Posts by copperdrifter5

Walter Brooks56 said:Or based on belly shape... 🤦

A father of three actually tried to lecture me on the street, claiming I'm carrying a boy because of the specific way my stomach is protruding.
He has one son and two daughters, so he thinks he "knows."
I told him—the 3D ultrasound showed everything clearly enough, so please stop bothering me with this old wives' tale nonsense; we aren't living in the 15th century.🤦

Jesus. It honestly fascinates me how some people feel the need to dump unsolicited advice on complete strangers—pregnant women or moms with toddlers—regardless of whether they actually have any experience with kids themselves.

Nobody ever tries to give me life advice while I'm riding the subway to work. Or when I'm grabbing a steak. Or while I'm waiting in line at a public restroom. Or any other random moment in my life.

Stroller, baby, gear... the solution for many of these "one-hit wonders" is just to spout stupid, unnecessary, and unwanted opinions.

I was really hoping for a girl, but we ended up having a boy. We knew the gender pretty early on because I had the Nifty scan, which is 100% accurate about whether it's a boy or a girl.
Did anyone else deal with people saying, "But what if it's actually a girl?" even after I explained the Nifty results and how certain we were it was a boy?

I honestly don't get why some people feel the need to spout such mindless nonsense and make these incredibly stupid comments.
It’s a terrible comparison, but I heard this same kind of idiocy when my mom passed away—people just don't know what to say, so they end up blabbing absolute garbage instead.

Daniel Miller4 said:Ugh, just thinking back to all the unsolicited advice I received during my first pregnancy...

Honestly, if I could go back, I’d give everyone a piece of my mind:
-how my life was basically over, how I’d eventually have to get rid of the dog, or those condescending "just you wait" comments from people acting like they knew better than me (By the way, I'm 37, so excuse me if I know what I'm doing)... then there was the judgment about how I "sacrificed" my first night postpartum. Apparently, I was a total failure because even though I felt completely wiped out, had stitches, and couldn't even walk to the bathroom alone without help, it was somehow all my fault because I didn't get the baby latched immediately. Then they turned it into this whole thing about why I had mastitis, how I shouldn't have used formula, why I allowed them to do the episiotomy, why I needed the amniotic sac rupture, or how I "ruined" the experience by asking for an epidural...
Well, you can all just deal with it.
Now that I'm on my second, I've lost my filter entirely.
Basically, I just shut the conversation down or suddenly remember I have somewhere else to be. Like, bye.
Yes, I am probably going to work as hard as a beast during labor again (at least, I hope so😁), and yes, I am absolutely going to make sure I get to sleep ALONE the first night after delivery. I am actually looking forward to when my milk dries up and I can stop nursing, and if I run into the same issues as last time, I swear I won't struggle—I'll just switch to formula and call it a day.

It’s like you’re reading my mind. Even after my first baby, I actually asked them to take him away. I followed some friend's advice—even though I couldn't even blink because my adrenaline was redlining.

Bloating and gas, almost at the finish line.
I feel like I'm firing every 30 seconds.
Honestly, it feels so powerful I could launch myself to any destination in the world; I wouldn't even need a plane ticket or a passport.

Damn.

As a mother and someone who’s pregnant, I am absolutely fed up with these militant moms and new parents. Their rigid beliefs and expectations are honestly more intense than anything you'd see from Boko Haram or the Khmer Rouge.
The other day I was reading an article about how our singer Kelly Clarkson just gave birth, mentioning she had a natural delivery. Naturally, the comment section exploded with people claiming it wasn't "natural" because she used an epidural 😲🙄🙄
Apparently, the logic is: the more agony you endure during labor, the longer you suffer, and the more stitches you end up with, the better of a mother and American you are. Using any kind of pain relief is strictly forbidden, obviously. (Maybe getting hit in the head with a rock would be acceptable?)
If you don't breastfeed, you aren't a mother.
If you breastfeed, but your kid isn't glued to your chest 24/7, you aren't a mother either.
If you don't have lumps, mastitis, or cracked nipples, you aren't a mother.
If your kid doesn't have some major diagnosis that requires you to be occupied with them every single second, you aren't a mother.

