What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

Ugh, I am seriously losing my mind because this cold has hit me so hard. I’m coughing like crazy, and honestly, every time I hack, I feel like my uterus is actually going to pop out of my body. To make matters even worse, I’ve got gestational diabetes, so my list of "safe" things is basically non-existent right now. I went down to the CVS, but they were being so incredibly strict about what I can and can't take.
They don't even carry any sugar-free syrups.
So, I thought I’d be smart and just brew some marshmallow root tea since I know that’s usually fine... then it hits me—it has natural sugars in it, which means it’s a total no-go for me too!
🙂

I remember standing in line at the checkout once, keeping a perfectly respectful distance from the next person, when this old guy just brushes right past me like I’m invisible and starts dumping his groceries on the belt. It was like I was nothing more than a piece of store decor to him. Honestly, it's a miracle I didn't lose my cool and start yelling right then and there.

Linda Ward312 said:Ugh, I am seriously losing my mind because this cold has hit me so hard. I’m coughing like crazy, and honestly, every time I hack, I feel like my uterus is actually going to pop out of my body. To make matters even worse, I’ve got gestational diabetes, so my list of "safe" things is basically non-existent right now. I went down to the CVS, but they were being so incredibly strict about what I can and can't take.
They don't even carry any sugar-free syrups.
So, I thought I’d be smart and just brew some marshmallow root tea since I know that’s usually fine... then it hits me—it has natural sugars in it, which means it’s a total no-go for me too!
🙂

I used to drink marshmallow root tea too... 🤔

Linda Ward312 said:Ugh, I am seriously losing my mind because this cold has hit me so hard. I’m coughing like crazy, and honestly, every time I hack, I feel like my uterus is actually going to pop out of my body. To make matters even worse, I’ve got gestational diabetes, so my list of "safe" things is basically non-existent right now. I went down to the CVS, but they were being so incredibly strict about what I can and can't take.
They don't even carry any sugar-free syrups.
So, I thought I’d be smart and just brew some marshmallow root tea since I know that’s usually fine... then it hits me—it has natural sugars in it, which means it’s a total no-go for me too!
🙂

I totally get it...
My cough isn't that bad, but my throat has been absolutely killing me lately—feeling a bit better today though. I just grabbed some propolis spray on my own, even though the label obviously says not to use it while pregnant. Every time I look up a tea to drink, it either says "don't touch" or "use sparingly"... 🙂🙂🙂 I've been drinking lemon teas, but the sourness is starting to get on my nerves, so I figured I'd try sweetening them slightly with some GI control juice 🙂

Honestly, what gets under my skin the most is how overbearing my in-laws are being. Look, I know they love me, but god—the constant unsolicited advice is killing me:
-you need to eat this and that because it's high in iron (I’m naturally pale, but my iron levels are totally fine)
-be careful on the stairs
-watch yourself getting out of the tub, go buy one of those non-slip mats so you don't fall
-go get that fancy linen cloth—I can't even remember what it was—so someone can sew custom towels for the baby😲 - I was so stunned by that last one I didn't even know how to respond, so my husband just chimed in for me since I was completely blanking. And of course, I immediately went out and bought four baby towels just so if they bring up that idea again, I can tell them I'm already covered...

My weekend was a complete disaster...
The little one is still dragging through bronchitis (it’s been three weeks now), and my husband’s tooth has been acting up, which naturally means he’s in a terrible mood. He’s been dealing with a toothache for two days and acts like his life is ending... meanwhile, I’ve been dealing with debilitating back, hip, and pelvic pain for two months straight (and the worst is yet to come since I’m in my third trimester). When I try to vent, I just get told it’s "normal" because I'm pregnant. Fine, I know it’s normal, but that doesn't make it hurt any less, does it? 🙂
And then there's him—everyone's coddling him, "Oh, poor guy, your tooth hurts..." It’s enough to drive you insane.
As for the kid, she’s being a total brat because the coughing is irritating her and everything hurts.
So, yeah... I'm a bit on edge today because I am EXHAUSTED from lack of sleep.
And when I mentioned being sleep-deprived, someone actually had the nerve to tell me the toddler is just "training" me for the new baby... honestly, if I don't lose it on someone soon, I might just snap.

That’s pretty standard for guys, though, since their pain tolerance tends to be significantly lower than ours. I honestly can't imagine how they'd manage if they were the ones dealing with the intensity of childbirth...

Frank Scott said:I totally get it...
My cough isn't that bad, but my throat has been absolutely killing me lately—feeling a bit better today though. I just grabbed some propolis spray on my own, even though the label obviously says not to use it while pregnant. Every time I look up a tea to drink, it either says "don't touch" or "use sparingly"... 🙂🙂🙂 I've been drinking lemon teas, but the sourness is starting to get on my nerves, so I figured I'd try sweetening them slightly with some GI control juice 🙂

For my throat, I've just been sucking on those sugar-free blackcurrant lozenges.
I ended up picking up some Biogen pills just to help clear out the congestion a little.
Man, propolis didn't even cross my mind, and honestly, that stuff sounds like it could be pretty nasty anyway.

