jesse Johnson15 😁

The start of this second trimester is seriously driving me crazy—not a single symptom, no stomach issues, nothing... I don't even feel pregnant! I just keep playing the same mental movie over and over—is everything actually okay? Is the baby doing fine? Are they growing like they should? 🙂

Hey, don't get worked up about it... I went through the exact same thing. Honestly, those second trimester months felt like the sweet spot, where you almost forget you're even pregnant. But now that I'm getting close to the end, it's just constant aches and these little annoying things, like how I can't even reach down to paint my own toenails without struggling. 😉

It’s frustrating that pregnant women don't get priority everywhere they go.

I’ve already got a massive bump, and I’m on strict bed rest because of fibroids and contractions—plus a whole host of other issues. I’m dealing with intense daily pain; even sitting down is a struggle, let alone standing.

When it comes to blood work or urine tests, pregnant women usually get a pass. They either get special referrals or are sent to a dedicated window so they can be seen first. Even at the endocrinologist, the nurse will glance out into the waiting room and call any pregnant woman straight back to the doctor.
But at the blood transfusion center, the sign in big bold letters says priority is only for people with disabilities. Last time, I sat there waiting for thirty minutes, literally doubling over in pain on the chair, and absolutely nobody moved to help. It wasn't until a nurse happened to walk by and saw me that she finally pulled me in for my labs.

And the line? It was mostly men in their 30s and 40s just sitting there doing nothing. Honestly, I get them; they don't have a care in the world. But there were women in their 40s in line too—women who actually understand how grueling pregnancy is—and they didn't lift a finger either.

As I was leaving, one of those women whispered to a pregnant lady at the end of the line to just head inside immediately. I guess they felt a little embarrassed seeing that the nurse had to step in to help me.

I’m not someone who complains or looks for handouts; if I have to wait, I’ll wait. But when I’m in actual physical agony, it’s not an option. The poor technician could barely even draw my blood because my arm was shaking uncontrollably from the discomfort. The poor guy actually tried to comfort me because he thought I was just nervous.

I ended up waiting in Cleveland for 45 minutes today just to get my blood drawn! And I actually stood the whole time... This isn't typical, since pregnant women, kids, and people with disabilities are supposed to have priority. It was crowded, obviously; an elderly woman even asked me twice if I wanted to sit down, but I declined. To be honest, I wasn't feeling too bad yet, even though I'm entering my seventh month, and seeing how poorly she felt made me think I could just tough it out... Plus, it’s the principle of the thing. They didn't call me back to the clinic like they did for another pregnant woman after only five or ten minutes, simply because I didn't explicitly announce my pregnancy—you can't see it from behind the counter. I was naive enough to assume there would be a special code on my referral, but apparently, that only happens when OBGYNs send it over, not through a general practitioner. Whatever, let them do it their way... 🙂

Zachary Gomez said:I ended up waiting in Cleveland for 45 minutes today just to get my blood drawn! And I actually stood the whole time... This isn't typical, since pregnant women, kids, and people with disabilities are supposed to have priority. It was crowded, obviously; an elderly woman even asked me twice if I wanted to sit down, but I declined. To be honest, I wasn't feeling too bad yet, even though I'm entering my seventh month, and seeing how poorly she felt made me think I could just tough it out... Plus, it’s the principle of the thing. They didn't call me back to the clinic like they did for another pregnant woman after only five or ten minutes, simply because I didn't explicitly announce my pregnancy—you can't see it from behind the counter. I was naive enough to assume there would be a special code on my referral, but apparently, that only happens when OBGYNs send it over, not through a general practitioner. Whatever, let them do it their way... 🙂

Honestly, it’s exactly this kind of stuff that keeps me from ever stepping foot in public hospitals or clinics... I just did all my testing at a private clinic just three minutes from my apartment—results were ready the same day, zero waiting, zero standing around, and zero irritation. I don't care how much it costs; nothing is worth the headache (and let me tell you, I know myself—I have a seriously short fuse!). One time at the local Post Office, after getting my shots, the guy there had the nerve to snap at me about how I'd "pushed through it," and I was shaking with rage for half the day... yeah, I am definitely skipping that stress in the future.😠

