The bloating is driving me crazy right now. I used to complain about being gassy, but now I’m actually annoyed that I *can't* pass gas to get some relief. My stomach looks like I'm 22 weeks along instead of just 6. Oh, and the heatwave hitting overnight is a nightmare because my summer wardrobe is still in storage. I've been dragging myself around in a single skirt and these "jeggings"—honestly, I have mixed feelings about whoever invented those—so I definitely need to hit the mall soon to grab some actual summer clothes.
Update: Had a run-in with a clerk at the local pet store today that really rubbed me the wrong way. She completely ignored me, only bothering to acknowledge my presence once my dog walked through the door. I was looking for a K9 Advantix collar for my pup, but they were out of stock. They tried to push some alternative brand on me, acting like it was the same thing. When my dog's owner asked if this one also lasts six months, she just rolled her eyes and snapped that none of them last that long. Honestly, if you work in retail, you should at least know the basic specs of your inventory—and more importantly, a little courtesy wouldn't kill you. I hope she gets struck by lightning! Just for the record, the Advantix ones have a 7-month lifespan and cost about $40 for my beast, while these alternatives only last six weeks and go for $17.
Anthony Watson35 said:And seriously, it’s the same thing every two posts... threads about donations and all that... I mean, just start a new thread if you need help, right? If I were in one of my usual moods, I’d probably write a whole manifesto on what—and I mean what, not some miracle 🙄—actually causes pregnancy, plus a little something about teen moms or being unemployed and pregnant... But yeah, better to just keep my mouth shut 🙂
bolded 😂🤣😂🤣 I'm 😍 😍 😍 you. Look, this one is actually pretty dark. Imagine she's 16, out of school, jobless, and blessed with a baby? It could always be worse. I rarely jump on this topic because I don't really relate to most of what was said, but after reading your post, I spent a few seconds wondering if I should report it to the mods for being off-topic. 😈
I’m honestly just frustrated with myself for being so paranoid and on edge. I have this slight discharge, and every time I feel even a hint of moisture, I get this obsessive, compulsive urge to sprint to the bathroom just to make sure it isn't blood. And even when nothing is happening, I still worry—what if I just didn't notice? It’s only been four days since my period ended, and I’m already at my breaking point. I don't know how I’m supposed to survive the next two or three weeks like this... right now, I can barely look past week seven... Dammit, I wasn't supposed to have to see a therapist after a miscarriage, but now I have to go back after getting pregnant. What a mess of a patient I am.
Anthony Watson35 said:Honestly, I’m having one of those days where everything just feels like too much—everything’s getting on my nerves—but then I read this article this morning and my blood pressure just spiked.
Look, props to the kids, I get it, but seriously... 😲...great, let’s just rush out and produce more of them immediately so the government can foot the bill for them too, right? 🙄 🤦
🤦 *cue the sound effect: hatsh!* And the government isn't paying for it—WE are!!! Me and my wife are still paying off our little house in rural Ohio for another 12 years. My brother-in-law had bigger ambitions and grabbed a place out in the sticks of Montana. He’s got 27 years left on his mortgage. Don't even get me started on interest rates. Honestly, he should have just started a soccer team; voilà—an Easter bonus larger than some people's monthly salary, a free house from the state. They didn't mention child allowances here, but I’d bet anything plenty of people earn way less per month than what these folks are pulling... It's easy to be unemployed and live off number 11!
People's reactions drive me crazy when I tell them I plan to work until the end, assuming nothing goes sideways (except for my mom—she won't even hear of any other option 😍). Majkati, everyone acts like I just told them I’m going bungee jumping. 😕 What’s so strange about preferring to be employed over sitting at home all day? 🤷 My coworkers were genuinely shocked once they caught on, asking why I’m still showing up to the office (I’ve still got two months left, and I'm not even in my third trimester!). They act like I’m trying to finish out the entire school year, which would be way too much stress. Honestly, I actually intended to push through the school year and then just skip starting the next one. I guess the best-laid plans always fall apart, don't they? 😉
Rebecca Vaughn7 said:Growing up, I was carrying an extra 45 pounds, and even now, I’m stuck with the loose skin on my stomach and neck because of it. Honestly, I hated my childhood because of that weight. When I was 13, a hyperactive dog basically forced me into gym class 😍. After he passed away, I started hitting the home gym and going for walks on my own, then eventually picked up Tae Kwon Do in my mid-20s. You couldn't drag me into a team sport with a gun to my head; I was so incredibly clumsy that I’d just embarrass my team during PE. God, those memories still sting...🤦 But once I discovered martial arts, 😍 you just get in the zone and let loose. I stopped caring if I looked ugly or if I was sweating buckets, because everyone else is in the exact same boat—totally absorbed in their own strikes and their opponents. Nobody is there to talk trash about you being the slowest, the heaviest, or the most pathetic... you are your own only judge. That’s how I managed to grind my way to a blue belt. I actually aimed for brown, but life had other plans 😍 But the trauma from being overweight? It stays with you. The mere thought of gaining that 45 pounds back makes me physically sick...😢 My heart literally starts skipping beats at the idea...
