What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

For work, I usually just whip up a salad or bring something pre-cooked for lunch. We have a microwave at the office, but if not, it’s not a big deal since it's spring anyway—just toss some carbs like brown rice, quinoa, or sweet potato with a solid protein like chicken, eggs, or lentils, and you've got a killer meal.
That way, you actually know exactly what you're eating.

To jump off what others have said—honestly, I don't follow a strict regime either. I eat cheese, grab food at the company cafeteria, eat smoked salmon, order my steak medium, drink a Coke, or have some pâté now and then.
It’s not because I can’t live without those things—far from it—it's just that I refuse to bow down to all these restrictive rules that vanish like mushrooms after a rainstorm.
In my view, it's better to take scientific facts and logic, organize them, and then act based on a mix of that data and pure instinct.
But hey, to each their own—everyone should do whatever makes them feel comfortable and secure.

I’m eating pretty much everything right now!
What really gets under my skin is how everyone around me acts like I’m just being dramatic. They think I'm exaggerating when I say that being 21 weeks into a twin pregnancy is already exhausting. It’s hard to walk, contractions start out of nowhere, and finding a comfortable way to sit during the day—or even sleep at night—feels impossible. Instead of support, I get these constant comments like, "It wasn't like this for me, I felt great!" or "There's no way you're having contractions already; that happens much later." Honestly? I only find any peace when I read online that other women carrying twins have gone through the exact same thing. It’s the only thing that convinces me I’m not actually losing my mind.

Adam Thompson7, there are plenty of women who aren't even carrying twins who feel just like you do right now. Honestly, I’ve barely been able to walk the last few days because my sciatica is acting up. My hips and ligaments are killing me since my belly has just exploded in size—it went from totally normal at 20 weeks to huge in just the last two weeks. And don't even get me started on the bloating; I eat anything at all and I swell up so much I can hardly move. People who had "easy" pregnancies won't believe me. Even my husband looks at me and asks if the doctor made a mistake and if we're actually having twins, because of how fast I've grown lately.

Sent from my iPhone using Reddit

It is driving me absolutely insane. My mother-in-law calls at least once a week, and every single time it’s the same interrogation: "So, any news on what’s going to happen?" Even though we’ve explained during our last three checkups that the doctor said it might be a boy, but they can't get a clear view yet.

The woman just won't let it go. If she calls on Tuesday to ask, she’ll be back at it again by Sunday. She’s calling me, my husband, our daughter, even my parents—just to grill them on what I supposedly told them.

I actually tried calling her out once, saying, "You already asked me this just the other day," and she just laughed and said, "Haha, well, I'm going to ask you again anyway."
And what am I supposed to do? I just end up giving the same answer.
No matter how we respond, she always follows up with that predictable line: "Well, it doesn't really matter what it turns out to be, as long as they're healthy, right? We all just love them so much..."

Then, five days later, she calls back like a broken record—same question, same answer, same comment.
I’ve stopped picking up the phone. I told my husband that I can’t listen to this anymore and that he needs to find a way to tell her to stop, because I am seriously losing my mind!

And don't even get me started on those "it's just what babies do" clichés or the unsolicited parenting advice...
I have a high-risk pregnancy, so I'm constantly dealing with anxiety and fear, but apparently, none of that matters compared to her obsession with asking, "Do we know what it's going to be yet?"!!
What am I even supposed to do about this?

Nothing much to it. If she’s drawing a blank on what to talk about, just play it cool. If that's her biggest flaw—just being a bit quiet—then honestly, just give her some polite, autopilot responses and don't overthink it.

That’s just how that generation was 😁. My grandmother used to say that the morning sickness would finally pass once you could actually feel the baby moving... that was just how people talked back then 🤣

Adam Thompson7 said:I’m eating pretty much everything right now!
What really gets under my skin is how everyone around me acts like I’m just being dramatic. They think I'm exaggerating when I say that being 21 weeks into a twin pregnancy is already exhausting. It’s hard to walk, contractions start out of nowhere, and finding a comfortable way to sit during the day—or even sleep at night—feels impossible. Instead of support, I get these constant comments like, "It wasn't like this for me, I felt great!" or "There's no way you're having contractions already; that happens much later." Honestly? I only find any peace when I read online that other women carrying twins have gone through the exact same thing. It’s the only thing that convinces me I’m not actually losing my mind.

I didn't have twins, but my pregnancy was brutal starting from week 15... I was already feeling those contractions, but everyone was just like, "Nooo, they haven't started yet, it's way too early." And I'm just sitting there thinking, okay, sure, I guess you know my body better than I do... But those comments where people brag about how great they felt—like, "I practically climbed Mount Everest in my third trimester"—those used to really get to me early on. I actually started wondering if something was wrong with me, until I realized the problem wasn't me, it was them....

