Posts by Nicholas Carter6

velvetsurfer72 said:I’m not pregnant myself, but I know someone who is currently losing her mind because of all the news suggesting that the Zika virus might actually make its way over to the States 😢

I honestly have no idea how to comfort her, especially since everyone is still reeling from the shock regarding how many children were born with complications in Latin America

If I were expecting a baby next summer, I’d probably be losing my mind too. Just tell her she can take control of the situation—use plenty of repellent, get those mosquito zappers for the house, put up screens on the windows...
Plus, even with all that, the odds of catching something like that here in the States are pretty slim.

Americans actually have a specific word for that: "snissing." It’s basically when you let out a little accidental pee right when you sneeze! :-)
I definitely went through that whole shortness of breath phase myself, probably around weeks 16 to 20. It’s usually just because your plasma volume is spiking and your cardiovascular system is trying to get used to the extra workload. Things leveled out for a bit... but now I'm feeling the squeeze again. My uterus is getting so big it feels like it's pressing against my ribs and making it hard to catch a breath, but since the baby is sitting pretty low, it's not quite as intense as those crazy late-term struggles other moms deal with...

Douglas Baker2 said:I just tell everyone straight up, no way 🙂 Only the inner circle is getting through my door—you know, the ones I'm so tight with that they can basically raid my fridge themselves and I wouldn't mind if they saw me lounging around in my underwear if I felt like it.

If only you guys were invited!

And man, even typing this... it's such a struggle with every little movement (which, honestly, feels like a massive effort right now).

I had an intercostal nerve pinch today and it was brutal... I could barely catch my breath. Then the panic started setting in—like, what if I have to go into labor early? What if this doesn't clear up? How am I even going to be able to breathe once I'm in the delivery room?🤦

Honestly, my husband is being the exact same way... :-) But there's one other thing that’s been driving me absolutely nuts lately. For the last month, it feels like EVERYONE suddenly wants to drop by for a visit! Even people who haven't stepped foot in my house in years! They’re all like, "Oh, we just want to come see you!" Meanwhile, I am sitting here dreading the guests because it just means more cooking and endless cleaning :-( It’s like they don't get it—I'm in my final stretch of pregnancy and all I want is to stay home in a quiet, tidy little sanctuary. I just need some peace and quiet before the baby arrives! :-(

That’s exactly why I haven't told anyone the actual date except for my inner circle. They know the general timeframe... but honestly? I can't risk it. If word got out, people would be suffocating me with "congrats" and endless questions before I'm even ready!

Honestly, I couldn't care less about my stomach or whatever.
But man, those comments? They really get under my skin.
Especially the ones coming from the 30+ crowd on TikTok.
I mean, what are you even supposed to say when someone hits you with some "you're getting bigger and bigger" nonsense?

Ugh, and every single time they look at me—it’s like, "Oh wow, looks like that belly is really starting to pop."
For real though? It’s just a tiny little human in there, so I can't help but wonder what exactly is fueling all this growth. But hey, thanks for the reminder that I'm getting bigger by the second. Love that for me, truly.
I mean, isn't that basically every girl's dream, right?

Douglas Baker2 said:Ugh, seriously 😵 there are definitely women out there who are just counting down the days until they get pregnant so they can eat everything in sight and then use the baby as a permanent excuse to just check out and stay lazy forever.

I have zero intention of putting my entire life on hold once our little lady arrives. We'll just pop her into the world and go. Obviously, things won't be exactly the same as they were before, but you'd probably realize that when you decide to have a kid in the first place. It’s gonna be great! 🙂

I am 100% with you on this!

I guess I should finally jump on this bandwagon too. Honestly, the weirdest part is how people just stare—you know, that awkward glance where they look you dead in the eyes and then immediately drop their gaze to your stomach? It’s like they’re genuinely confused about what a pregnant woman is even doing out in public, as if we aren't supposed to leave our houses or work at a grocery store or anything! One lady at the farmer's market actually went out of her way to ask if she could help me carry my bags.
Also, massive shoutout to the cashier over at H&M; she was so sweet and spoke up clearly, saying, "Oh, excuse me, I didn't see you there! I'd be happy to help you right up next!" And don't even get me started on the ladies at Douglas MacArthur—they are absolute gems and so incredibly kind.
It only took me "just" eight months of waiting to finally experience all this! :-)

Patrick Brown3 said:It was quite surprising to see how visibly uncomfortable everyone seems about the fact that we are expecting a boy. We aren't even hiding it.
Both families have reacted this way. My mother-in-law didn't bother masking her disappointment, while my own mother remained indifferent, knowing I felt the same way.
With four girls in our family, I might have understood some disappointment if it were all boys, but this is different...
It is truly baffling.
To make matters worse, my husband’s aunt—who doesn't have children herself, by the way—keeps lecturing him about waiting for a boy. She makes these crude jokes about how only "real men" can produce a son and such nonsense. We went through IVF. This wasn't a matter of traditional conception, though she clearly fails to grasp that.

Then there are the unsolicited marriage and relationship tips following the baby's arrival. These come from women who have barely been married for two months before having a child.
I have been with my husband for fifteen years and we are in our eighth year of marriage. I believe we have already mastered the complexities of our relationship.

You know, even my side of the family reacted to the news without holding back their disappointment. Some of them actually said it out loud, like, "Oh man, we really wanted a girl."
Honestly, that kind of stuff really stung.

Things have settled down now, but in the beginning, it was just... pretty ugly.

Aaaaajme!!!!! Just you wait, you guys—there's gonna be zero pristine walls or perfectly tidy living rooms left in this house. No more working out, no more "this" and "that" constant nagging! OMG!!!! That stuff is easily my number one biggest pet peeve!

Douglas Baker2 said:Total mood! I am so ready to get back into my high-waisted jeans🎉

As for me, I'm just waiting on my trail runners...

Or maybe it's more like... what am I even supposed to do?? Honestly, I haven't got a clue. Are you totally sure about this? Maybe you should double-check that first 🙄

Hey everyone! :-) Here’s another warrior checking in :-)

Even my own family members call me "the chunky one!" They think it’s somehow cute or endearing, like, "Oh hey, look at how big you've gotten!" But honestly? I am not actually fat. Everything is pretty much the same as it was before, except for my belly. But whatever—even if I were, I don't get what the big deal is supposed to be!
Also, can we talk about how incredibly annoying it is when people give you advice based on how things were thirty years ago? And then they have the nerve to act all shocked or judge you when things have changed, lecturing you like, "That can't possibly be right."
I have to admit, it really gets under my skin that even though I'm only six weeks out from delivery, everyone acts like I can still do everything exactly like I did before. It's like there's zero chance anyone will actually try to make things easier for me. Look, I'm not some fragile little flower, but a little bit of help here and there—or just someone being thoughtful—wouldn't hurt. Or even just asking, "Hey, can I help you with that?"
And don't even get me started on those new moms who feel the need to recount every single horror story they've ever heard about childbirth. Like, seriously? What is the point of that????

Anyway, that's my rant :-)