What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

Sarah Johnson7 said:the same thing !!!! That double chin drives me crazy. It just started showing up in photos out of nowhere, and of course, my husband decided this was the perfect time to start taking pictures like crazy. Just what I needed—to document my absolute heaviest phase.

Then today, my esthetician totally rubbed me the wrong way. She kept making comments about how puffy and swollen I look, as if I haven't noticed! I'm not blind, lady!!!!

My mother-in-law does this to me constantly—"Your ankles are so swollen..." and "It's been three months already..." and "Wow, your belly is huge, seriously, your stomach is just massive..." When she starts up, I just completely tune her out... and then I still have to act like everything is fine when we go to family dinners.😕
Now that I've only got 11 days left, I don't want to see anyone. Everyone is just going to harp on about it—how swollen I am, how heavy I look, how much I'm struggling, asking why I don't prop my feet up, why I won't go lie down, why this and why that.

Ladies, I’m currently 18 weeks along, and I’ve just realized that my body is already producing milk—or something very close to it. I’m seeing little spots on my nipples every single day!!!😲😲😲

At first, I honestly thought I was just overthinking things or being paranoid, but now I know better! It happens constantly, just a few drops here and there. It is honestly so gross... ugh... and it's happening so incredibly early. Has anyone else dealt with this this far into their pregnancy?! 🤣

Honestly, this uncontrollable hunger is driving me absolutely crazy sometimes!
I know I’m putting on more weight than I probably should for pregnancy—not just the healthy amount, but extra... but everyone keeps giving me the same old lines about how it’s just an excuse to eat whatever I want and that once the baby is here, things will change. That's fine, but I really do want to get back to my old self eventually. I feel like I'm losing my mind here—I'm eating because of the baby and I don't regret that, but I *do* regret those 1 AM snack attacks when my "hunger" kicks in and suddenly I'm looking for a full meal instead of just a light bite. 😁
It’s so frustrating—any time of day or night, I feel like I could eat an elephant. Or two! 🤣

Nathan Smith12 said:Ladies, I’m currently 18 weeks along, and I’ve just realized that my body is already producing milk—or something very close to it. I’m seeing little spots on my nipples every single day!!!😲😲😲

At first, I honestly thought I was just overthinking things or being paranoid, but now I know better! It happens constantly, just a few drops here and there. It is honestly so gross... ugh... and it's happening so incredibly early. Has anyone else dealt with this this far into their pregnancy?! 🤣

Honestly, it's fine.
I just think it's a sign you're going to have an insane amount of milk at the hospital, so just watch out for those sore nipples.

neonwolf6;28318997 said:]That uncontrollable hunger is honestly driving me insane sometimes![/B]
and I know I'm putting on weight—not just the standard pregnancy stuff, but way more than that... but whatever, everyone keeps telling me it's just an excuse and that I can eat whatever I want since I'll lose it after the baby is born. Whatever. I actually really want to get back in shape once this is over, but right now? I'm losing my mind. Between the baby and these cravings, I'm just eating everything in sight. I don't even regret the food itself, I just feel like a total loser when I catch myself raiding the pantry at 1 AM because some primal urge hit me and suddenly I need to eat 😁
It’s so annoying, I could seriously devour an entire elephant at any hour of the day or NIGHT. And not just one, maybe two! 🤣

Same here. As soon as I open my eyes, I need food immediately, and then I start panicking if there isn't anything in the kitchen. Then it hits me around 8 PM and if I don't have exactly what I'm craving, I just end up pissed off.

Nathan Smith12 said:Lucky you... they’re already massive...🙄 😁 😁

Look, don't go trying to pump at the hospital. You'll just end up overproducing milk and get stuck in this endless loop.

Just pack some heavy-duty diapers and when things feel too full, give them a little squeeze until the pressure lets up and everything feels a bit softer.

It’s funny how people who only see me once in a while feel the need to constantly audit my life. They act like I’m some clueless pregnant woman who can't judge her own limits—telling me when I've walked too much, when I should sit down, or how far I should drive...
Then there’s my husband, who takes the complete opposite approach and thinks I’m invincible...

I am absolutely fed up with these fluctuating numbers—one day the scale says I’ve gained three pounds, the next it claims I’ve lost five... honestly, screw this whole pregnancy thing. As if I didn't have enough real stressors to deal with, now I have to obsess over my weight at delivery and whether I'll end up looking like a total wreck once it's all over.

rustyrider20 said:I am absolutely fed up with these fluctuating numbers—one day the scale says I’ve gained three pounds, the next it claims I’ve lost five... honestly, screw this whole pregnancy thing. As if I didn't have enough real stressors to deal with, now I have to obsess over my weight at delivery and whether I'll end up looking like a total wreck once it's all over.

Between you, Frank Jackson5, and all the other women here (and there are plenty of you), you're actually pretty lucky. I'm 29 weeks in and I've already put on about 22 pounds. Anyone want some?😁
I'm retaining water, too.🤦

rustyrider20 said:Honestly, I'd take a 15 if I could... barely even counts as my starting point

If you've only managed a 6 or 7 so far, you might still have room to hit that number...

redpilot37 said:[/B]

I've heard that story before... instead of him helping me wash or vacuum the car, he expects me to do everything for him😲

I just got back from washing the car. I always go to the car wash, but I make sure my husband thinks I did it all by myself...
He’s mostly just shocked that I actually need help sometimes because I’m such a fighter. I handle everything at home, run errands, carry the heavy stuff—he basically just provides the sex and the paycheck😂 and now he acts like it's a shock when I tell him to push the cart or carry the groceries... My little snail is a bit confused. I can forgive him, but people like this drive me crazy: "Oh, why did you go to Walmart alone if you aren't feeling up to driving? Oh, sit down, you must be dizzy..."