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy using Reddit

Walter Thompson12 said:I didn't have twins, but my pregnancy was brutal starting from week 15... I was already feeling those contractions, but everyone was just like, "Nooo, they haven't started yet, it's way too early." And I'm just sitting there thinking, okay, sure, I guess you know my body better than I do... But those comments where people brag about how great they felt—like, "I practically climbed Mount Everest in my third trimester"—those used to really get to me early on. I actually started wondering if something was wrong with me, until I realized the problem wasn't me, it was them....

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy using Reddit

Why would there be something wrong with them? I guess that sounds a little silly to say. Every pregnancy is different, but I was one of those lucky ones who had zero issues, even in the final weeks. I stayed active and could do everything without any trouble... now that I'm pregnant again, I'm hoping it goes just as smoothly.

Anyway, it looks like I'm the one with the problem 😄

Since I’m also a newly pregnant woman, I find it incredibly grating when people who haven't even given birth act like experts on my body and how I feel. What bothers me most is being treated like I’m made of glass; everyone tries to hover and prevent me from doing anything, yet I haven't felt this good in a long time. No morning sickness, maybe just a bit of nausea in the evening, and my energy levels are fine. It’s not like I’m running marathons, but I am perfectly capable of staying active and handling my daily routine.

I'm getting poked by condescending people too. They treat me like I’m some kind of invalid who can't even tie their own shoes. It's getting exhausting, though 😁.
On the flip side, you have the people with zero empathy who act like being pregnant isn't a medical condition. They expect everything to be business as usual. Like those people on the subway who won't even offer a seat.

Sent from my LG-D855 using Reddit

silentnomad8 said:I'm getting poked by condescending people too. They treat me like I’m some kind of invalid who can't even tie their own shoes. It's getting exhausting, though 😁.
On the flip side, you have the people with zero empathy who act like being pregnant isn't a medical condition. They expect everything to be business as usual. Like those people on the subway who won't even offer a seat.

Sent from my LG-D855 using Reddit

I couldn't agree more... My husband is incredibly caring and is constantly hovering around me, refusing to let me even touch the vacuum cleaner 🤣🤣 which can be quite jarring at times, but as the pregnancy progresses and I realize how much less I'm actually able to do, I've stopped letting it get to me...
As for the other thing, oh yes, I hear that primarily from my mother and it drives me absolutely crazy; she just couldn't wrap her head around why I spent all day stuck in bed dealing with morning sickness when she used to be out working the fields every single day and didn't vomit once 🙂 but my husband always shuts her down with a firm, "Well, my wife isn't you." 🙂

Sarah Hernandez87 said:I couldn't agree more... My husband is incredibly caring and is constantly hovering around me, refusing to let me even touch the vacuum cleaner 🤣🤣 which can be quite jarring at times, but as the pregnancy progresses and I realize how much less I'm actually able to do, I've stopped letting it get to me...
As for the other thing, oh yes, I hear that primarily from my mother and it drives me absolutely crazy; she just couldn't wrap her head around why I spent all day stuck in bed dealing with morning sickness when she used to be out working the fields every single day and didn't vomit once 🙂 but my husband always shuts her down with a firm, "Well, my wife isn't you." 🙂

I think those older generations exaggerating about working in the fields every day is mostly whining. You always hear someone claiming their grandmother worked the farm right up until delivery. I suspect they have skewed memories of that era. Maybe she did go to the field, but probably worked at 30% capacity and rested way more than she actually labored, even if she remembers being there every day. And occasional nausea is nothing compared to being completely wiped out for an entire day.

wiredranger10 said:Why would there be something wrong with them? I guess that sounds a little silly to say. Every pregnancy is different, but I was one of those lucky ones who had zero issues, even in the final weeks. I stayed active and could do everything without any trouble... now that I'm pregnant again, I'm hoping it goes just as smoothly.

Anyway, it looks like I'm the one with the problem 😄

I wasn't suggesting there was anything wrong with them just because they had an easy pregnancy—God forbid! My point is that there's no need to make comments toward pregnant women who aren't as lucky and are struggling from day one... of course, not everyone is like that, don't get me wrong.🙂 My comment was really about those certain types of people I've run into... you know, the ones saying things like, "Oh, I had contractions at 39 weeks, there's no way you're having them at 20 weeks, it's probably just indigestion or something." That's the kind of thing people say when they haven't actually lived through it. If I haven't experienced something personally, I don't feel right commenting on it like that.

