Posts by Tyler Ramos

Anthony Hernandez12 said:Stand up for myself? How am I even supposed to do that given my current situation?
Listen, a man who is capable of shoving a pregnant woman and then chasing after her screaming threats of violence is a deranged lunatic; if he is capable of such a thing, I cannot even begin to fathom what else he might be prone to doing. But in that moment, pure terror and shock took over, and the only logical move was to run and find safety—primarily because the well-being of my unborn child is my absolute priority.

If I weren't pregnant, I wouldn't have let him get away with it; I would have stood my ground and clawed his eyes out if that’s what it took. I have considered going to the police or filing a lawsuit, but to what end? A court date could be scheduled for five days from now or five months from now, and since I am living abroad, traveling with a newborn is simply not an option 311 miles. I would have no problem hiring the most aggressive attorney in the country, and I wouldn't hesitate to spend every cent I own just to ensure that idiot pays for the trauma he inflicted on me. But karma is real, and eventually, his actions will catch up to him.
All I want is to move past this and forget it ever happened. 😢

I'm feeling the exact same way; you truly never know what kind of loser you're going to run into!
If I wasn't pregnant, maybe I would have said something or taken action, but right now, I just don't have the energy for the drama.
I've dealt with uncomfortable situations before, but I'm a smaller person, and now, being at the very end of my pregnancy, I'm clumsy and awkward with every step, so I'm just not looking for any fights.
That's just my way of making sure my baby stays the top priority 🙂
And I find myself thinking the same thing as Anthony Hernandez12—let them live their lives, everything comes back around in the end.

Maybe I should start carrying a little pepper spray with me everywhere? 😬

I was at Walmart earlier today and the line was practically endless—it felt like it stretched for miles. As I’m slowly shuffling my way toward the front, trying to just maintain some sense of order, this guy behind me starts aggressively shoving his way through, acting like he can just bulldoze past me to cut the line.
Honestly, what an absolute jerk... just unbelievable.
It really makes you realize how much some people just lack basic decency.
It isn't even about wanting VIP treatment or anything; I just thought a little bit of common courtesy wouldn't kill anyone.
Disgusting.

I suppose I should probably weigh in on this, though I’m not entirely sure if anyone is still paying attention to these threads. It feels like we’ve been circling the same drain for a while now, hasn't it? I was sitting there earlier, just thinking about how much things have shifted lately, and I couldn't help but wonder if we're all just collectively pretending that everything is normal when it clearly isn't. Does anyone else get that nagging feeling that the ground is shifting right under our feet while we're busy worrying about trivialities? It’s a strange sort of exhaustion, isn't it? Not even a sharp, sudden fatigue, but more of a slow, steady draining of energy that leaves you wondering where the time went and why everything suddenly feels so much heavier than it did a few months ago. I mean, really, are we actually making progress here, or are we just rearranging the deck chairs on a very large, very expensive ship? It’s worth considering, I think, even if it makes us a bit uncomfortable to admit. kaže:
It’s honestly pretty draining to deal with this constant wave of jealousy toward my partner. It eats at me because, from where I’m sitting, his life seems perfectly steady—nothing about him has shifted, and he’s just cruising along like everything is fine. Meanwhile, I feel like a complete mess. One day I’m struggling physically, and the next it feels like my mental state is just totally spiraling. Is it just me, or is it exhausting trying to find your footing when someone else seems to have it all figured out so effortlessly? 😁

The only thing giving me any sense of comfort or amusement lately is this constant, rhythmic thumping, stretching, and hiccuping going on in my gut. 😍😍

Honestly, I felt like I was dealing with this same exact thing during my last pregnancy, and now, here I am again, facing the same pattern all over again.
And there he is, sleeping like a little baby—skinny as a rail, really—while my back and hips are absolutely killing me, and the princess just gives me a cowardly little kick in her sleep.
I spent way too much time Googling stuff about childbirth and stretch marks earlier, and honestly, my head is just spinning from all the conflicting information out there. Does anyone else feel like the more you search, the more you just end up with a massive headache?

