What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

The absolute worst part of being pregnant—without a shadow of a doubt—was dealing with those incredibly swollen legs, which was just such an agonizing ordeal! I did manage to get lucky at places like Target, though, where people were actually kind enough to let me cut ahead in line...
And then there were those moments when I simply couldn't recall the name of even the most basic household item, as if someone had reached inside my head and snatched away half of my brain cells!

Ever since that heavyweight boxer turned into a total stomach wrecker, my capacity for food has absolutely plummeted—and what irritates me most is the constant nausea and that feeling like I’m about to explode after every single binge... because let’s be real, I am never at peace unless there is something sweet sitting in the fridge, and I need it dealt with right this second... so while I get my mental fix, my body pays the price.
(there isn't even a decent emoji for this situation)

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.

rustyrider20 said:Ever since that heavyweight boxer turned into a total stomach wrecker, my capacity for food has absolutely plummeted—and what irritates me most is the constant nausea and that feeling like I’m about to explode after every single binge... because let’s be real, I am never at peace unless there is something sweet sitting in the fridge, and I need it dealt with right this second... so while I get my mental fix, my body pays the price.
(there isn't even a decent emoji for this situation)

I totally feel you. Although, I don't even have a massive sweet tooth :cudonevidjeno:—I just want to be able to eat a normal-sized meal without hitting a wall halfway through. But no, apparently I'm biologically obligated to clear the entire plate before I can stop. 🙂 What a joke. 😵

I think I mentioned this before, but my hands and feet are constantly burning up... it's honestly a disaster. They used to be freezing cold all the time, so this shift is extra frustrating. At night, if I have to get up to use the restroom, I end up washing my hands in ice-cold water just to cope. Right now, I’ve got an ice pack on my feet while I type, and another one on my hands... I've even started drinking ice water straight from the fridge (never used to do that, always preferred room temp). I'm showering twice a day because I'm sweating like crazy—especially when I'm just talking on the phone. 😕

I’m over 36 now, and I still haven't experienced anyone actually standing up for me on a subway or letting me cut ahead at the grocery store—not even at those priority lanes for pregnant women. Honestly, I can stand just fine, and if someone did offer, I’d probably just say, "Thanks, but I'm good." But hey, that’s just the level of civic etiquette we deal with here.

It’s honestly driving me up the wall that I can’t—or rather, don't know how to—add a thicker font for my signature. I managed to get it working for the due date field, though. Ugh.

Does this topic specifically mean "while pregnant," or can it apply to the period before you're even expecting?

If it's the latter, I find people who constantly corner me to ask when they'll see a baby or why I'm not having kids yet absolutely infuriating. 🙄 Honestly, that kind of intrusive, rude meddling in someone else's private life is just 👎

hiddenscout362 said:Does this topic specifically mean "while pregnant," or can it apply to the period before you're even expecting?

If it's the latter, I find people who constantly corner me to ask when they'll see a baby or why I'm not having kids yet absolutely infuriating. 🙄 Honestly, that kind of intrusive, rude meddling in someone else's private life is just 👎

I always dodge that question myself, because you never really know what someone is going through behind closed doors.

Dana Miller2 said:I always dodge that question myself, because you never really know what someone is going through behind closed doors.

You dodge it, I dodge it, honestly everyone with any sense avoids it. But when you feel like you're being called out—like people start digging into why, especially since I've only been married for a year and they're already asking why we aren't having kids yet—👎 I honestly have no clue how to respond. My go-to is just a dismissive wave of the hand, something like "maybe someday, there's plenty of time," but part of me really wants to come up with a slightly snarky comeback just to make them feel awkward for even bringing it up...🤔

hiddenscout362 said:You dodge it, I dodge it, honestly everyone with any sense avoids it. But when you feel like you're being called out—like people start digging into why, especially since I've only been married for a year and they're already asking why we aren't having kids yet—👎 I honestly have no clue how to respond. My go-to is just a dismissive wave of the hand, something like "maybe someday, there's plenty of time," but part of me really wants to come up with a slightly snarky comeback just to make them feel awkward for even bringing it up...🤔

One time after a question like that, I totally snapped and told them, "What, you wanna know if we're actually having sex?! Yeah, we're doing it all the time!" That shut them up pretty quick. 🙂

Sarah Johnson7 said:One time after a question like that, I totally snapped and told them, "What, you wanna know if we're actually having sex?! Yeah, we're doing it all the time!" That shut them up pretty quick. 🙂

I once told someone we couldn't get pregnant and faked a crying spell. She’ll never ask anyone anything that personal again. Honestly, I wouldn't even ask my own brother. People like that are just revolting. ☕

What annoyed me most was having to argue every single time at Walmart after deciding to use the express lane (since I'm 8 months along). I’d give them this giant, fake smile and say, "It's just this!" The rest of the line would chime in: "Well, use the fast lane!" I’d drop the smile and go, "Yeah, and I also have the one where pregnant women get priority. So, where's your baby bump?"

