What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

Brian Williams4 said:So, I was waiting in line at the DMV the other day to sort out some paperwork. Naturally, the waiting room was packed, and there was only one single chair left, which was taken by this elderly man. He looked like he’d seen better days, honestly. I’m just standing there, waiting my turn, when nobody even thinks to move. Then, the woman behind the counter looks up, sees me and the old guy, and starts losing it on everyone else. She’s yelling about how people need to learn how to let pregnant women and seniors go first, telling us to step up to the window immediately. I ended up helping the gentleman up, and we both limped our way to the front together. 😁
The rest of them just rolled their eyes and huffed.
It’s happened to me a few times where people have actually pushed me out of line...
I don't mind standing if I have to, but when people get rude and entitled, I'm going to stand my ground.

Me too 🤣
I'm standing in line at Target, pulling stuff out of my cart onto the conveyor belt. This local guy with a couple of beers just pushes right in front of me—like, what is he even waiting for? 😬
Then immediately behind him, another guy shows up with a huge bottle of wine and some recycling, acting like he needs cigarettes right this second. He barely missed bumping into me, but he still shoved his way in. I just stood there staring, totally shocked.
He even had the nerve to ask me for change outside 😂 Like, get lost.

So, I headed in for my routine prenatal checkup the other day, and let me alone, the waiting room was packed with pregnant women. It was like a lineup where everyone’s bump seemed significantly further along than mine—I’m only at about 14 weeks, so I barely have anything to show for it yet. After checking in with the nurse, getting weighed, and doing the whole urine sample routine, I just sat there waiting my turn. Shortly after me, two other women arrived who were clearly much further along. One of them actually managed to cut in front of me while I was heading to the restroom, though thankfully the nurse clarified that I was still technically ahead of her in the queue. Fine. Then there was this other girl, maybe 17 or 18 years old, who breezed through all her vitals right after us. So now we're all just sitting there... for about an hour and a half. In the meantime, this little thing decided she had better things to do and went out for coffee with her boyfriend, and then started acting all high-strung because she claimed she’d been waiting for two hours already. When the woman ahead of me finally got called in, this girl was already pacing impatiently in front of the clinic doors. I actually muttered to my husband that he should probably just go in ahead of me, because I really didn't feel like dealing with the tension of being shoved aside again, especially since her partner looked like he was having a pretty rough time too. 🙂 I guess my husband thought I was overthinking it. He just told the doctor "next" instead of calling out specific names.
The girl practically lunged into the exam room. But literally a minute later, the doctor had to ask her to step back out because she started throwing a total fit about how she’d been waiting forever, how she didn't have time for this, and how the doctor was being impossibly slow. The doctor realized she’d jumped the line and basically kicked her out. She actually turned to me and asked why I even allowed her to cut, and when I pointed out that she had almost stormed past me by leaning heavily against the door, the doctor just said, "Well, now she can wait. We'll take our time, and I'm certainly not letting her boyfriend in." Such a queen!
I suppose you really can't expect anything consistent, even from fellow expectant mothers. 🙄

It feels like basic courtesy has pretty much vanished from our social fabric entirely.😢

I mean, I can’t help but think about how incredibly rude and awkward it would feel if I didn't step aside at the checkout line. Like, if a pregnant woman, a mom with a toddler, or even just an elderly person shows up with maybe two items while I'm standing there with a massive overflowing cart full of groceries, it seems only right to let them go first, doesn't it?
Or, I guess, the idea of just sitting there on the subway like some oblivious cowboy, staring blankly out the window while a heavily pregnant woman stands right next to me struggling with all her shopping bags... it just feels wrong.

But honestly, I find it hard to believe that people aren't actually being sincere when they act this way.🤮

Gestational diabetes.

I have to admit—I’m definitely not feeling "pregnant" yet—and it actually bugs me when I notice people staring at my stomach. Honestly, things like cutting in line or being given special treatment don't even cross my mind. Since I don't even view myself as pregnant right now, why should anyone else?
I assume I might change my tune toward the end, but for now, I really can't say that anything is difficult.

Chris Kim16 said:I have to admit—I’m definitely not feeling "pregnant" yet—and it actually bugs me when I notice people staring at my stomach. Honestly, things like cutting in line or being given special treatment don't even cross my mind. Since I don't even view myself as pregnant right now, why should anyone else?
I assume I might change my tune toward the end, but for now, I really can't say that anything is difficult.

It’s great that you aren't struggling.👍
Still, I think it would be perfectly fine if someone just asked whether you wanted to grab a seat on the subway or if you'd rather stand in front of them when they spot your bump...
And if you don't want to sit, you can just tell them you're fine standing for all five stops.