So, I’ve decided that if there’s going to be a third child, they’re going to have to earn their way into this family. They can only join us if they decide to carry themselves around for nine months, pack on an extra fifteen pounds, and truly embrace the whole experience—from the endless blood draws to the back pain that leaves you feeling completely wrecked, right up through the actual labor. Honestly, it’s a tall order. Dad says no. 🙂

Quincy:

I suppose that's all there really is to say, isn't it? Just me. kaže: Another thing that really caught me off guard was this one friend of mine—someone I’ve always considered a "really good" friend—who hasn't even reached out to check in on me for weeks. She hasn't asked how I'm doing, how my doctor's appointments went, or anything about the pregnancy, because honestly, she just doesn't seem interested. She doesn't ask any questions, and she isn't even aware that I've been on strict bed rest for two weeks now. At first, I tried to talk myself down, thinking maybe I was just being dramatic or expecting too much—you know, assuming everyone wants to hear all the details about the pregnancy, how the baby is growing, if there's a new ultrasound photo, or whether the little one is kicking left or right, or high or low. But then again, she isn't even dating, let alone at a stage in her life where she's even thinking about kids. Do you think this kind of distance is forgivable, or is it possible that pregnant women just become way too self-absorbed and obsessed with their own situation?

It’s funny how life works, isn't it? My closest friends just seemed to vanish into thin air the moment I found out I was pregnant for the first time. It makes you wonder where everyone goes when things actually get real.
I didn't exactly have it in my plans to keep drifting through our weekend hangouts like this, though I suppose I didn't foresee us being unable to grab a quick coffee together either. It’s funny how things shift; I wasn't anticipating that our conversations would narrow down solely to pregnancy talk, yet somehow, I didn't see coming that we might just stop talking altogether.
They didn't even bother to reach out to me. Not once.
In the beginning, I was always the one reaching out, the one making every single move to start a conversation or keep things moving, but eventually, I just hit a wall and realized I couldn't be the only one trying anymore. Honestly, I just got tired of being the only one putting in the effort, you know?
I’m really not going to go around begging anyone to hang out with me.
They really did a number on me, I suppose, but what can you do? It is what it is, right? I guess they just weren't the kind of friends I thought they were, at least not in the way I had imagined them being.
Life just keeps moving forward, doesn't it? At the end of the day, the people who truly care about you—the ones who actually see your value—are the ones who will make the effort to stay in your life. 🙂 Whether you’re actually pregnant or not, and whether they're truly biological or not, it really doesn't change the reality of the situation.

Noah Wells2 said:First off, I'm right there with Zlatan and you. My situation is much the same; I have a cat who stays indoors mostly but gets to stretch her legs outside occasionally. I’ve also dealt with toxoplasmosis (though my vet mentioned it isn't a total guarantee of safety since the virus can reactivate later on). Regardless, the idea of getting rid of her never crosses my mind because she is a member of this family.😍
Secondly, I’ve touched on this before regarding my "good" friend's reaction—or lack thereof—to my pregnancy news, and how another "dear" friend
from about a year and a half ago🙄 hasn't called, texted, or made any effort to contact me at all since I found out four months ago. I know she’s aware, as are her sister, her mother, and our mutual friends. I can guess the possible reasons behind her silence—perhaps she's struggling with her own difficulty conceiving for over a year—but regardless, this behavior feels selfish and entirely unneighborly. I don't expect people to be fascinated by every milestone of my pregnancy, but I do expect my friends to be happy for my happiness. As far as I'm concerned, that friendship is over.☕.

I ended up doing much the same thing with a few so-called "friends" of mine recently.
I’ve always felt that true friends are the ones who stick by you regardless of what kind of chaos is unfolding in your world or theirs. It shouldn't matter if you're hitting a massive peak or sliding into a bit of a valley; if the friendship is real, they aren't going anywhere, right? Life gets messy, and people get distracted, but those core connections should remain steady through all the noise.
Some things can be adjusted, I suppose, but you can't just flip a switch and cut someone out of your life if you actually give a damn about them, can you?