And then there's the way everyone suddenly stares out the window when I board a bus. That’s what I find truly pathetic. I have never once failed to give up a seat to a pregnant woman, a parent with a small child, or someone with a disability. Never. I even stood up once during my seventh month for a woman who was further along than I was, simply because nobody else bothered.

Elizabeth Edwards10 said:I once told someone we couldn't get pregnant and faked a crying spell. She’ll never ask anyone anything that personal again. Honestly, I wouldn't even ask my own brother. People like that are just revolting. ☕

What annoyed me most was having to argue every single time at Walmart after deciding to use the express lane (since I'm 8 months along). I’d give them this giant, fake smile and say, "It's just this!" The rest of the line would chime in: "Well, use the fast lane!" I’d drop the smile and go, "Yeah, and I also have the one where pregnant women get priority. So, where's your baby bump?"

And then there's the way everyone suddenly stares out the window when I board a bus. That’s what I find truly pathetic. I have never once failed to give up a seat to a pregnant woman, a parent with a small child, or someone with a disability. Never. I even stood up once during my seventh month for a woman who was further along than I was, simply because nobody else bothered.

Man, I second everything here word for word. Not a single soul at Walmart ever stepped up to help me, either. Then I was at the FBI office yesterday and had to get into a full-on debate with some guy who wouldn't take a number, even though the sign right in front of his face said PREGNANT WOMEN HAVE PRIORITY... it's crazy how much that can wind me up. 😢

AC repair guys are seriously getting on my nerves lately. I’ve been sitting on hold for 40 minutes or just getting a busy signal... like, is it really too early to take a call at 9 AM? Apparently, making a living is just too much to ask these days. $333 😠

Ugh, speaking of the FBI—I have to go renew my driver's license. I'm thinking about showing up at 7 AM just to dodge the crowds... honestly, I'm terrified of the lines.

I honestly never had to wait in line at the FBI, even when I was swapping out all my paperwork during my pregnancy. I’d just walk up to the counter and ask if pregnant women get any kind of priority. Nobody ever bothered to tell me they didn't 😁

A person would love to get some rest in the afternoon, but my nights have been brutal—insomnia, the heat, constant trips to the bathroom, mosquitoes, moths... the works. To make matters worse, there's zero peace on my street. Between obnoxious kids running wild, tourists making a racket, and someone constantly grinding away at something, I can't catch a break. 😠 Honestly, it’s frustrating how some people lack even a shred of common sense. They don't seem to understand that there should be quiet hours from 2:00 to 5:00 PM.

So, some guy on the subway just asked if he could go ahead of me because he only had two items. I told him, "Sir, I’ve got three items and a two-pound baby in my gut..." He just turned around...

Edward Williams8 said:So, some guy on the subway just asked if he could go ahead of me because he only had two items. I told him, "Sir, I’ve got three items and a two-pound baby in my gut..." He just turned around...

Bravo, really. People like that seriously get under my skin.

I was at the UPS store today based on a recommendation, and the line was massive—nobody was budging. Suddenly, this young guy behind me starts making a huge scene about how pregnant women shouldn't have to wait and how shameful it was that no one was letting me go first. The guy at the front of the line immediately stepped aside to let me through. As I was leaving, this kid just hits me with, "Well, I just had a daughter myself!" Real classy.
First time, I gotta admit 😁

Douglas Booth22 said:A person would love to get some rest in the afternoon, but my nights have been brutal—insomnia, the heat, constant trips to the bathroom, mosquitoes, moths... the works. To make matters worse, there's zero peace on my street. Between obnoxious kids running wild, tourists making a racket, and someone constantly grinding away at something, I can't catch a break. 😠 Honestly, it’s frustrating how some people lack even a shred of common sense. They don't seem to understand that there should be quiet hours from 2:00 to 5:00 PM.

Around 9:30 every night, my neighbor starts drilling through the walls, and then by 9 AM, someone's having loud sex... I don't get how people aren't bothered—like, just move your bed away from the wall... the whole apartment complex heard that one

Seriously, props to you

There’s honestly nothing going on here in the States... if I even bother to shuffle out of the house to hit the grocery store—it’s fine, I guess 🙄 The stores are never crowded; at most, there are two people ahead of me. I never have to fight for priority, though I haven't exactly gone looking for it either. I can usually just stand there for a few minutes without much fuss
I haven't even touched a city bus yet—not that I really need to, since I don't have anywhere to be, and when I do, my husband handles the driving. Besides, I have absolutely no clue how to navigate all this local paperwork and bureaucracy, so he deals with that stuff while I just show up to prove I actually exist 🤣
It’s the same thing when I’m out and about; nobody bothers me. Either people here don't care about invading a woman's privacy, or maybe I just look unapproachable when I'm solo (could be that)—and when I'm with my husband, I doubt anyone would even think to say anything 😉 I get the impression that people tend to "target" pregnant women more when they're by themselves 🤷

It honestly irritates me how my wife never shares anything with me; if I weren't constantly reading books and checking these forums, I wouldn't know a single thing about pregnancy. To make matters worse, she just flat-out ignores my questions regarding this persistent, recurring pain in my left ovary area that's been going on since the start of the T