For me, though, things are, well, extremely difficult; both of my pregnancies have been high-risk, and I've basically been on strict bed rest since day one.
I can't really stand up or walk around properly. 😢
I’d probably bet my kidney on getting a seat on the bus, but I’m still civilized enough not to force people out of their seats on public transit. 🙂

urbantinker8 said:It’s great that you aren't struggling.👍
Still, I think it would be perfectly fine if someone just asked whether you wanted to grab a seat on the subway or if you'd rather stand in front of them when they spot your bump...
And if you don't want to sit, you can just tell them you're fine standing for all five stops.

For me, though, things are, well, extremely difficult; both of my pregnancies have been high-risk, and I've basically been on strict bed rest since day one.
I can't really stand up or walk around properly. 😢
I’d probably bet my kidney on getting a seat on the bus, but I’m still civilized enough not to force people out of their seats on public transit. 🙂

I'm also glad it hasn't been too tough for me.
I rarely use public transit, but I agree—it would be nice. It doesn't bother me much right now, though; I'm sure that'll change once things get physically demanding.
But I totally get that some women feel terrible regardless of how big their bump is—sometimes you just have to get things done. My first three or four months were a total disaster, even before anyone could tell I was pregnant, so I definitely have empathy for those who are struggling. Besides, I had these issues before I was even pregnant. It's really just about manners—some people just don't have them.

Chris Kim16 said:I'm also glad it hasn't been too tough for me.
I rarely use public transit, but I agree—it would be nice. It doesn't bother me much right now, though; I'm sure that'll change once things get physically demanding.
But I totally get that some women feel terrible regardless of how big their bump is—sometimes you just have to get things done. My first three or four months were a total disaster, even before anyone could tell I was pregnant, so I definitely have empathy for those who are struggling. Besides, I had these issues before I was even pregnant. It's really just about manners—some people just don't have them.

It seems like more and more people are losing that sense of decency, unfortunately.

It isn't about gender or age, or really anything else, I guess.
Most people just act like they fell off a cliff or something, acting completely oblivious and only looking out for themselves.😢

When I have to head into the city, I usually only go for the most essential stuff—like hitting up the bank, doctor appointments, or quick errands—so, unfortunately, I'm stuck relying on the bus or the subway.

I had an absolutely infuriating encounter today with an endocrinologist at the hospital. I have no idea what kind of delusion she is operating under; my glucose levels almost always hover below 125 mg/dL (6.9 mmol/L), and on the rare occasion they hit 130 or 135 (7.2–7.4) an hour after eating, it’s hardly a crisis. Every reputable medical resource online states that anything up to 140 (7.7) an hour post-meal is perfectly acceptable.

She condescended to me as if I were completely incompetent, lecturing me because my numbers crossed 125 a few times over the last two weeks. When I pointed out that I am nowhere near consuming the caloric amounts suggested by those guidelines, she simply insisted that I must eat everything listed, just with fewer carbs—despite the fact that I already consume far less bread than their recommendations suggest.

Frankly, I feel fine, and the baby's indicators are excellent. The little one is slightly large, but given that my husband is a towering 6'5", it stands to reason that genetics play a significant role here.

After leaving the hospital, I called my husband and just broke down in tears. He left work immediately to come pick me up, and even now, I find it difficult to regain my composure. Some women can be truly insufferable.

To make matters worse, my nerves are shot because I’ve already rescheduled my due date once, and now every casual question like "When is the big day?" or "Not here yet?" makes me want to physically lash out. I haven't even been answering texts or calls for a few days; people can be incredibly tiresome.

I find the whole situation equally maddening. I have noticed that middle-aged men from certain conservative immigrant communities here in the States tend to stare quite intensely, and frankly, it makes me want to snap at them. Usually, my approach is to simply stare right back until they realize their mistake and finally look away. Apparently, if I wanted to be treated with any semblance of decorum, I should probably just wrap myself in a burqa like their own modest women. As if that would actually solve anything.

Only 23 days left until the due date, and the interrogation has already begun:
- Why aren't you in labor yet?
- Haven't you given birth?
- You still look so "intact"?

Then there’s the other variety:
- Look how big you've gotten! (Up 28 pounds)
- Wow, look at that belly!! (I'm three weeks out, how else would I look??)

To all of this: 🙂🙂🙂

Honestly, I’m starting to think about just turning off my phone entirely...

Oh, and then there are the daily calls from my 84-year-old grandmother...
"How are you? Not at the hospital yet? You know, you really need to take it easy—no walking, just bed rest, etc..."
It’s exhausting. I’d much rather keep moving, even if it's just a slow shuffle... but no, she knows best, right?
p.s. As if I could actually rest, considering I have a two-year-old at home demanding my attention too.

