Posts by Kate Cox2

I’m experiencing some hair loss myself—though nothing extreme, just returning to how it was before I went through my pregnancy..
During the pregnancy, I honestly had such a thick, gorgeous mane; losing it all wasn't really 🙄

What’s actually driving me crazy right now is when I stand up from a chair. With that very first step I take, I tend to limp slightly on my right leg because my tailbone (well, the pelvic area, if we're being precise) hurts on that side..

And oh, yes—my hands go numb constantly. No matter how I sit or lie down, they get this intense numbness that is just so incredibly uncomfortable..
It isn't even that sharp "pins and needles" sensation you get when you accidentally sleep on your arm; it's more of a constant, low-level tingling. I suspect it might be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but honestly, I simply haven't had the time to make an appointment with my doctor..

I feel completely broken down—as if I need to pull over for a full mechanic's inspection and a complete replacement of all my spare parts 😁

Ashley James49 said:Ugh, I am definitely not a fan of those nine months. Honestly, I don't get how some women actually enjoy being pregnant.🤷

First there's the nausea, then the aches and pains, and everyone constantly touching your stomach! You gain a ton of weight, you can barely bend over, you're constantly snapping at your partner, and you're just an emotional wreck—one minute crying, the next laughing. Your chest gets bigger (which, okay, I'm not complaining about😍), but afterwards they just look like two little tea bags👎 and don't even get me started on the belly😲.....

And there's still more to it too....

...but once you see that tiny little thing, everything else just fades away😍....so you end up doing it three times anyway, no matter how much you say you hate it.😍

I actually shared some similar thoughts on this very thread a while back..
For me, pregnancy—even though everything went perfectly by the book—was such an utterly pointless ordeal..
It was just constant discomfort; something was always cramping, or aching, leaving you feeling tense and wondering if everything was okay, all while your body changes and you start feeling like a stranger to yourself, not to mention the social pressure and everyone else's reactions...
Honestly, looking at the whole picture, I truly fail to see how anyone could claim pregnancy is the most beautiful period in a woman's life. 🤷
I was counting down the minutes until delivery! Now, I am just so incredibly happy to have my little one in my arms and to finally be getting back to my usual shape. 😁

Ashley James49 said:Thought I'd jump in here too😍

I'm pregnant for the third time now, and honestly, every single time it’s been the same thing... people I know (and sometimes even strangers) just reach out to rub my belly😕... and I really can't stand it.😠.....
I don't know why, it just bugs me...🤷

It was absolutely mortifying for me as well.

Especially when they go as far as placing both hands on your belly and starting to coo at the baby, making those little "cooing" noises. 😠

I just realized today—well, okay, maybe not *today*, let’s be honest, I am only admitting this publicly right now 😁—that I have spent my entire pregnancy (and honestly, probably long before that, too) being my own absolute worst enemy. 🤦
It was all those anxieties, the endless paranoia, the obsessive prepping, the constant overthinking, followed by more fears (about the pain, about the enemas, about shaving, about weight gain, then back to the pain, and oh god, the enemas again... you get the idea)...
I have thought a hundred times that life would be a million times easier if I were just some blissfully ignorant person who didn't even know what an enema or an IV drip was, or had ever even heard the term "episiotomy." I imagine walking into that delivery room at Mayo Clinic completely clueless, not giving a single damn about which doctor is top-tier and which one is mediocre, and frankly, not caring what they do to me—because if I were truly that uninformed, I wouldn't even realize what was happening, and they could feed me whatever nonsense they wanted...

But no. Not me. I had to know everything about everything. I felt compelled to have a meticulously detailed birth plan typed up on my laptop a full year before I even conceived 🙄. I had to read every single page available regarding labor and delivery methods, and worst of all—what irritates me most—is that I always feel this exhausting need to be a "fighter," whether I'm fighting *for* something or *against* something. It just makes my life unnecessarily complicated...

So, to bring it back to my point: I truly wish I could just be oblivious and dull. If I were, I wouldn't care about any of this, and I certainly wouldn't be driving myself this crazy...

Edward Williams8 said:I stepped into an elevator at the Salesforce Tower today with five guys, and suddenly everyone started acting like there were too many people in there. EVERYONE was staring me down, being incredibly aggressive, and I ended up being the only one who got out... the whole time it just left me feeling totally diminished...

😢
Oh, come on, for crying out loud, you should have just acted invisible and stayed on until everyone else hopped off...