Laura Barnes42 said:I had mentally braced myself for this moment, but I honestly didn't expect it to be quite this grating. It’s such a strange, awkward sensation to deal with—people just reaching out to touch my stomach and trying to strike up a conversation with the baby.🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

And then there's the hair loss on top of everything else. 🙂

That drives me absolutely crazy. Everyone thinks they have the right, even if it only happens once in a while, though I doubt it's that rare...

It honestly drives me crazy when I go over to my mother-in-law's house and she immediately tries to shove her face against my stomach. I actually had to tell her straight up that it bothers me—only my husband should be kissing my belly and talking to the baby like that.
I don't mind at all when one of my close friends touches my bump. For instance, I was out grabbing coffee with a friend yesterday, and she kept patting my stomach throughout our chat. It didn't bother me one bit because she’s been by my side since day one of this pregnancy; she's seen me through all the ups and downs, and I know her excitement is completely genuine.

casualnomad18 said:It honestly drives me crazy when I go over to my mother-in-law's house and she immediately tries to shove her face against my stomach. I actually had to tell her straight up that it bothers me—only my husband should be kissing my belly and talking to the baby like that.
I don't mind at all when one of my close friends touches my bump. For instance, I was out grabbing coffee with a friend yesterday, and she kept patting my stomach throughout our chat. It didn't bother me one bit because she’s been by my side since day one of this pregnancy; she's seen me through all the ups and downs, and I know her excitement is completely genuine.

Exactly. We still have those inner circles of people who can be affectionate, and then there are others who just shouldn't.🙄
My mother-in-law keeps trying to lift my shirt up, and honestly, I just snap at her and say no!
A pregnant woman isn't some public exhibit for everyone to touch.

My mother-in-law is actually reasonable... she hasn't even tried to touch my belly yet. Back during my first pregnancy, I was the one who asked her if she wanted to try for a little girl, and she was thrilled.
Then this past Saturday, I got a pleasant surprise when a friend actually asked if she could rub my stomach.😍She was the first person to ever ask for permission.😁

What still gets under my skin, though, is all the constant advice:
"You need to take it easy"
"Don't overexert yourself"
"You should be resting more"

It’s all just empty noise. I have a high-energy toddler running around the house and a mountain of chores that won't get done unless my husband or I handle them. It's funny how everyone is an expert on what I should do, as long as they don't actually have to lift a finger.🙂

My mother-in-law is honestly such a wonderful woman because she has never once spoken a harsh word to me or even given me a dirty look, but ever since I became pregnant, my tolerance for nonsense has plummeted and she’s started feeling incredibly draining.
For instance:
- First off, she actually thought it would be a great idea if I just came home from the hospital for a few days and then we all headed straight to the beach for the rest of the summer. To be honest, I am not comfortable with that idea at all because since Jack is our first baby, I have no idea how I’m going to handle everything, and with my hormones acting up, I’d much rather spend those initial weeks just being with my husband and enjoying our little family.
- Then we got back from shopping on Saturday and they dropped off our dog since he was staying with them, and she immediately starts asking what I bought. When I show her, she starts giving me all this unsolicited advice about how I shouldn't have bought those pacifiers or sun hats because I don't need them. She even mentioned that a 48-year-old colleague of hers said that Nuclear products are the absolute best. And then there's the comment about how it's not good to apply lotion every single day because it's bad for your skin, which is ridiculous because if I don't moisturize for ten minutes after my bath, I end up scratching myself raw by morning because my skin is so sensitive and dry.
- She also keeps questioning why I've already bought so much when there is still plenty of time left. I told her that I prefer to hunt for sales so I can spread out the expenses over a few months instead of dropping everything at once, but she just insists that there will always be more sales coming. She seems to forget that once wedding season kicks in, my husband works all week and then spends his entire weekend photographing weddings, so we won't have any time to go on a dedicated shopping trip.
- Finally, she keeps insisting that it would be best for our dog to stay at their house for a month once Jack is born, but I simply told her that isn't happening because he won't be the first or last dog to join a pack with a new baby.

I mean, I’m not exactly shocked, but honestly? This just makes my blood boil...

1. So, my mother-in-law recently dropped this absolute bombshell on me (right after I got home from the hospital) claiming that my face was starting to "prepare itself" for childbirth. Like, can someone please explain what that even means? I’m still totally lost, especially since I was only 24 weeks along at the time.

2. Then—and this has nothing to do with being pregnant, I assume—she goes out of her way to say I act like some hardcore, old-school Southern extremist. Again, totally nonsensical, but definitely not exactly a compliment.
IBM says she's originally from some tiny rural town in the Deep South, so I guess that's why she keeps making these weird, outdated comparisons...