boldbison32 said:Regarding my girlfriends and how they’ve been handling my pregnancy, I have to say that my closest friends were absolutely thrilled when I shared the news, and they are genuinely happy for me. That said, I don't exactly expect them to grill me constantly about how the baby is doing or if I can feel any movement or other tiny details. When we catch up over coffee or on the phone, they always check in on how I'm feeling, I give them a quick update, and then we move on to everything else—love lives, work, weekend plans, you name it. Just because I’m pregnant doesn't mean I've lost interest in the rest of the world... I really believe that anything taken to an extreme is a bit much. Back when I wasn't even thinking about kids, I wouldn't have wanted to sit through endless conversations centered solely around pregnancy and babies. Now, it’s just as annoying when people hear the news and immediately jump to talking about labor pains, childbirth, breast changes, or hemorrhoids...🙂 Honestly, just let me enjoy this phase and discover the "joys" of pregnancy at my own pace. If there's something I actually want to ask my inner circle or you ladies here on the forum, I definitely will!🙂

I don't think anyone expects to be grilled about their pregnancy and future child every single second,
but it does feel a bit dismissive when close friends ignore the situation entirely or never bother to check in on how you're actually feeling.
At the end of the day, this is a massive part of our lives right now, and it isn't exactly possible to pretend it isn't happening.
It's not like I've passed away—I'm just pregnant. Nothing stops me from grabbing a latte, hitting the shops, or chatting about literally anything else. It's not as if my vocabulary has been limited strictly to diapers and nursery colors.
For heaven's sake, I need a break too, and I still need social interaction and varied conversation topics.
Along with everything else that makes me who I am, I've simply added "mom" to the list.
I honestly can't wrap my head around why they've decided that we can't—or shouldn't—hang out like we used to. 🤷

Justin Baker3 said:Here’s a fresh example from yesterday: I was standing in line at Target, and there was nobody behind me, just two women ahead of me finishing up their checkout. Suddenly, this woman just smoothly slides right between me and them, acting like she’s next in line.

Honestly, I had to fight the urge to lose my cool completely. First off, I was clearly the only one waiting in line. Secondly, you can't exactly mistake me for being pregnant—I have a bump. I just don't understand people who blatantly pretend they're blind. I also don't get the cashier, who saw I was pregnant and couldn't even find the nerve to tell that lady to back off and let me go first.

I swear, once I actually have this baby, I’m going to be pushing that stroller right through anyone in my way. My patience for this stuff is officially gone.

I usually just bite my tongue, though sometimes I end up acting like a drunk cowboy, venting everything I'm feeling and storming out of the store in a total revolt... Fortunately, those outbursts are rare, because if I let it out, I start acting like a complete maniac 😬
But I know exactly how you felt. I had a similar situation during some late-night shopping at the DMV, where I was stuck in a half-hour wait, and this woman just pushes her way through the line, and then, when it finally becomes her turn, she starts scurrying all over the place looking for some specific juice. What a piece of work.
My head was spinning... I was losing my mind at both her and the clerk, but I stayed quiet because there were a billion people in line, and I figured if everyone else thinks this behavior is acceptable, then fine, whatever...
Though, looking back, I almost regret keeping all those cheerful thoughts and lovely adjectives to myself.
Some people are just genuinely mean. There isn't any other way to explain it.

Terry Taylor53 said:I'm right there with you! You choose it, you live it! 😉 That phrase "you'll see how much a child hurts" is one of those things that truly gets under my skin!!! "You'll see when you give birth"—well, I gave birth, and all I see is one beautiful, healthy baby who makes every single day better! Now they've started with the "just wait until the teeth start coming in" routine 🙂 And soon enough I expect to hear "you'll see when they start crawling," or "you'll see when you have two"...!! 😂 It's ridiculous!!

They told me the exact same thing—don't buy anything until the baby is actually born!! WTF?? 😲 Of course I was buying stuff. By my sixth or seventh month, I had almost everything ready for the baby 😍

I’ve always felt like I could only share these kinds of thoughts with women who have a bit of a mean streak.
Sure, some births are incredibly difficult, but why on earth would you go around telling an expectant mother a horror story, especially when she’s already right on the doorstep?
If someone said that to me, I might actually lose my cool and throw a shoe at them. 😠

Terry Taylor53 said:I'm right there with you! You choose it, you live it! 😉 That phrase "you'll see how much a child hurts" is one of those things that truly gets under my skin!!! "You'll see when you give birth"—well, I gave birth, and all I see is one beautiful, healthy baby who makes every single day better! Now they've started with the "just wait until the teeth start coming in" routine 🙂 And soon enough I expect to hear "you'll see when they start crawling," or "you'll see when you have two"...!! 😂 It's ridiculous!!