My sister is a karate practitioner, black belt (soon to be 2nd dan). She inherited all the athletic genes. So, once again, I’d feel awkward and defective standing next to her. As for coordination... my only decent grades in school were in PE. Honestly, it was embarrassing. I pulled A's in Chemistry, Math, and Physics, but in PE, it was straight D's...
I didn't have 20 extra pounds; it was "only" about ten. Just enough to leave lasting trauma. Before I could even stop taking medication, I had to go see a psychologist. Then my dad had to swear to me (and I considered making him sign a legal contract) that if I didn't get my waist and figure back within six months after giving birth, he'd sell his Apple stock so I could afford liposuction. Because otherwise, I won't stop taking the pills! And... the greatest fuckup is... 😉
One of the first—and honestly, one of the only—comments my mother made about my pregnancy was, "If you just sit around all day, you’re going to end up weighing 220 pounds." Then she had the nerve to tell me my backside had sagged and spread out like some 70-year-old woman's. Unbelievable. 😢
I mean, for God's sake... if I had packed on 20 pounds during those eight or nine weeks of pregnancy, I wouldn't be complaining. But no. Instead, I’ve somehow gained 6 pounds—and let’s be honest, one of those was extra weight I already carried before I even got pregnant. It could have been less, sure, but according to my BMI and height calculations, the "ideal" gain should have only been about 4 pounds. So, technically, it isn't a disaster. I just don't get it. What gives?
Look at these comments. Just look at them. People are losing their minds. 😠😠😠 I absolutely lost it yesterday. Some woman at work asked me to check her blood pressure because she was feeling dizzy. I led her into the clinic, took her reading—totally normal, by the way—and then she just drops this out of nowhere: "Well, you've certainly improved since last time..." Unbelievable. Just pure, unprovoked disrespect.
She’s got anorexia, and she’s always had this habit of unsolicitedly commenting on every single pound I gain, yet stays dead silent whenever I'm actually losing weight. Because I know her struggles, I’ve always tried to be the bigger person and bite my tongue. But today? Today I seriously had to grit my teeth to keep from snapping. I wanted to tell her, "Yeah, well, my chest is two sizes bigger now and my husband is losing his mind over it... happens when the chin widens during pregnancy." I was too anxious about my doctor's appointment to say anything, though. I didn't want to make some joke about my pregnancy only to find out the worst. Now, I'm just sitting here regretting my restraint. Honestly, I can’t wait for her to "kindly" offer another opinion on my body while I'm still riding this post-appointment high.
Look, I don't care if someone tells me, "Hey, maybe watch the calories, it might be good for you." Honestly? I welcome it. But those half-witted, backhanded jabs like, "Well, you've certainly filled out lately," drive me absolutely insane. 🙂
Look, what’s done is done. My chest is huge now... I'm pretty sure I lost at least ten pounds just in that department. 😂 At this rate, my maternity bra won't survive another week.
