What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

I’ve realized it might be best to just avoid people—specifically women. I don't know why, but the second I sit down, everyone wants to describe their absolute nightmare childbirth stories. It was pure horror... straight out of a movie. One lady tried to frame hers as a funny anecdote, so I laughed along at the time... but later on, it wasn't so funny. And this happened right when I finally stopped obsessing over the whole topic. Honestly, just leave me alone.

Frank Jackson5 said:I’ve realized it might be best to just avoid people—specifically women. I don't know why, but the second I sit down, everyone wants to describe their absolute nightmare childbirth stories. It was pure horror... straight out of a movie. One lady tried to frame hers as a funny anecdote, so I laughed along at the time... but later on, it wasn't so funny. And this happened right when I finally stopped obsessing over the whole topic. Honestly, just leave me alone.

Look, here’s the deal: I’ve been through this once already, and I had the exact same experience where everyone tried to scare the life out of me with these endless horror stories about how much it hurts and how I should brace myself for the worst possible pain imaginable. I was just like, "Okay, but why wouldn't I be able to handle it if you did, especially considering how many people in the US actually make it through this without dying?" 😠And that was that. Anyway, I didn't let it get in my head; I just tried to enjoy the moment. When things actually started going down during labor, I prepared for the worst, but I was honestly shocked by how manageable it actually was. I gave birth in like two hours. Yeah, it hurts—it definitely hurts—but it’s a kind of pain you can push through, and it doesn't last forever. Plus, you get that massive reward afterward and everything just fades away. At least, that’s how it went for me.🙂

fadedscout2 said:Oh my gosh, the other day I just had this massive craving for a cocktail... and of course, I went ahead and treated myself... 🤣 ...though, yeah, it was non-alcoholic😂

What really got under my skin, though, was when this old lady (it’s been about a month since it happened... so my bump was still pretty small...) told me I should enjoy the summer as much as possible before the baby arrives... and when my husband mentioned my due date is in November, she goes, "Oh, well, you'll definitely have twins then!"... 😲
I just love retelling these stories🤣
And oh! Now that I think about it, this one just popped into my head too... hahahahah... some woman commented that she had absolutely no clue I was pregnant because there wasn't even a bump to speak of (this was like two months ago), and then my mother-in-law just blurted out, "Well, of course you can't tell, she's always been a big girl anyway!"... 🙄

Seriously, some people just cannot mind their own business, right? Like, why can't they just look at themselves before opening their mouths? If we actually started firing back with all the nasty things we could say about them, they'd have plenty to cry about, but since we're actually decent, polite people, we just keep our mouths shut. Honestly, who even deals with them? I'd love to know exactly where they think they're being "big" 😉

cosmicviper21 said:Look, here’s the deal: I’ve been through this once already, and I had the exact same experience where everyone tried to scare the life out of me with these endless horror stories about how much it hurts and how I should brace myself for the worst possible pain imaginable. I was just like, "Okay, but why wouldn't I be able to handle it if you did, especially considering how many people in the US actually make it through this without dying?" 😠And that was that. Anyway, I didn't let it get in my head; I just tried to enjoy the moment. When things actually started going down during labor, I prepared for the worst, but I was honestly shocked by how manageable it actually was. I gave birth in like two hours. Yeah, it hurts—it definitely hurts—but it’s a kind of pain you can push through, and it doesn't last forever. Plus, you get that massive reward afterward and everything just fades away. At least, that’s how it went for me.🙂

I honestly can't stand any of you who claim birth was easy. Mine lasted nine hours and it was brutally painful, though it passed and most of the memory has faded. It's something that happens and then it's over. In two years, I could do it again. It also annoyed me how everyone felt the need to tell me their entire life story. Pregnant women seem to be magnets for lunatics, but get used to it, because it won't be any different once the baby arrives. Just the other day, I was walking with a friend who isn't pregnant, and some woman walks up to *her* and says, "How sweet, a future mom," and she replies, "I'm not pregnant," and the woman just insists, "Oh yes, you look like you are." 😲🤣Then she turns to me and asks, "What a cute baby, how long did it take you to give birth? Was the pain intense?" I just told her, "Not really, I was reading the Wall Street Journal at the table and didn't feel a thing." 😂

Elizabeth Edwards10 said:I honestly can't stand any of you who claim birth was easy. Mine lasted nine hours and it was brutally painful, though it passed and most of the memory has faded. It's something that happens and then it's over. In two years, I could do it again. It also annoyed me how everyone felt the need to tell me their entire life story. Pregnant women seem to be magnets for lunatics, but get used to it, because it won't be any different once the baby arrives. Just the other day, I was walking with a friend who isn't pregnant, and some woman walks up to *her* and says, "How sweet, a future mom," and she replies, "I'm not pregnant," and the woman just insists, "Oh yes, you look like you are." 😲🤣Then she turns to me and asks, "What a cute baby, how long did it take you to give birth? Was the pain intense?" I just told her, "Not really, I was reading the Wall Street Journal at the table and didn't feel a thing." 😂

😂😂😂

The truth is, I don't get why these random strangers feel compelled to recount their birthing stories to me as if we belong to some private club.
And seriously, can you please leave out the graphic details? It's obvious I haven't gone through it yet.
If you went through it and survived, why assume I won't be able to do the same? Stop playing the martyr and making your struggle everyone else's problem.