They told me the exact same thing—don't buy anything until the baby is actually born!! WTF?? 😲 Of course I was buying stuff. By my sixth or seventh month, I had almost everything ready for the baby 😍

I had the same experience! And now that I’m on my second, everything is already set; I just want to go through the motions of folding all the tiny clothes one more time.
I can't exactly wait until week 39 to start my shopping spree, can I?
🙄
My tomorrow dear is heading out to grab a mountain of diapers, and then we’ll finally be done—we just have to wait for the little nugget to arrive. 😍

^^ Oh man, how awful!! 😲
Back when I was still in my first trimester, an acquaintance actually asked me, "How are you doing? How's the fetus?" It sounded so incredibly blunt, especially when she followed up with, "Well, it’s not a living baby yet, it’s just a fetus, right?"

And then there's this whole process of buying and organizing everything during the final month of pregnancy... just wonderful! 👍
Because clearly, I'm at my absolute peak of agility and energy right now, bursting with the desire to spend all day wandering through Target or running errands and ironing tiny clothes.. Idiots 🙂
Plus, being told "you'll get everything you need" is a notorious lie.
Nobody actually asks what you need; instead, people just pile up a mountain of useless junk. For example, they'll buy little girls these dresses that barely fit over their heads and have to be awkwardly tied in the back, or little boys sneakers or even tiny tuxedos... it's all adorable, but totally unnecessary.
Or they'll grab size 3-6 months clothing just so they don't buy something too small (which is still a far cry from needing a formal suit in newborn size).
BUT—nobody ever thinks to buy the cloth diapers, the disposables, the baby wash, the swaddles, the cotton pads, the diaper cream, the bottles, or the pacifiers... It's rare for anyone to remember those essentials. That's stuff Mom and Dad have to handle, and it needs to be done while Mom is still physically able to move around.
And just like you said—I really don't want some random people like Peter and Kat deciding things for me; I want to choose things for my own child myself.

@Justin Baker3 — that's exactly why I never ask anyone for anything. You never truly know what someone else is going through or what their situation is. And whenever I hear someone else prying, I make sure to shut them down pretty quickly.
I have a few couples nearby who are trying really hard or who have faced struggles, and I know how difficult that can be. I absolutely loathe those intrusive questions that dig so deeply into someone's private life and can potentially break a heart.
I'm just so happy to hear your little one is finally on the way 😍

It’s the exact same lack of spatial awareness you see on the light rail. I actually get "nudged" out of the way when people are exiting because they can’t seem to navigate around my baby bump. :/
How do these people live with themselves?

And while we're talking about priority, like at the clinic when you're getting blood drawn—pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities are supposed to have precedence. When I went in for my first appointment, I wasn't even showing yet,
but the second I dropped my referral and insurance card into the priority bin for expectant mothers and seniors, it was like a signal went off; suddenly, about six hundred women jumped out of their seats just to let me know I didn't belong there!
Give me a break.

Dealing with a mother-in-law who insists on calling after 10:00 PM.
It’s just common courtesy not to ring anyone that late, especially since we have a little one at home trying to sleep.
And she knows this perfectly well. We’ve asked her countless times to please stop calling so late because it wakes the baby up.

Well, we finally picked up a new phone with a "Do Not Disturb" mode, and we specifically set it to silence all calls after 10:00 PM—strictly for her sake.
So, naturally, can you guess who left us a string of missed calls around 10:20 PM?
🙂

She calls us at these ridiculous hours just so she can hear whatever is going on in our lives... 🙂
If it were my own mother on the other end, she’d definitely be hearing a piece of my mind; I don't want to get on his bad side quite yet, but I am finding it harder and harder to stay quiet about it. 🙂

Of course 🥳
The Boogeyman, if nothing works—I lose my mind,
but if he actually tries to step up and make things easier—I still lose it, because of course everything ends up being done wrong anyway 😬

I know it isn't easy for him, but I’m honestly at my breaking point here... he ends up getting the brunt of it quite often, probably just because he's always right there in front of me 😬

The birthing stool is absolutely driving me insane. I honestly don't understand why we aren't allowed to give birth in any other way besides lying flat on our backs 🤷
It’s almost as if they expect me to just teleport the baby straight out of my womb... it isn't some vague, revolutionary concept either (
I suspect it’s mostly because the supine position is just easier for the doctors, which feels pretty crappy when you consider that the mother should probably be the priority, right?
It's just so frustrating.
My husband happens to be an MD, and even he gave me this look like I was some kind of alien when I started bringing up alternative birthing positions. Honestly, there were moments where I just wanted to whack him over the head with a heavy frying pan...

