What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

Haha, I feel so much better now... I honestly had this nagging feeling that everyone else was married to these mature, wonderful men who truly value everything their wives do and can't wait to lend a hand 😉

Arthur Mitchell said:But it shouldn't just be about the baby; it's about every other little "charm" of running a household. Let Mom go out and grab a nice coffee with a friend while he's on duty.☕
...And meanwhile, lunch needs to be ready, the house needs to be spotless, the laundry needs to be folded and hung up, the dishes done... you know, all that endless loop of stuff we women handle that everyone just assumes happens by magic. No husband ever truly appreciates or even realizes how much of our lives is swallowed up by it.
Anyway, sorry for the rant! This forum is such a great place to vent!👍

I don't get why people think I'm being extra by insisting everything is organized and the house is totally set before I give birth—it's because I know if I don't do it now, things are gonna be a total mess when I finally walk through the door from the hospital.

Morgan Barnes3 said:Haha, I feel so much better now... I honestly had this nagging feeling that everyone else was married to these mature, wonderful men who truly value everything their wives do and can't wait to lend a hand 😉

I’ll tell you all about it once I’m finally home from the maternity ward—right now, while I’m still relatively intact, I can't even fully wrap my head around how much it helps. Everything feels like one big improvisation at this point, especially when I end up raising my voice, which, honestly, isn't really my style.

Elizabeth Chavez33 said:Oh, please... they would all love to swap with us because... what exactly are we doing? We're just sitting at home, right? Just "babysitting" all day.🙄
But the second they actually have to stay home and watch the kid for an hour or two, they lose their minds. They're constantly glued to their phones, snapping at everyone and texting us to ask when we'll be back.😂
And don't even get me started on the physical pain. It’s been proven time and again that they're total wimps when it comes to actual discomfort. I’d really love to see how they’d handle labor.😂 😂

They can't even find their own socks without help. It's instant phone usage—"Which yogurt should I buy?" or "Is it time for the baby to eat yet?"😂
It's enough to drive you insane! Then I walk through the door after a long day, and the house looks like a disaster zone because he was supposedly "watching the baby," and naturally, I'm the one left to clean up the mess. And the physical toll? Don't even get me started... they act like babies themselves! Total wimps.😂

Arthur Mitchell said:They can't even find their own socks without help. It's instant phone usage—"Which yogurt should I buy?" or "Is it time for the baby to eat yet?"😂
It's enough to drive you insane! Then I walk through the door after a long day, and the house looks like a disaster zone because he was supposedly "watching the baby," and naturally, I'm the one left to clean up the mess. And the physical toll? Don't even get me started... they act like babies themselves! Total wimps.😂

Look, I have never understood this... how can they not know where things are located? They live in that house😕 and everything stays in the exact same spot every single day.....

I mean, fine, my partner can handle a few small chores while I'm out (seeing a doctor or whatever), but then he has to spend the entire rest of the day "resting" because he's just *so* exhausted😂 (and I've only been gone for maybe two hours)

Morgan Barnes3 said:Even better—maybe husbands could step up a bit more so moms can actually get some rest... 😁
It honestly drives me crazy when men act like they think I’m going to have "the best time ever" during postpartum. Like, oh, you'll be home for a year! He actually told me he’d gladly swap places with me in a heartbeat—that he'd happily deal with the labor, the breastfeeding, the sleep deprivation, and all the other "joys" of motherhood just to stay home. It seriously makes my skin crawl because I just don't think he realizes how incredibly tough it is for young moms. Honestly, there are moments when I just want to strangle him! 🙂

My husband was amazing at it. He was up every single morning at 5:00 AM. From day one, we set up a "night shift" rotation: one night I’d handle the baby crying, and the next night was his turn. He never once complained about being tired the next day, and he took over bath time every single evening since I spent the whole day bonded with our little girl.
We were able to do that because, unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to breastfeed for almost a month after giving birth, so I ended up losing my milk supply anyway.
I really hope we can keep this tradition going with our next little angel. 🤣

Bubba said:Well, good for our husbands then!!! They are living in an absolute fairy tale! Honestly, I’d love to live in one too. Only in my dreams—actually, maybe not even there.
It seems we’re all in the same boat! Ugh, knowing that doesn't make it any easier, but I have to admit, it would be even harder if I knew other men were actually better and more attentive. From what I can see, that's an impossible mission, or at least a massive rarity.