The only thing I actually enjoyed about being pregnant. Unfortunately, within twelve hours, she made her escape, grabbed my towel and umbrella, and headed south 😢 Obviously, that extra fifteen pounds on my waist didn't help much. My family even brought over some snacks during my ten days of bed rest, so now I'm struggling to lose it all. (When you're 5'2", three pounds feels like a massive amount) I used to have such a nice waistline... and a nearly flat stomach... 😢
Honestly, it’s probably always been this way. My dad’s mom is just as incredibly kindhearted, but she can be exhausting when we’re hanging out at her place. When we go over for Sunday lunch, I have to call my sister afterward just to decompress; my nerves are absolutely shot because she repeats herself so much within two hours. Lately, all she talks about is the grandkids (my brother-in-law's kids)—look, they love those kids, and they're sweet enough (I guess, though I'm not big on little kids... hopefully I'll change my mind before I have my own one day), but after two hours of pivoting every single damn topic back to them, I start losing my mind. And while I was pregnant, she never missed a chance to mention how she spent her entire pregnancy gardening, even hauling coal into the shed on the day she went into labor, showered, and just headed to the hospital. Then, after I practically screamed at my sister-in-law (hormones, right?) to stop telling me horror stories about the delivery room, she wouldn't stop insisting her own births were the best moments of her life. She’s still on my bad side for that. She thinks she knows everything, acts like she's the star of the show, and loves sticking her nose in everyone's business. She isn't malicious—she truly means well—but she is soooooooo draining. But heaven forbid I say any of this to my dad... he’ll spend the whole time trashing my family, calling them judgmental or overly critical (trust me, I know exactly what they're like, I lived with them for 25 years!), yet when it comes to his side of the family, he puts on those rose-colored glasses.
I’ve always had little patience for people who lack basic intelligence or literacy, regardless of the topic. When they start spouting absolute nonsense, though, my irritation hits a whole new level.
A few days ago, my in-laws popped by at 9 PM claiming they were just "passing through" (as if they happen to be passing through our tiny town on their way to somewhere else!). It would have been hilarious if we hadn't been caught mid-act just minutes earlier. We were basically half-dressed and completely winded. Honestly... On the flip side, there’s the type who announces they're coming, and then you sit there like an idiot for two hours because they decided to stop for a quick errand in downtown Chicago first—something they conveniently forgot to mention when they called. I should probably stop now... really...
edit: I realize I don't quite fit this thread since I'm not pregnant, and frankly, the whole topic irritates me regardless... so please don't ban me headfirst.
I haven't actually posted anything about Ask and Memnu in this thread, but I’ve spent weeks quietly reading what the women (and some of the guys) have to say, weighing their takes against my own. Honestly, shutting down a discussion like this is just pathetic. 😢
Papergirl said:8 weeks 🤣 Regarding sick leave, not all jobs are created equal. Why take it if you feel fine and the work isn't draining you? 🤷 I don't know what your job entails, but I feel great and plan to work right up until maternity leave kicks in. I don't see why taking sick leave during pregnancy is considered a given.
Well, I work in education. Specifically, I split my time between two schools and a district office. Right now, I’m just exhausted. I spend half my classes sitting down because standing is getting difficult (usually, I’m the type constantly pacing the room and hovering over students' desks 😁). My plan is to finish the school year if possible—provided my principal doesn't give me too much grief (one is reasonable, the other is a total dictator). If he pushes it, I’ll lose my temper and then drop a sick leave notice on him without warning 🤣). After that, I'll go on leave starting in September—purely for the sake of the students and finding a sub. It’s easier for everyone if they start the new year with a clean slate.
Hannah Lewis2 said:The clumsiness is driving me crazy! I’m dropping things constantly—everything from my keys to bottles of olive oil falling out of the pantry. Luckily, nothing has shattered yet.
Tell me about it. I've always been a bit clumsy, but lately, it feels like objects have developed a mind of their own and are actively jumping out of my hands onto the floor. To make matters worse, my doctor insists I was always like this. Sure, I'm clumsy, but I've never been the kind of person who drops their toothbrush and toothpaste at the same time. Anyway, I'm avoiding glassware for now. 😉
🙂 Just the other day, I got hit with these texts from my family within five minutes: "Aren't you scared to drive yet? (It's only been eight weeks, hello?)" "Are you even working? Shouldn't you be on medical leave?" "Don't overdo it! (I was just opening a jar!)"
All so my teenage cousin could act superior and tell everyone, "Guys, she's pregnant, not disabled!" (As if anyone actually cared...)
I am beyond irritated by all the "labor war stories" coming from the delivery room. It seems like everyone—and I mean everyone—who knows I'm pregnant feels entitled to give me the gory details about how someone else was in labor for twenty hours, or how they wouldn't dilate, or how doctors had to jump on their stomach because the baby wouldn't descend. Honestly, just chill out. I need this information about as much as I need a root canal. I try my best to ignore this kind of stuff online to avoid feeding my own paranoia, yet in real life, where I don't have an "ignore" button, I’m getting hit by heavy artillery from every direction. And I'm only just getting started. At this rate, I might actually kill someone before the due date.