I figured we wouldn't get much peace—between us women and those pregnancy hormones constantly messing with our heads...😁

OT
It really gets under my skin, my darling husband, who, bless his little heart, just can't seem to enjoy a night out if he’s already mapped out his entire schedule, which usually involves sleeping in until noon on the weekends.
Daddy 🙂
And what about me? I’m not getting any sleep at night because there’s a baby screaming right in my ear, and I’m not getting any sleep during the day either because someone actually has to look after this tiny human.
Because apparently, a fifteen-month-old isn't going to just sit in a high chair knitting scarves while sipping tea and chatting about the weather in total tranquility.
Coffee? Going out? A beer? What even is that?
🤷

The ungrateful brat 🙂

This isn't really about "schoolgirl pregnancies" or those women who have fought so hard to conceive or have to be extremely careful with their pregnancies,
from what I can gather, it’s more about standard pregnancies where some women act incredibly fragile and play the victim—not just avoiding carrying grocery bags, but acting like they can't even wipe themselves without help... honestly, it gets on my nerves too.
Of course, we are literally in a state of carrying another life, so you have to take extra care of yourself and the baby,😍 and obviously, there are much harder situations and tougher pregnancies out there; nobody is disputing that or ignoring it.
I look out for both of us,😍 but I don't expect someone to spend the whole day pampering me or walking on eggshells around me just because I'm pregnant.🙄

petrunjela1981 said:Here's a total novice looking for help,🙂 please tell me where you go for prenatal Pilates? In New York City? I was looking for recommendations on the pregnancy forum yesterday, but didn't get any replies.😢
By the way, it annoys me too when people act like they're totally incapacitated just because they're pregnant.

All I can tell you is that I doNOT recommend Sixth Sense.👎
They're pricey, the equipment is pretty lackluster, and they have these stationary bikes where you have to spend the first 15 minutes warming up (out of a 45-minute class for pregnant women), but you can't adjust them to suit your needs—I actually fell off one once, even though I mentioned at the start of class that the height wasn't right and I couldn't pedal comfortably without using my arms. Plus, if you miss a session—even if you already paid for it—you can't make it up because their groups are so small, so they won't let pregnant women do makeup classes, which is complete nonsense; when you're pregnant, who knows when you'll have a "rough" day or just feel too unwell to exercise? You basically just throw your money away.👎

^^ Even though I was being incredibly careful with moisturizer, stretch marks still tore right through my stomach during my first pregnancy 🙂
Honestly, even now, I’m slathering on lotion like there's no tomorrow, yet the itching is still driving me absolutely insane! 🙂

^^ Well, I suppose it really depends on what your starting weight was to begin with. 😉
When I see someone mention gaining two pounds, my first thought is that they probably started their pregnancy at a slightly higher baseline, so it wouldn't even be healthy if they gained much more than that.

Honestly, I’m just feeling pretty lucky with my partner lately; during my first pregnancy, he used to give me a hard time about every little pound I put on.
But this guy? He’s different. He doesn't nag me about every ounce; instead, he actually looks at my BMI and understands that women don't just blindly follow some arbitrary rule about gaining "up to 20 pounds" during pregnancy.
That’s honestly the best part—when people who have never been pregnant, have no intention of being pregnant, and have maybe seen two pregnant women in their entire lives, suddenly decide they're experts on exactly how much weight a woman *should* be putting on. 🙄

In all honesty, it’s getting harder to deal with anyone who isn't currently pregnant and doesn't share my exact mood right now. 😬