I’m technically on bed rest, though I don't take it too seriously, so I still make it out for my daily coffee date with the girls at the local Starbucks... then yesterday, this acquaintance walks up to me and goes, "I heard you're on restricted activity because of a spontaneous miscarriage risk, so you really need to take it easy..." I just looked her dead in the eye and said, "Actually, there's no threat here—especially not a spontaneous one; if anything, we're looking at a premature delivery given how many weeks I've got left"—since, you know, I actually listen to my doctors instead of gossip.🙄

Lately, I’ve noticed that whenever I wake up in the morning after sleeping on my left side with a pillow tucked between my knees, I experience this intense tingling sensation—almost like pins and needles—running through my arms and legs, which really forces me to stretch out and move around a bit before I can actually get out of bed!🤷

Kimberly Flores27 said:What really gets under my skin is MM 😬

Heh, this hits home. I called up my guy to see what he wanted for dinner, since he isn't exactly starving every day (he's super weird about that), and he just tells me, "make something small." Like, what does that even mean? Am I cooking or not?!?! I told him, you're getting hot dogs since you're being such a pain! 🙂 Seriously though, why don't we have a thread for "How my husband managed to annoy me today!"?

Jacob Castillo60 said:Lately, I’ve noticed that whenever I wake up in the morning after sleeping on my left side with a pillow tucked between my knees, I experience this intense tingling sensation—almost like pins and needles—running through my arms and legs, which really forces me to stretch out and move around a bit before I can actually get out of bed!🤷

My arms have been tingling the last few days too.
We've already discussed this—it'll pass.
It's mostly just part of being pregnant.

Frank Morales6 said:I’ve had this happen more than a few times now. I walk into a perfectly normal retail store—one that doesn't even carry maternity wear or baby supplies—and I can feel myself being judged. It’s usually the sales clerks giving me that look, as if to say, "What are you even doing here? We don't have anything for you."
Why are you staring? Why can't you just mind your own business?
It isn't like I'm going to be pregnant forever. I’ll go through this, and just because I’m not exclusively shopping at Target or specialized baby boutiques doesn't mean I'm selfish or that I won't be a good mother.
I still go for my walks every single day, and I’ve probably passed most of the baby stores in the area by now. I know all the prices; I know exactly where everything is located, and I even know which shop ran out of size 6M butterfly print pajamas.
I’ve been spending most of my time walking through air-conditioned shopping malls to escape this heat, which is how I know all this.
So, whenever I catch one of those bewildered stares, I just stare right back. I wait for them to actually say something to me—and when they finally do, they’re going to hear exactly what I think.

😂😂😂
hahahahahha, meanwhile some lady in a maternity shop told me they didn't have anything in "my" size. btw, I wear a US size 8-10. 🤷

hollowmarlin49 said:Heh, this hits home. I called up my guy to see what he wanted for dinner, since he isn't exactly starving every day (he's super weird about that), and he just tells me, "make something small." Like, what does that even mean? Am I cooking or not?!?! I told him, you're getting hot dogs since you're being such a pain! 🙂 Seriously though, why don't we have a thread for "How my husband managed to annoy me today!"?

😂😂😂 It looks like we're all dealing with the exact same headache, and it's the same story over here, except I have to whip something up for my kid almost every single day and I am completely out of ideas 🤷 plus the portions are driving me crazy; everyone eats like a damn bird, and I hate wasting food, but then again, if you only make a little bit... 😠

It’s frustrating being stuck on the couch when I don't actually look the part—plus there's the constant indecision over food, the fact that I can barely sleep more than a few hours at a time, and today’s special irritation: being completely cranky for absolutely no reason 🤷 If I weren't pregnant, I'd probably just blame it on PMS, knock back two Hunter drinks, and pass out 😬 🤣

So my neighbor asks how I’m doing, and when I tell her I'm exhausted, she hits me with the "Oh, why?!" 😠

Ever since then, whenever anyone asks, I just tell them life is perfect. Everything's great, nothing's new, no aches or pains, sleeping like a baby, eating well, going to the bathroom once a day, and—just so we're clear—I am definitely not pregnant... I just put on a little weight...