Just another day at the local Chase branch—there were 40 people ahead of me in line. Honestly, looking at that crowd, I realized standing there was a losing game. I grabbed a number and decided to knock out some errands first. I figured I’d come back and maybe find a small opening. I popped into a CVS to grab a few things, then headed back to the bank... and of course, all eight chairs were taken. And wouldn't you know it? Every single one was occupied by middle-aged women who were busy scanning the room with these judgmental looks, acting like they didn't see anyone else. There I am, standing there politely alongside a pregnant woman, just waiting for our numbers to be called. Every time a seat opens up, another woman in that same age bracket swoops in, without even a second thought or a glance toward the two of us. It's infuriating! I truly cannot believe I'm experiencing this from the same demographic that went through these exact same struggles. And here I am, always being the "nice girl" and letting people cut in front of me—hoping that someday someone will return the favor when I'm in a bind... yeah, right. In my dreams.
And get this—it happened at a different bank about two or three weeks ago too. Four men were sitting there, and not one of them had the decency to offer a seat to a pregnant mother holding a child. Hm... it makes you wonder where basic manners went. Or better yet, where a shred of humanity disappeared to?

I suppose I must be one of those incredibly lucky people who rarely ventures out into the world! It’s clearly obvious that my outings are a rare occurrence. 😁

Whether it’s people practically jumping up in a crowded subway car, or some teller at a Chase branch loudly announcing to the entire bank that pregnant women get priority, or being ushered straight to the front of the line at the pharmacy, or even being given special treatment at the hospital—it happens constantly. I must look quite striking, I suppose. 😂
And on those rare occasions when people actually have the audacity to ignore me, I make it very clear and very loud that I am entitled to precedence.
I have absolutely no intention of suffering through their lack of basic manners.

George Davis6 said:Honestly, it’s exactly this kind of stuff that keeps me from ever stepping foot in public hospitals or clinics... I just did all my testing at a private clinic just three minutes from my apartment—results were ready the same day, zero waiting, zero standing around, and zero irritation. I don't care how much it costs; nothing is worth the headache (and let me tell you, I know myself—I have a seriously short fuse!). One time at the local Post Office, after getting my shots, the guy there had the nerve to snap at me about how I'd "pushed through it," and I was shaking with rage for half the day... yeah, I am definitely skipping that stress in the future.😠

Actually, I’m also seeing a private doctor for my pregnancy. That's how I started, though I end up bouncing around everywhere—between Denmark and the US, using fertility specialists, private doctors, and even socialized medicine. For certain things, I still have to go through my insurance provider (for referrals and such), so I actually opened a file with them as well just in case. Generally, if you have a specialized referral, you get seen immediately... like when I went in for blood sugar testing or a Combos test at Mayo Clinic...

The worst part was dealing with a substitute social worker who was in such a rush to go on break with her sister that she barely examined me and then handed me an incomplete referral...

I was at the endocrinologist once, and right after the woman ahead of me finished her appointment, she just stepped inside. There was this line of about twenty middle-aged women waiting. The lady who was next in line tried to squeeze through the door at the exact same time I did.

We were both a bit on the heavier side—I mean, I’ve got a bit of a gut myself—and we ended up stuck in the doorway together like something out of a slapstick comedy movie. Neither of us would budge. We actually bumped shoulders a little; I said "excuse me," but she didn't say a word back.
But as soon as the nurse spotted me, she jumped up, took my referral, and told me to just wait by the door because I was actually the next one to see the doctor. This was despite the fact that I could see at least 15 names already typed into the monitor as the doctor called people in from the waiting room.

When I finally walked out, the nurse actually came out with me and called a poor pregnant woman, who had been at the very end of that line of ladies, straight inside.
The rest of them were absolutely livid, muttering under their breaths about how they hoped nobody else would try to push their way in ahead of them.
My husband was waiting outside, so he heard the whole thing.
He told me he nearly lost it laughing when he saw that lady and I were stuck fighting for space in the doorway.

Honestly, I don't care. If I know I have priority, I'm taking it.