Honestly, I’m just sitting here fuming. I’m eleven weeks pregnant and I’ve been dealing with this constant, dull ache since the very beginning, but whenever I try to talk about it, people just give me that patronizing look and say, "Oh, don't worry, it's totally normal until the baby actually starts kicking." Like, excuse me?? It’s incredibly frustrating when people try to dismiss physical discomfort just because it doesn't fit their little timeline of milestones. It drives me absolutely insane.

Aaron Brown7 said:Honestly, I’m just sitting here fuming. I’m eleven weeks pregnant and I’ve been dealing with this constant, dull ache since the very beginning, but whenever I try to talk about it, people just give me that patronizing look and say, "Oh, don't worry, it's totally normal until the baby actually starts kicking." Like, excuse me?? It’s incredibly frustrating when people try to dismiss physical discomfort just because it doesn't fit their little timeline of milestones. It drives me absolutely insane.

I’ve definitely had my own share of breakdowns over comments like that, especially when I was just trying to change my hair color or deal with other small things.
The older generation tends to use that phrase about waiting for the baby to "wake up" as if they mean when the movement starts, but I think it’s just because they didn't have access to monthly ultrasounds like we do now—back then, I bet they only had maybe three checkups during their entire pregnancy. For us younger moms, that kind of terminology feels almost scary. To me, my baby has been alive from the very first second, and I could already see movement on the screen by week eight. 😁
So, you either have to get used to it, or just stop asking the older crowd for their advice.😁

Laura Barnes42 said:I’ve definitely had my own share of breakdowns over comments like that, especially when I was just trying to change my hair color or deal with other small things.
The older generation tends to use that phrase about waiting for the baby to "wake up" as if they mean when the movement starts, but I think it’s just because they didn't have access to monthly ultrasounds like we do now—back then, I bet they only had maybe three checkups during their entire pregnancy. For us younger moms, that kind of terminology feels almost scary. To me, my baby has been alive from the very first second, and I could already see movement on the screen by week eight. 😁
So, you either have to get used to it, or just stop asking the older crowd for their advice.😁

Honestly, just tune them out and move on with your life. :-D

So, here we go. I’ve officially entered the second stage of being poked—the "Oh my gosh, how far along are you?" phase. It’s funny because it’s usually not even the people wearing slim-fit clothes who ask; it’s always the ones who look like they’re dressed for a baby shower. At this rate, I’m just waiting for phase three to kick in, where people start asking if I’ve given birth yet or when the big day is coming.
I have to admit, I’ve actually gotten somewhat used to the belly touching by now. Honestly. The only thing that really gets under my skin is when someone I see every single day decides they need to touch my stomach every single day, too. But then again, once the bump reaches a certain size, people stop asking where the baby is hiding because it’s pretty obvious (that was more like the first phase). Plus, people have finally stopped giving me unsolicited dietary advice, too.🤣 I guess they’ve realized there isn't much anyone can do to change things at this point.😍

It honestly grates on my nerves whenever someone has the audacity to ask if I’m just gaining weight or if I’m actually pregnant! 🙂
It’s enough to drive anyone absolutely insane.
So, naturally, my response is usually to tell them that it's actually both!

People are starting to get all bent out of shape because I’m basically calling them out for stepping all over me now that he’s gotten big.
I mean, is it really too much to ask to have a say, or at least get asked before they just start messing with my bus??

It honestly gets under my skin how every single woman I run into, whether it’s at the grocery store, walking through the park, or just riding the subway, feels the need to ask me what gender the baby is.😕
Maybe I’m just being old-fashioned or perhaps I'm just losing my mind, but I don't think I have ever once felt the urge to walk up to a total stranger on the street and ask them about their baby's sex just for the sake of it.🤷

urbantinker8, and then it gets even weirder... I’ve actually had total strangers approach me and ask if I'm breastfeeding. Like, what? Why on earth would anyone need to know that about me? 🤷
Before this happened, I honestly thought girls who posted about this stuff were just being dramatic. 🙈

Susan Martin4 said:urbantinker8, and then it gets even weirder... I’ve actually had total strangers approach me and ask if I'm breastfeeding. Like, what? Why on earth would anyone need to know that about me? 🤷
Before this happened, I honestly thought girls who posted about this stuff were just being dramatic. 🙈

I feel you on this.🙄
Honestly, one of the most annoying questions in the entire universe is: "Are you breastfeeding?" 🙂

And it wasn't just women either... men have asked me that too... 🙂🙂

Every single time, I kind of felt like grabbing a baby bottle and squirted it in their eye just so they could see for themselves. ☕