Give me a break. It's like you can't just say, "I'm raising my child this way, you're raising yours that way," and actually not give a damn what anyone else does. No, no, no... you have to undergo ultimate sacrifice—more than even Jesus during the crucifixion—just to be considered a parent.

Screw all of them. If I could have, I would have taken every drug under the sun during labor, from mushrooms to heroin to crystal meth. Breastfeeding was pure hell for me, and I'll sign that statement three million times over. But the idea of bragging about being "super" because I breastfed while acting like everyone else failed? Not happening. I don't go looking at other women's business.

And just try mentioning on this forum that you follow a feeding schedule instead of breastfeeding on demand... whoever survives will tell the tale. "Shame, shame, shame." >

Amy Green4 said:The sheer anxiety surrounding childbirth.
I honestly don't know why I'm even dwelling on this now, especially when the memory of that intense pain resurfaces—it makes me feel like I'd gladly pay someone just to knock me out or end it all. 😲
I can't help but wonder if I'll end up screaming; I’m terrified of losing control, much like how I was whimpering at six centimeters during my last experience.
Will I actually be able to get an epidural, and more importantly, will it even work when it matters most?
What if I end up with a medical team that isn't up to the task, and they end up mishandling both me and the baby?
And what if the whole process drags on far longer than anyone anticipated?
Why on earth didn't I take better care of myself while I had the chance? 🤦

😁 you were perfectly comfortable just being where you were.

jadewolf91 said:Amy Green4, look, even if it wasn't about sex, it would still be something else entirely—don't you worry about that for a second.

Some people are just straight-up trash, honestly.🙂 Just try not to let their noise get under your skin. It’s always the shallowest minds who constantly have someone or something to gossip about—it's like they can't help themselves. They totally remind me of those nosy old ladies back in small-town America who think it's their full-time job to stick their noses into everyone else's business.

And I mean, let's be real, you can't exactly go walking around the US trying to hide every single little detail about being pregnant, especially when it's basically the center of your whole universe right now.🙂

I don't even know what to say besides "congrats" or "that's wonderful" once you mention the baby's gender.
I have one boy at home and I'm waiting on the second, but I really, really wanted a girl. Almost everyone knows that, and thankfully, nobody has made any stupid comments. At the end of the day... it doesn't matter. As long as the baby is healthy.

lonefox11 said:Well, you find all sorts of characters and topics on these forums, I suppose. 🙂

For me, the real frustrations were:
- The unsolicited advice: "Get all the sleep you can now, because you won't get any later." 🙄
- The condescending remarks: "Just wait until the baby actually arrives..." 🙄
- Having to run to the bathroom every five minutes—I feel like I've practically scouted out every single public restroom in downtown Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. 😳
- That constant, nagging anxiety over whether everything will be okay with the baby.
- And the reality that my body doesn't feel like mine anymore; before I eat, drink, or even move, I have to pause and consider if it's allowed and how it might affect the little one. 😵

Seriously, this is just moronic. What, am I supposed to stockpile sleep in my pantry and save it for when I actually need it? 🤦🙄🙂

fadedcrane19 said:Right now, nothing gets under my skin quite like when someone starts lecturing me with that smug, "know-it-all" attitude, acting like my heartburn is some huge medical crisis just because the baby’s ribs are expanding.
I mean, seriously, what are they even talking about? Is the baby growing in my stomach or my uterus? 😨

And then, God forbid you try to explain that you actually deal with heartburn almost every single day—like, for the last decade—because you’ve been struggling with chronic gastritis and a stomach ulcer... oh, nooo, apparently that's impossible! According to them, I can't possibly have that; it must be some "different kind" of heartburn. 😁

I guess SHE knows best. Like you could possibly have any clue about your OWN health problems.

Amy Green4 said:I feel like I’m losing my mind lately, and honestly, I can’t stand being in my own skin anymore. 🙂

I can't even tell what's driving me crazy—is it the pregnancy itself, the medical complications, or just this hyperactive baby constantly kicking me?
The hardest part is the crushing guilt; it seems like everyone around me is absolutely loving every second of their pregnancy and the lead-up to birth, celebrating the arrival of their little ones, while I’m just sitting here feeling miserable and wishing someone would just knock me unconscious so I could get some peace. 🤦

I’ve grown to despise those random women at the grocery store or the park who feel entitled to interrogate me about my due date, only to pivot into unsolicited stories about their own stitches, stretch marks, or tragic losses. Even worse are the ones who have never even been pregnant, yet they act like experts, lecturing me on how "blessed" pregnancy and motherhood are supposed to be.