Roger Sullivan66 said:Man, what a greedy sheep... why didn't he just let her go?!!
Then they’d all be whining and jumping into bed every time they so much as sneezed or sniffled 😬

Well, typical woman—a total control freak. She just has to do everything herself and be the first one to jump in, doesn't she?😁
And just like that, she's gone and intimidated every single one of us.🤣

Roger Sullivan66 said:It drives me crazy that I’m the only one feeling the urge to prep everything for the baby and get the house in order. Then my husband has the nerve to say, "Oh, look at you, getting all nesting-ready," while my blood pressure is hitting the ceiling. Honestly? Part of me just wants to blow the whole thing up—let him handle the cleaning and the prep his way while I’m stuck in the hospital. But then again, if I did that, my mom would just swoop in to fix everything, and he still wouldn't lift a finger. The baby would end up coming home wearing his old oversized T-shirt, and the family would immediately ditch the diapers, letting her build immunity by rolling around in the dirt and leftover scraps from some backyard BBQ... probably even disinfecting the umbilical cord with cheap bourbon or something.
I can barely tolerate myself lately, but it’s not even funny. It honestly feels easier for me to pull every single book off the shelves, dust them, and put them back than it does for him to help.

I’d give every man out there just one hour of that week 39 pregnancy bliss—specifically during those six minutes of active labor. Maybe then they’d actually see things differently (assuming they even survived 😬).

Actually, I disagree..☕
That is precisely why Eve was the one who took the apple, rather than Adam..😠

Frank Jackson5 said:I say the exact same thing all the time! 🤣

Dammit, she is just plain wrong, honestly... 😁

Frank Jackson5 said:It’s honestly so frustrating that men can't carry a baby! 🙂

Oh goodness, I have to admit that this reality frustrates me just as much—especially since I am personally (as a woman, mind you😁) getting closer to my own delivery date...
It truly feels quite unfair...
I suppose we can blame Eve for all of this...😠

cosmicviper21 said:Honestly, it drives me absolutely insane how sensitive I am about every little thing, like, I can just burst into tears out of nowhere and then I’m stuck feeling all awkward because everyone is staring at me like I'm some kind of 😕 And don't even get me started on my inability to pick an outfit, because I seriously need like thirty minutes just to piece together something halfway decent to wear 😲 😲 😲

Oh boy, honestly, my wardrobe was such a disaster zone before I got pregnant...🤣
Now, I’m basically just cycling through two pairs of sweatpants and three t-shirts...
There isn't even any variety left! 😁

hollowmarlin49 said:So I told my husband yesterday, hey, when you come pick up the guys from the construction site and drop me off at the hospital, bring me a beer so I can knock it back right outside Starbucks. He cracked up at first, then got all serious and was like, you want Child Protective Services or the cops to take our kid away? 😕 Honestly though, what a sight that would be. I'm already acting like a mom and I haven't even had a baby yet.

Oh man, I was just telling my husband last night how much I am craving the moment when I can FINALLY go out on the town, hit up some decent lounge, grab a proper drink, and just completely unwind...

Now I'm feeling all bummed out because Balašević is performing in Santa Barbara on August 15th—which, obviously, is a total non-starter for me right now...😢

I know, I know, I probably sound like a complete lush, but I am just dying for the day when I can sip a killer cocktail or a tequila with a totally clear conscience... aaaawwww😍

hollowmarlin49 said:Man, I’d honestly rather just bite my tongue than say anything about her weight gain or feel like I have to defend myself...😠

And what am I supposed to do about my wife...😁 Between the constant meetings and having zero downtime, there’s really nowhere for me to escape...😂

Sarah Johnson7 said:Totally agree, the constant unsolicited advice about my belly is the worst part—on the road, at coffee shops, even at the beach... And what you two mentioned about the Fisher-Price store—I haven't had an episode quite that rude, but I still deal with old ladies in stores or at the farmers market acting like investigators, asking if I'm due any second and commenting on how huge my stomach is. Like it's my fault? Should I just stop eating and drinking entirely so I can meet their standards?

My latest highlight from this morning: I'm at the grocery store grabbing a paper and some Marlboro cigarettes (which isn't really my thing 🙂). The cashier gives me the once-over, fumbles around with the cigarette packs, and then pulls out the one that says "Smoking is harmful to you and your baby" 😁
Meanwhile, the teenager behind me is buying beer and spitting everywhere, and she doesn't even bother checking if he's 18! It’s just great that she decided I was the one she needed to lecture to clear her conscience!

🤣🤣

So, later this evening, my partner and I are heading over to my sister's place for pizza. I'll be walking there carrying a bottle of wine in one hand and a half-liter carton of beer in the other (my dear was kind enough to carry the trash while I lugged the booze 😁)... and there I am, strolling toward the car with a bit of a belly and a drink in hand, passing by a mother playing with her toddler in the park... well...😲
I must have looked quite the sophisticated sight 🤣

hollowmarlin49 said:Ugh, just had the wildest encounter that totally threw me for a loop. So, I’m at a Fisher-Price store on Saturday grabbing some jumbo pads, and this lady working there goes, "Oh, you must be due any day now." I was like, "Not quite... I still have five weeks left." And then 😲 she looks me dead in the eye and goes, "Well, your belly is huge, how much weight have you put on?!?" Honestly, I didn't even know what to say... ☕