Rachel Brooks4 said:I mean, I’m not exactly shocked, but honestly? This just makes my blood boil...

1. So, my mother-in-law recently dropped this absolute bombshell on me (right after I got home from the hospital) claiming that my face was starting to "prepare itself" for childbirth. Like, can someone please explain what that even means? I’m still totally lost, especially since I was only 24 weeks along at the time.

2. Then—and this has nothing to do with being pregnant, I assume—she goes out of her way to say I act like some hardcore, old-school Southern extremist. Again, totally nonsensical, but definitely not exactly a compliment.
IBM says she's originally from some tiny rural town in the Deep South, so I guess that's why she keeps making these weird, outdated comparisons...

Hahaha, a Southern extremist?! That's a new one on me. Why don't you ask her if there's any distinction between different types of extremists in her neck of the woods? 🤣🤣🤣 I'm actually cracking up here. It sounds like you might have married into a family from a similar region as mine.

As for the face thing, people told me my features changed around week 14. I have no clue what that implies to anyone else, but apparently, everyone can tell just by looking at me that I'm having a girl. According to that old superstition from my dad's side of the family, if you're carrying a girl, she takes all your beauty away and you end up looking a bit rough, but if it's a boy, you stay looking picture-perfect. 🤣
So, I'm guessing when they say they can tell it's a girl, they really mean you look like a total mess right now. 😂

Constant pressure:

- Just have a drink! It’s fine! I drank during my pregnancy and look, my kid turned out perfectly fine!!

ughhh! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

if I decide I’m not drinking, then I’m just not drinking. period.
and people say it a thousand times, at least once a week.

It’s honestly kind of maddening how nobody ever thinks to offer up a seat when I’m on the bus or the subway.😠🙂

I’ve actually been retired for about three months now, and I have to say, getting around has become a bit of a struggle, and standing for long periods just isn't easy for me anymore.
But everyone just acts like they don't see anything—I guess the younger crowd is too busy staring at their iPhones, while the middle-aged folks just stare blankly into space, and then you have the elderly people groaning and complaining loudly.🙂

The absolute peak of it happened the other day—I was riding the bus with my little one, who's only three, and I've got a pretty noticeable belly myself; the bus wasn't even crowded, but every single seat was taken, leaving us standing all by ourselves.🙂

People can be such jerks sometimes.☕

Laura Barnes42 said:Hahaha, a Southern extremist?! That's a new one on me. Why don't you ask her if there's any distinction between different types of extremists in her neck of the woods? 🤣🤣🤣 I'm actually cracking up here. It sounds like you might have married into a family from a similar region as mine.

As for the face thing, people told me my features changed around week 14. I have no clue what that implies to anyone else, but apparently, everyone can tell just by looking at me that I'm having a girl. According to that old superstition from my dad's side of the family, if you're carrying a girl, she takes all your beauty away and you end up looking a bit rough, but if it's a boy, you stay looking picture-perfect. 🤣
So, I'm guessing when they say they can tell it's a girl, they really mean you look like a total mess right now. 😂

I didn't marry into California, but my mother-in-law spent her 18th birthday out there, so clearly 35 years in the Midwest wasn't enough to teach her how to make normal comments during Easter lunch... 🤣
The whole idea that a baby "takes" all your beauty is just something I've heard from women before, but I don't get how my face is supposedly "preparing" for birth... like, sure, the body prepares—hips widen, Braxton Hicks, whatever—but the face?? 😕 😕

maybe for yelling and breathing? 😬

Rachel Brooks4 said:I didn't marry into California, but my mother-in-law spent her 18th birthday out there, so clearly 35 years in the Midwest wasn't enough to teach her how to make normal comments during Easter lunch... 🤣
The whole idea that a baby "takes" all your beauty is just something I've heard from women before, but I don't get how my face is supposedly "preparing" for birth... like, sure, the body prepares—hips widen, Braxton Hicks, whatever—but the face?? 😕 😕

Honestly, just let them babble on. Ever since I became pregnant, I feel like I've been a magnet for nonsense. It started with people asking where my bump is, then suddenly they’re telling me my belly is sitting too high, or even looking at my face to try and guess the gender. I'm just bracing myself for the final wave of comments: "Oh my gosh, you're so big" or "When is the baby coming?" 😁

And don't even get me started on the "well-meaning" advice.

🙂urbantinker8> People can be such jerks, and I honestly find it hard to believe that nobody ever stands up for anyone. To be fair, my only real experience with this was when a woman actually sat right on top of me on a subway once. Though, lately, I haven't even seen a bus because I've been wearing my heavy jacket, so I haven't had much chance to test that theory. Aside from that one bad encounter, I haven't had many positive experiences either.