It’s easy to preach about blessings when you aren't the one spending the entire night in agony because the baby is kicking so hard you're practically wetting yourself, all while you're hunched over a sink trying to stop your stomach from turning inside out from the constant nausea.

Is there anyone else out there who will be honest enough to admit that pregnancy can be absolutely horrific, and that you're just counting down the days until it's finally over, without being judged as a terrible person for feeling that way?

🙂
Seriously, people—especially other women and pregnant women—act like they can't grasp that we don't all experience this the same way. Every single pregnancy is different. Instead of showing a little solidarity, they just love to lecture you.
"Oh, I worked right up until the delivery, I was out digging trenches in the backyard, climbing mountains, wrestling lightning bolts..." Yeah, wow. You're just incredible. Truly amazing. You're a hero. :kozjak:
Just shut up already.

Maybe people just don't know what to say, so they end up talking absolute nonsense.

Jesse Johnson15 said:What a complete load of garbage 🤣 did you even bother telling her that you’ve never once cut in line, especially not right in front of a pregnant woman?

I just froze up. I really should have told that total bitch exactly what I thought of her.

Jesse Johnson15 said:Look, I do that kind of thing all the time. 🤷 If there’s an opportunity to jump ahead because I have an advantage, I’m taking it. Between dealing with nausea on an empty stomach and the fact that I really don't want to be breathing in everyone else's germs—especially since I can't take about 95% of standard medications—it's just practical. Plus, being able to skip the wait means I don't have to burn through my sick leave at work.

If the option is there, I'm going for it. 😳

OF COURSE!!! I push whenever I can; if the rules say I have priority, I’m using it.
The other day I was at the DMV. I'm standing there in line waiting for the clerk, minding my own business, when this aggressive cow just barges in, claiming her car is "next" and she should go before me. 🙄
I wasn't having it. I told her I wasn't moving because I was in line, and since we're on the subject, I mentioned I'm pregnant and should be prioritized—even though I wasn't actually cutting, I was waiting my turn properly, and there wasn't even a crowd. Then this bitch actually backs down and goes, "Oh, if you're pregnant, then you go ahead" (except I wasn't cutting, *she* was), and then she has the nerve to snap that she never used pregnancy to CUT in line. 😲😲😲😲 CUTTING???? I gave her the craziest look, shouted "CUTTING????" back at her, and gave her death stares for what felt like an eternity. Seriously, people are animals. Women can be such wolves to one another. One second she's trying to shove me, the next she's acting like a bitter hag. I LOST IT.
People are trash. Use every advantage you have to get ahead of the line, because if you have the right, use it.

Jesse Johnson15 said:I’ve never been much of a physical person, you know? I’ve always been pretty protective of my personal space, but it feels even more intense now. I actually live in Italy right now, and man, it is tough. People here just wave their hands around and poke at you like they've never seen a person before. 😬 They just reach out and grab at you like there's no tomorrow.

Even today, three different people reached out and poked my stomach—I recognize them from around the neighborhood, but I don't even know their names. My face was basically like:



On a different note, I honestly don't mind if people view me as being "disabled" or limited right now, because pregnancy is its own entirely different beast, and it’s great if someone still has the energy they used to have—because I definitely don't. I’m doing very little at home lately since I don't get back from work until seven in the evening, so I try to at least get some rest once I'm through the door.

Look, labor hurts. It hurts like hell. Seriously. If you look at all those other threads about pregnancy, it seems like every single woman is complaining about how horrific their labor was—but I disagree. Yeah, it hurts, but it’s a natural physiological pain. I get the feeling that some of those older women who go around scaring new moms about birth and everything that follows are just doing it to boost their own egos. Here’s my experience: right after I gave birth, I felt like I could handle anything in the world, provided they just let me sleep for a few hours. Once the little one started nursing, he actually began sleeping through the night by ten days old, and his weight gain was better than great. Honestly, my postpartum period felt like a long summer vacation. It isn't as terrible as people make it out to be. Truly. If it were as bad as the horror stories suggest, nobody would ever decide to have a second, third, or fourth child...