It’s almost been a full year since we moved to our new city
And everyone keeps asking if I’m planning to have the baby back in my old hometown.
God, why??
I mean, think about the logistics—I’d probably have to head back there at least ten days before my due date, just to stay with either my family or his... and both houses are always absolutely packed with people. So, I’d be giving birth there, and then stuck in a crowded house with a newborn until I’m finally mobile enough to make the trip back to our actual "home."
And no, it's not like we moved to some tiny rural town without a local clinic or anything—there's plenty of medical help nearby, and it's not even a question of whether someone will be available to assist me. My mom has already cleared her vacation schedule for it too...
So yeah, it’s just one of those things that is seriously getting on my nerves right now.

Betty Davis93 said:It’s almost been a full year since we moved to our new city
And everyone keeps asking if I’m planning to have the baby back in my old hometown.
God, why??
I mean, think about the logistics—I’d probably have to head back there at least ten days before my due date, just to stay with either my family or his... and both houses are always absolutely packed with people. So, I’d be giving birth there, and then stuck in a crowded house with a newborn until I’m finally mobile enough to make the trip back to our actual "home."
And no, it's not like we moved to some tiny rural town without a local clinic or anything—there's plenty of medical help nearby, and it's not even a question of whether someone will be available to assist me. My mom has already cleared her vacation schedule for it too...
So yeah, it’s just one of those things that is seriously getting on my nerves right now.

On a related note, what really gets to me is how some people assume that once the baby arrives, either my mom or my mother-in-law should basically move in to help. It's like they think I don't have a husband. As if he won't handle the housework or the baby just because he's a man.

Walter Thompson12 said:I wasn't suggesting there was anything wrong with them just because they had an easy pregnancy—God forbid! My point is that there's no need to make comments toward pregnant women who aren't as lucky and are struggling from day one... of course, not everyone is like that, don't get me wrong.🙂 My comment was really about those certain types of people I've run into... you know, the ones saying things like, "Oh, I had contractions at 39 weeks, there's no way you're having them at 20 weeks, it's probably just indigestion or something." That's the kind of thing people say when they haven't actually lived through it. If I haven't experienced something personally, I don't feel right commenting on it like that.

Reddit sorry, I totally misread that 😊

I guess I agree with everything written here.

And what about us? Are we really going back to the old house just because it’s bigger than this one? Seriously, what is the logic there???
Moving from wide-open spaces and fresh air straight into the heart of a crowded city, surrounded by a swarm of people, nosy neighbors, and constant noise, all because the square footage is higher? I mean, is my baby planning to run a full marathon through the living room or something? That's the only reason anyone would make that trade. 🤣

Sent from my EVA-L19 using Reddit

I’m constantly out of breath and feeling nauseous. Like, all the time. It doesn't even matter that I’m walking every single day, tending to my garden, or going for light bike rides—all super chill, obviously. But the second the temperature ticks up just a little bit, that shortness of breath and nausea become my two inseparable besties.

My third "bestie" is my pair of anatomical flip-flops. Since I gave birth this past June, I basically lived in them for the last month, and now I’m gearing up to wear them starting in May. Plus, I’ll be rocking them with socks, kind of like how our European neighbors dress when they hit the beach.

- Honestly, it just pisses me off that I look like a total wreck, mostly because of the weight gain.
I am so incredibly jealous of those fit moms who always look perfectly manicured. What sucks most is that I *do* take care of myself—my hair is fine, and my clothes are more about comfort than style—but I just constantly feel sloppy, disheveled, and stained (thanks to the dog, the toddler, and my own chaotic approach to life).

I feel like a shell of my former self. I miss my old wardrobe (it actually hurts my soul to look at my closet right now), my shoes, my weight, and just... my old look.
Look, I know it’s not everything, but looking good feels good. (And let's be real, I was never one to act stuck-up; I was always more the cool, eccentric type).

It really bothered me when certain people at work would make comments like, "So what? I worked right up until my last day even with high blood pressure and didn't have any issues... surely you could manage too. You can handle a few more months of this." But honestly, I was already on six different blood pressure pills and only had room for two more before hitting my limit, and I was barely halfway through my recovery. Since I've been out on medical leave, my pressure has finally stabilized back down to a normal 125/85. When I was actually working, I was sitting at 155/110 and could barely function—and that was while I was already taking four pills plus three Normals.

Nicholas Kelly said:And what about us? Are we really going back to the old house just because it’s bigger than this one? Seriously, what is the logic there???
Moving from wide-open spaces and fresh air straight into the heart of a crowded city, surrounded by a swarm of people, nosy neighbors, and constant noise, all because the square footage is higher? I mean, is my baby planning to run a full marathon through the living room or something? That's the only reason anyone would make that trade. 🤣

Sent from my EVA-L19 using Reddit

I'm not quite sure how deep in the wilderness you are right now, but have you thought about daycare or schools? I'm assuming there's some stuff nearby, right?