Edward Williams8 said:I just got back from washing the car. I always go to the car wash, but I make sure my husband thinks I did it all by myself...
He’s mostly just shocked that I actually need help sometimes because I’m such a fighter. I handle everything at home, run errands, carry the heavy stuff—he basically just provides the sex and the paycheck😂 and now he acts like it's a shock when I tell him to push the cart or carry the groceries... My little snail is a bit confused. I can forgive him, but people like this drive me crazy: "Oh, why did you go to Walmart alone if you aren't feeling up to driving? Oh, sit down, you must be dizzy..."

Same story over here.😂
To him, I look like a single woman because I do everything—the shopping, the chores, all of it. He’s nowhere to be found. On Sundays, he sleeps like royalty until 1 or 2 in the afternoon.
I’m going to start demanding more from him. Especially now that I’m starting to look like a retiree myself. Tonight, I’m officially booking some massages.

It’s honestly been such a struggle today. I’ve felt nauseous and dizzy almost the entire time, which makes me feel incredibly lazy because I can barely even sit up, let alone tackle something like washing the dishes or getting anything else done. Even basic smells are driving me crazy right now; I just can't stand any kind of strong scent. I haven't actually thrown up yet, but I feel like I'm hovering right on the edge of it, and frankly, that's pretty terrifying.

Anyway, I guess I just needed to vent for a second.

I'm counting down the days until delivery, so here are my top five grievances:
5. Every single pregnancy symptom imaginable, but the heavy hitters are the constant nausea since day one and stretch marks stretching from ear to ear..
4. The sheer volume of mindless, outdated, and patronizing advice coming from everyone from my own mother to some random lady on the bus.
3. Feeling judged at every turn, whether it's regarding my paycheck or just trying to get through the line at Walmart.
2. The price gouging on maternity and baby gear is honestly insane. I also recently got burned by those ridiculous hourly rates for home help—makes me wonder why I even bothered with school when someone can make $33 just for sticking three tiles on a wall, or when you pay a premium for a scrap of cheap cotton with a printed pattern on it $33
1. My own insecurity. That irrational fear and the endless cycle of second-guessing every decision, wondering "what if," "how will we manage," and so on..

redpilot37 said:Same story over here.😂
To him, I look like a single woman because I do everything—the shopping, the chores, all of it. He’s nowhere to be found. On Sundays, he sleeps like royalty until 1 or 2 in the afternoon.
I’m going to start demanding more from him. Especially now that I’m starting to look like a retiree myself. Tonight, I’m officially booking some massages.

princess😂 😂just wait until the baby arrives, then things will get lively
He sleeps like a rock, but he'll probably just roll over while I pass out because I am such a heavy sleeper. I already told him I'm just gonna plop the baby right on his chest so she can nurse there instead.🤣🤣
The other day, he couldn't even figure out how to set up a crib canopy. He totally lost it, gave up, and went to watch a game on TV, so I just put the whole thing together in five minutes. It was hilarious watching him try to process how I nailed it so fast... guess Mom's just gonna have to make sure everything is perfect for the little one.

Check 😠
(starting from post 3006)
Seriously, go ahead and read up... I don't owe anyone an apology just because I'm pregnant and becoming a mom, ugh... 😠

I’m actually losing my mind over how superstitious people can be... Apparently, you aren't allowed to prep anything for a baby shower or guests ahead of time because "you don't know if everything will go smoothly." So what? If I don't reserve my 5 lbs of premium deli meat now, it’s just going to vanish into thin air once the baby arrives. I have to order it in advance!
Ugh, I am seriously fuming right now 😠

So I was at the clinic in Chicago today for an OGTT test. At the front desk, the lady tells me to just toss my referral slip into the little bin on the side. No big deal, right? So I do it. Right behind me, three more pregnant women show up, and she gives them all the exact same instruction. The waiting room is absolutely packed—not a single person thinks to move so we can actually sit down. We’re just standing there for like half an hour until this one guy, whose wife is also pregnant, starts getting heated at the counter because nobody is calling us up. He’s like, "Hey, shouldn't we have priority here?" And this woman has the nerve to look him dead in the eye and lie, saying, "Oh, your paperwork is already inside, they'll call you when they're ready." Like, seriously? Total lie. So I stepped up and told her straight out, "Actually, no, our papers are still sitting right here in this box." She just went dead silent. Then, thinking I couldn't hear her because I'd stepped aside, she turns to the other girl working the desk and starts bitching, "God, these pregnant women... they can't wait five minutes, always acting like it's an emergency because they gotta pee or they feel sick..." Unbelievable. Two women just sitting there gossiping about it while the room is so crowded you can barely breathe. Just awful.

Honestly, if you’re an expecting mom, don't let people like this get under your skin, because their opinions are just noise and frankly, they’d probably be better off not having kids anyway 🙄 personally, I couldn't care less what they think, though I have to admit even I get triggered sometimes when I see parents who just completely tune out their kid's crying or let them act out like total brats, which is something I absolutely won't stand for, it's honestly just sad ☕

You guys have to see what this patient just sent me 🙄
I'm not even gonna get worked up over it, I'm way too hungry 😁 I've got some veggie soup and bolognese waiting for me 😬>