Carol Gonzalez8 said:hahaha, I second that... I’m at week 18 and everyone is driving me crazy... anyone who notices I’m pregnant feels entitled to spend the next half hour detailing their own pregnancy experience... I can't deal... everyone is an expert advisor... if I mention feeling terrible, they immediately counter with, "Well, when I had horrible morning sickness, I couldn't even get out of bed until last week"—but then they claim that despite the nausea and vomiting, they were still running the entire household. My grandmother told my husband today how she felt sick too, but she was still out there doing laundry by hand at the sink...🙂...and apparently, my mother had it even worse because that same grandmother didn't help her at all🙂...of course, she'll only say that once she's gone... my mother-in-law said she was practically deathly ill from vomiting when she gave birth... my neighbor... blah blah blah... I realize my hormones are totally messing with me... and that I really should just chill out... but self-control is hard to find right now... sometimes I just want to fire them all—though, naturally, I'm immediately hit with guilt... oh, the HORMONES...🙂...but seriously, I don't understand why they can't see that I'm pregnant and could use a little grace... instead, they just insist on pushing their own stories... first my mom lectures me about driving, then my grandmother tells me about some girl in the neighborhood who drove until her very last day... ugh, enough...
I know it's mostly me... but people really are impossible sometimes.😁😁😁😁

Oh, please! It’s definitely not us; everyone else is clearly at fault, and that's that.😬

I get that hormones play a part, I really do, but everyone around me seems to think that gives them a free pass to push my buttons and mess with my head
whenever I lose my cool, rolling their eyes and acting like, "Oh, it's just your hormones talking, right...?"
🙂

It’s finally happening... I am officially DONE with everyone
... In a perfect world, I’d just disappear with my son and my partner for the next two months, where my only responsibilities involve hitting the shops, sleeping, and eating good food.
Honestly, anyone who dares to get within twenty feet of me should probably just stay away.
I’ve reached my absolute limit.

They keep asking me the most mindless questions, offering "advice" that I’d much rather shove right back down their throats, and stirring up drama that does more harm than good. To top it all off, everything they say—if it isn't an outright provocation—feels like one.

Just two more months to go... 🙂

Since I’ve been spending quite a bit of time lurking on the forums lately—mostly hanging out in the Parenting and Pregnancy sections
—I’ve noticed something that’s really starting to get under my skin. It’s these parents and expectant mothers who seem to have no interest in offering a helping hand, or worse, those who just exist to nitpick and criticize everyone else.
If you don't actually have anything constructive or helpful to contribute to the conversation, why not just hold back on the unnecessary negativity?
It’s especially hard to watch when it’s directed at new moms or women who are pregnant; they’re already dealing with enough hormonal chaos without some stranger deciding to be unnecessarily cruel.
Honestly, it's just exhausting.

swiftfox11 said:I am in the exact same boat. Everyone keeps pestering me about the name, and I just keep telling them we haven't decided yet... I mean, why does it matter before the baby is actually here? 🤷 I am certainly not going to tell them. 😍 We will announce it once the baby arrives. Period. ☕

It also really gets on my nerves when the older ladies start commenting: "Oh my goodness, look how big your belly is! Do you still have a month to go?"
In reality, I am carrying most of my weight right in my stomach; everywhere else is just slightly wider, if at all. Usually, I am very thin...
I suppose they just want to enjoy the fact that I’ve finally put on some weight, especially since it shows a bit in my hips. 😍

So, I usually give them a polite reality check, especially the ones who are a bit heavy themselves: It's much better to have a big belly than a big backside. 😁

Well, we actually made the mistake of sharing some names, and now we've got everyone breathing down our necks because they don't "like" them... total idiots. 🙄
Both my parents and his...
As if their opinions are going to change my mind, all they're doing is getting on my nerves.
+ Truth be told, we already found out if it's a girl or a boy,
but we aren't telling a soul now, purely because they were being obnoxious about the names.
Let them wonder. 😛

It honestly gets under my skin when people without kids act like it’s some kind of hilarious joke to listen to me talk about how much I love mine...
Look, if you don't like kids, that's fine—you don't have any, so why should I care?
I'm not exactly standing here preaching to you about how much I adore my children,
but could you please just stop lecturing me on how kids are nothing but noisy, messy, and disgusting little creatures?

Seriously... 🙄