Posts by Brenda Doyle5

Paul Doyle3 said:Right? It’s like it suddenly became shameful to work as much as possible instead of the other way around! I’ve actually had people judge me for wanting to power through my work right up until maternity leave, assuming everything goes smoothly. I totally feel for women dealing with actual medical complications or those in jobs that just aren't safe for pregnancy—that kind of judgment is totally misplaced. But honestly, why shouldn't I work while I can? Sure, I've got my moments where I'm feeling achy, or the baby starts kicking and I lose focus, or I'm tossing and turning at night, but I'm still in the zone! Why stop now?

I caught myself actually trying to justify my actions to people. I was sitting there "calming them down," promising that I’d only be at it for a little while longer just so those poor souls wouldn't get too worked up. Honestly? I was being an idiot. 🙂

rowdyjackal12 said:I don't know, I can't really get behind that.

You never actually know why someone is taking leave. I know you used the phrase "for no reason," but what seems trivial to you might be a massive issue for someone else—whether it's physical stuff or mental health stuff.

I guess I'll just leave it up to pregnant women to decide what they want to do and when, or if they even want to take leave at all.

He wasn't aiming that quote at me, but I'll weigh in anyway—you never truly know why someone decides to take medical leave. I was already telling people halfway through my pregnancy that I’d be heading out on maternity leave the second I saw a positive test. Honestly, I'm surrounded by absolute idiots at work, and I'd easily justify leaving based on the mental toll they take on me. 🤣 Work is a mixed bag. Some days are great, others are absolute trash. When you’re dealing with people all day, things are bound to get messy, and that comment I made happened during a total meltdown at the office. I get why some women take maternity leave—sometimes the physical or mental toll is just too much. But let's be real: there are plenty of women who use pregnancy as a convenient excuse to extend their vacation. I know a few people where the pay cut isn't even that significant compared to what they’d get on leave, so staying home just seems easier. Then there's the woman whose husband makes bank, so she couldn't care less about the paycheck. For me, the difference in income actually matters. It’s not nothing. And honestly, it really bugs me when my coworkers act shocked that I’m still working. They make me feel like I'm doing something wrong just by showing up.

edit: George Bishop72 I’d go for the surgery if I were you, honestly. But look, I work an office job and I have my weekends free, so I just don't get why your coworkers are giving you such a hard time about this.

Arthur Thompson11 said:Here I am again, circling back to the exact same argument about dogs! Honestly, you're being completely unreasonable—complaining about shedding, allergies, and all that other nonsense... You have to get out and move, which means daily walks. And heaven forbid you actually sit down to enjoy a cup of coffee!!!! Blah blah blah...
I'm giving the dog away... But you better be ready to hand him back in a few years once the kid is grown up.😁

We have two dogs. Back when we were living in an apartment, people kept hounding me with questions about what we’d do with the dogs once the baby arrived. They’d bring up the hair, the allergies, the muddy paws—all that stuff. I just told them I hope my kid doesn't end up being super hairy, because if they do, the dogs won't mind the extra fur. A few times, someone actually went as far as saying that if the dogs aren't allergic to the baby, they might let us keep her. As for the messy little troublemaker, I told them I can't wait until the baby starts crawling so I can strap a cleaning rag to their knees. That way, while they're cruising around the floor, they can wipe the tiles for me since I'm too lazy to do it myself. I had a few more things to say, and then the whole group just shut up. ☕
We finally moved into the house, and the crew decided they were done "helping." Like they think I’m just going to leave the noise outside in the yard. Instead, here they are, snoring right next to my feet.

Every single damn day at the office, my coworkers hit me with the same questions—are you still here? Are you still working? Just go home already. Then I get lectured by women who probably rushed off to maternity leave while their legs were still shaking from sex. Look, if they’re going to pay me the difference in my salary, I don't care. I'm sticking it out until the end of the month because I want to use up some old vacation days, but I'm not digging coal in a mine. It's an office job, and there's no reason I shouldn't be here. I'm not sick.

My mom totally freaked me out yesterday. My due date isn't until early April, but she started lecturing me in that "concerned" tone, insisting I need to be ready by late February just in case I go into preterm labor.
I spent the entire night having nightmares where I gave birth a month too early and completely forgot I'd even had a baby, so I just showed up to work the next morning like nothing happened. It didn't sink in until I realized I could fit back into my old jeans. Then panic set in about how the baby would eat, so I called my dad to come pick up a bottle of milk I'd pumped, and I called my boyfriend to grab the dog, rush him to the vet, and sit by the crib so nobody would snatch the kid... 🙂🙂

I'm exhausted.... 🙂

Maybe today is just one of those days where everything gets under my skin and I’m extra sensitive, but enough is enough. I need to vent... 🙂

I am sick of everyone constantly counting my calories and warning me about gaining too much weight. My belly is huge, but I'm 22 weeks pregnant. I eat a balanced diet and I don't overeat because I'm honestly not even that hungry, but since I'm not moving around as much, obviously things are changing... plus the baby is growing, obviously.
My back hurts and I can barely turn over in bed at night. I'm waking up multiple times a night... partly because I have to pee and partly because of the back pain.
The urge to pee is driving me insane, so even my walks outside only last about thirty minutes before I have to sprint to a restroom. I used to spend hours outdoors with my dogs, and I really miss that.
Everything down there hurts and I feel like I'm being stretched apart.
I have zero interest in sex, which makes me feel guilty even though my husband hasn't said a word or made me feel bad about it... I know how important sex is to him, especially since it was fine for me just yesterday.
Even being touched bothers me—I've become incredibly touchy.
I invited my cousin over for coffee and she said she couldn't make it (which is fine, people have lives), but then she added—she can't just sit at home on a Friday night because she's a single girl. 🙂
I'm frustrated with myself because everyone around me seems way more euphoric about the baby than I am. They talk about nothing but kids, pregnancy, and related stuff, when I would much rather talk about anything else. I don't feel like I'm carrying a little person; I just feel like I'm dealing with a swollen stomach that's uncomfortable, constant aches, a waddle instead of a walk, and having nothing left to wear. People look at me and only see a pregnant woman, not a person named Brenda Doyle5. 😢 😢
I am not enjoying this pregnancy. It isn't the best period of my life—and I lose it when people tell me, "Just enjoy it now, this is the most beautiful time of your life." Honestly, I don't know how they lived, but I've definitely had better times than this.
It's annoying how everyone throws baby name suggestions at me without asking, and when I say I don't like a name, they lecture me on why I should.
And then there are the people who "helpfully" suggest I go to the hospital or a maternity ward immediately, acting surprised that I'm still hanging out at home when I could be "enjoying" it there.

🙂

And so on... ☕