I’m gonna use the exact same script for the baby, too. Everything is wonderful, the little guy nurses perfectly, sleeps through the entire night without waking up or crying, gaining weight like a champ, no rashes, no colic... just pure perfection.

hollowmarlin49 said:Heh, this hits home. I called up my guy to see what he wanted for dinner, since he isn't exactly starving every day (he's super weird about that), and he just tells me, "make something small." Like, what does that even mean? Am I cooking or not?!?! I told him, you're getting hot dogs since you're being such a pain! 🙂 Seriously though, why don't we have a thread for "How my husband managed to annoy me today!"?

I actually quite enjoy it when he teases me like that; it's a nice little boost since I tend to have low blood pressure anyway.😂

It honestly frustrates me that I can't even get up from my desk at the local clinic without my lower back absolutely killing me!

Ran into my mom's best friend today, and I ended up telling her how much it matters to him that it's a boy. She just hits me with this, "Oh, well at least he'll be happy now... since it's a boy." Honestly, it felt like a punch to the gut.🤦
Me: No, he just cares that the baby is healthy and safe...
Unbelievable.🙄
I already have a girlfriend and a boyfriend...

redpilot37 said:Ran into my mom's best friend today, and I ended up telling her how much it matters to him that it's a boy. She just hits me with this, "Oh, well at least he'll be happy now... since it's a boy." Honestly, it felt like a punch to the gut.🤦
Me: No, he just cares that the baby is healthy and safe...
Unbelievable.🙄
I already have a girlfriend and a boyfriend...

Those comments drive me absolutely insane too.
Whenever I mention we're waiting on a girl,
someone always chimes in with, "Well, at least you'll get a boy next time," or some nonsense like that...
It's constant... almost always coming from women...😲 Seriously, what is wrong with people??????????????????????????????😲 😲
And all I can think is...
"You complete idiot... if you actually knew how long we've been praying for this child, you'd shut your mouth and cover your ears..."
But instead, I just say...
"The gender doesn't matter one bit,
as long as they're healthy!!!!!!!!!!"

Yesterday, a friend asks me: "Why have you gotten so fat?" 🙄 My response: "Pregnant women aren't fat, and frankly, that was incredibly rude of you." 😠

I call my loved ones "fat" and "chubby," provided they aren't actually overweight. It’s just an affectionate nickname. I have a friend who is nearly 6'7" and weighs less than 165 pounds, yet I still call him "big guy." My visiting nurse from the clinic practically lost it laughing when she realized that was his nickname. If people are genuinely offended, fine, I can stop—but I don't see the issue. Pregnant women are naturally round, and I certainly didn't feel insulted when people commented on how huge I looked. There's no malice intended. Besides, I won't stay this size forever.

Sarah Harris5 said:So my neighbor asks how I’m doing, and when I tell her I'm exhausted, she hits me with the "Oh, why?!" 😠

Ever since then, whenever anyone asks, I just tell them life is perfect. Everything's great, nothing's new, no aches or pains, sleeping like a baby, eating well, going to the bathroom once a day, and—just so we're clear—I am definitely not pregnant... I just put on a little weight...

I’m gonna use the exact same script for the baby, too. Everything is wonderful, the little guy nurses perfectly, sleeps through the entire night without waking up or crying, gaining weight like a champ, no rashes, no colic... just pure perfection.

I take the opposite approach. I tell everyone I'm tired, that I've had enough, that my back hurts here, this is annoying there, and this is irritating that—then I add that I know it's all totally normal 😉
Besides, I'm just not the type to answer "How are you?" with some canned "Everything's great, nothing new" response. Honestly, who cares. I know most people just ask out of habit and don't actually give a damn about the details—it's just become a social script... so it really gets under my skin when I actually ask someone (because I only ask when I genuinely want to know) and they hit me with the "Oh, everything's lovely..." yeah, right 🙄 That's why I tend to avoid talking to a lot of people 🤣

Amanda Reed4 said:Those comments drive me absolutely insane too.
Whenever I mention we're waiting on a girl,
someone always chimes in with, "Well, at least you'll get a boy next time," or some nonsense like that...
It's constant... almost always coming from women...😲 Seriously, what is wrong with people??????????????????????????????😲 😲
And all I can think is...
"You complete idiot... if you actually knew how long we've been praying for this child, you'd shut your mouth and cover your ears..."
But instead, I just say...
"The gender doesn't matter one bit,
as long as they're healthy!!!!!!!!!!"

To people like that, I’d honestly tell them where to shove it, though I probably wouldn't be very polite about it... seriously, what an issue. At the end of the day, if there were no girls, there wouldn't be any boys... where do they get off assuming everyone is desperate for a son??

Truthfully, neither my partner nor I actually planned to have a kid 🤣 And honestly, now that we're in this situation, I'd prefer a girl... while he was basically acting like a toddler when he found out it's a boy... but that doesn't mean I won't love our little guy, nor does it mean he wouldn't love a little girl... he tells me, "Next one will be a girl," and I tell him I'll have to think twice before putting myself at "risk" of being surrounded by three boys 😬