Back when I was pregnant, maybe around two months in—my little bump was already starting to show, especially since I always wore tight skirts and dresses to work...
And there I was at the office; I had just started this job, so I barely knew anyone's name yet. Suddenly, this older coworker comes up to me (I don't even know her name, we'd only run into each other twice a week) and starts badgering me about how much weight I've gained... I told her I hadn't even gained anything yet, but she kept pushing, insisting that my scale must be broken. I told her the scale was perfectly fine; I'd checked myself on two different scales and at my doctor's office, and they all showed the exact same thing...😁
But she wouldn't drop it! She kept saying, "I just don't think so... those scales aren't working, you've definitely put on weight..."🙄
I was already starting to get visibly annoyed, repeating that I hadn't, and then she actually concluded that I was definitely going to have a massive baby and that my labor would be terrible because of it. 😕

It was just absurd... I mean, I don't even know this woman, yet she's being so aggressive about my weight and the size of my baby. And it's not even true! I haven't gained much, and the baby isn't even big... I don't think the baby is even three pounds over the estimate, and my due date is tomorrow...
Honestly, in that moment, I felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to just strangle her with my bare hands...🙂

I truly hope that one day, all of us women who have contributed to this discussion will find ourselves being much more tolerant toward pregnant women—especially considering the absolute nonsense we were forced to endure back in our day...

hollowmarlin49 said:I swear, people have been getting up whenever I board the subway lately (hopefully I'm not jinxing myself though). I honestly think it’s just because I’m such a huge presence that they can’t even move around me... But yesterday was a total mess on the bus, some frantic old guy actually elbowed me right in the gut 😲 He couldn't even figure out where to sit in an empty bus, just spinning around like a fool for two stops. My immediate reaction was basically "get lost" 🙂 I gave him a shove just to get him away from me. His wife was staring at me with pure terror in her eyes because I totally snapped...

😂😂😂
Oh goodness, I am absolutely loving this story.
Even though having someone strike me in the stomach throughout my entire pregnancy is my absolute greatest fear, 😢
I think you were totally justified in giving him a piece of your mind! 👍

rustyrider20 said:It honestly blows my mind—my kids are irritating me more right now than they ever have in my entire life!! I’m sitting here watching two women out by the window with their two kids, just constantly wrestling with them. The kids are totally wound up, screaming their heads off, one second shrieking nonsense and the next trying to out-sing each other to some catchy pop song... and this whole chaotic scene started nearly an hour and a half ago! I am seriously tempted to call the cops, or at least storm out to the window and give them a piece of my mind on behalf of everyone who had to deal with their own little terrors when they actually needed some sleep

Well, I find myself getting annoyed over even "smaller" things too.. 🤦
Ever since I became pregnant, I don't know what it is, but other people's children have been driving me absolutely crazy (with the sole exception of my one little niece)...🤷
And it gets even more grating when I realize that people suddenly expect me to lose all composure and fawn over every single baby and toddler just because I'm expecting myself..😕

Frank Morales6 said:When I’m not satisfied with an answer, I’ll fire off ten more questions if necessary until I get exactly the explanation I need.
Don't let her off easy; she's there to take care of you.

I am exactly the same way... especially since this is a private practice and I am paying a small fortune out of my own pocket every single month. It is only right that I walk out of that office with a mountain of paperwork and answers to every little thing on my mind!
jok..

I can’t recall if I’ve mentioned this before, but it truly infuriates me how many people treated me like I was some sort of invalid during my pregnancy...
Now, look—I realize most of it probably came from a place of genuine concern, but it is absolutely maddening when everyone starts shouting at you. "Oh, honey, sit down!" "Here, put a pillow under your back!" "Don't sit with your legs crossed like that!" Or, "How on earth are you running with the dogs? Take a break!" or even, "Are you seriously driving a car with a bump like that??" 😲(Actually, no, I drive with my hands and feet—the belly is merely a fashion accessory☕). And don't get me started on the "Watch out for the draft!" or "Don't drink cold water!"
Honestly, they can all just go jump in a lake.

My mother, however, is the absolute authority on the matter. I don't dare complain about a single thing to her; she just barks, "Don't you worry about a thing, everything is perfectly normal. I had five children, and I was riding my bicycle right up until the final day of my first two pregnancies. If you listen to me, you have nothing to fear." 😁 Everything will be just fine.

Believe it or not, I just experienced my very FIRST instance of being overlooked while pregnant today (and I still have three weeks to go!)—someone actually missed me at the checkout line!

It happened at a local Safeway, and the cashier was a younger woman. 🙏 🙏
At first, I wasn't even going to say anything because there wasn't much of a line, but she just rushed up to me and said, "Don't worry, nobody ever skipped over me when I was pregnant either—I know exactly how it feels..."
Honestly, I have nothing but respect for her. 🙂