🙂
Exactly. I have a super low pain tolerance. I'm a total wimp when it comes to that stuff. Seriously awful.
I actually planned on having a C-section, but they ended up delivering me naturally without an epidural. That was a HUGE realization for me—either I don't go the C-section route, or I didn't mentally prepare myself for a natural birth.
But look at the irony—me, the biggest wimp of the decade, I actually made it through. It hurts. Like, it really hurts. But it doesn't hurt so much that you should be talking about it years later just to terrorize other pregnant women. If someone asks me if it hurts, I'd just say, "Yeah, but you'll get through it."

The other day I found a chat I had with my girls while I was waiting to be admitted to the delivery room. I was crying like such a baby, saying I couldn't do it, that I was going to die, how much it hurt...
Looking back, it doesn't seem that way. Honestly, the worst part was before they even got me into the room because I couldn't breathe properly or focus on the contractions. Once I started using breathing techniques to manage the contractions, everything became 50% easier.

It really irritates me when people say things like, "Just wait until you see what labor is like," or "Wait until you see what happens after you give birth." For God's sake, if I'm going to find out eventually, then shut up—I'll find out when it happens.

Jeremy Fowler45 said:My mother-in-law brought it up again today😛—that whole thing about how there’s going to be a huge gap between the kids...
We were at church, too. Honestly, if we weren't, I would've told her I couldn't care less about any "differences" involving me and my husband.
And then she has the nerve to joke, "Well, you'll catch up by the third one."
Next time, I'm just gonna shut her down and suggest she finds a new husband herself. What's not to love? 🙂:

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy A series using Reddit

We went into this second baby on purpose, so there's going to be a small age gap. Some old lady from the in-laws' side commented something like, "Already?" Like, how does that even concern you? How does the age difference between MY kids—who I feed, clothe, and raise—affect your tiny little life? Some people really feel entitled to say whatever they want. Honestly, it's not just during pregnancy; this kind of stuff annoys me in general.

Sarah Morris57 said:So, get this—I just got a call telling me I need to swing by my local Bank of America branch ASAP. Apparently, they’ve got some "legal obligation" or whatever, and they need me to drop in to update my info right away.
I’m actually kind of looking forward to it—mostly because I want to see exactly what they think they have the right to ask me... and more importantly, what I can totally just ignore...

Please, let us know exactly what questions they're asking... I got an email too, told them it wasn't a good time to come in (legitimate reasons), but the banker is still pushing it. Wtf?

Ashley Bailey75 said:Yeah, my girl won't leave my side—she's gotten so protective lately. She's way more on edge than usual, just watching everything while she snoozes next to me. It's not like she's just passed out and oblivious, either. 🤣 Honestly caught me off guard; I didn't think she'd pick up on things this quickly. Such a huge heart for a dog that isn't even 10 pounds. Pretty wild.

I was actually just reading about how dogs become super sensitive and attentive toward pregnant women.

The dog I'm staying with right now (not mine) is clearly clueless on this front—he probably thinks my belly is just a beer keg and keeps jumping all over me like a maniac. And he isn't even a small guy.

It really gets under my skin when everyone starts preaching at me with those same old lines: "Just wait until the baby arrives," or "Enjoy your freedom while you can, everything changes once you're a parent."

As if I had gotten pregnant after my first time at sixteen and somehow missed out on life entirely.
Look, I’m not exactly a kid anymore. We planned to have a child, and I feel ready to step up as a mother... I know it’s going to be tough. Honestly, I have no clue what to expect or how hard it'll actually hit. But hey, I'll manage. My husband and I will figure it out—it's not like we're such idiots that the two of us couldn't handle one tiny human.
What really bugs me, though, is how rarely anyone talks about the good stuff—the actual love for the baby, or the incredible experiences that only parents get to have.

Luckily, I can still drive, so I'm not stuck relying on public transit, but it still pissed me off on the bus today. I could literally feel people intentionally ignoring me just because my bump is huge, simply because they didn't want to deal with the minor inconvenience of standing up.