I’d call it a rarity... because, you know, I know a father who heads out to work in the morning and comes back in the evening...
but before he leaves, he handles everything with the baby (changing, playing, etc.), and when he gets home, he cooks, cleans, changes the baby again, gives them a bath, plays with them...
I honestly just wonder what his wife does all day that she can't manage anything around the house 🙄 and I hope she realizes how lucky she is to have a husband like that, because so many of us would love it if our husbands did something like that just once a week.

Elizabeth Chavez33 said:I’d call it a rarity... because, you know, I know a father who heads out to work in the morning and comes back in the evening...
but before he leaves, he handles everything with the baby (changing, playing, etc.), and when he gets home, he cooks, cleans, changes the baby again, gives them a bath, plays with them...
I honestly just wonder what his wife does all day that she can't manage anything around the house 🙄 and I hope she realizes how lucky she is to have a husband like that, because so many of us would love it if our husbands did something like that just once a week.

😳 Here’s my experience. I usually took care of the lighter chores while he handled the heavy lifting, though I’ll admit I would have been happier if things were distributed differently. Still, I truly value having a guy like him and wouldn't trade him for anyone, not even Dick.😁
Maybe the wife actually has a medical reason why she can't handle the housework, though personally, I don't see cooking or dusting being that difficult.🤷

driftingeagle65 said:😳 Here’s my experience. I usually took care of the lighter chores while he handled the heavy lifting, though I’ll admit I would have been happier if things were distributed differently. Still, I truly value having a guy like him and wouldn't trade him for anyone, not even Dick.😁
Maybe the wife actually has a medical reason why she can't handle the housework, though personally, I don't see cooking or dusting being that difficult.🤷

👍 Kudos to both the husband and you for being able to appreciate that

And let’s be real—that woman clearly doesn't have some medical condition stopping her from at least making lunch... because if she has enough energy to hit up coffee shops or go visit friends, then she can get off her butt and cook a meal for her husband.😉

Elizabeth Chavez33 said:👍 Kudos to both the husband and you for being able to appreciate that

And let’s be real—that woman clearly doesn't have some medical condition stopping her from at least making lunch... because if she has enough energy to hit up coffee shops or go visit friends, then she can get off her butt and cook a meal for her husband.😉

She’s got a chronic case of laziness,😁 I know someone just like her.
But honestly, his mother was the one who really drove me crazy. According to her, my struggles were nothing compared to what they went through, yet that didn't stop her from scrubbing the carpets at our house just a week after I gave birth.🙄 And then there were all those ridiculous old wives' tales. About a week before I was due, I washed all the secondhand baby clothes and hung them up to dry overnight, only to have her screaming, "Get those clothes inside! You're going to bring bad luck onto the baby!"😢😲
What kind of superstition is that? It was the same deal after the birth—don't you dare have guests over at night or you'll invite bad vibes toward the baby. My little one was born at 9 months, then 10 months... by then, the "bad luck" had already arrived around 8 PM!

Morgan Barnes3 said:Haha, I feel so much better now... I honestly had this nagging feeling that everyone else was married to these mature, wonderful men who truly value everything their wives do and can't wait to lend a hand 😉

🤣🤣well, you've certainly lifted my spirits 😁

my darling is anything but mature... I practically have to draw him a roadmap just to get him to do a single chore, because otherwise, he could walk right over my dead body and I wouldn't even notice 🤣

then again, he is a good man and he actually follows through once I tell him what needs doing... it's just the constant need to micromanage every little thing that gets under my skin 🙄

anyway, back to the point...

I'm still mostly annoyed by those women who act like they're the smartest people in the room and assume I'm some kind of idiot who won't survive without their "expert" advice. Sure, this is my first pregnancy, but I do my research... and frankly, I probably know more than they do with their outdated, old-fashioned notions 🙄
look, I don't mind a bit of advice, but when they start lecturing me and trying to force their opinions on me... I just lose it 😠

and then there's my mother-in-law... she drives me crazy because she feels the need to comment on every single word out of my mouth. She acts like she's the most capable woman on the planet, and clearly, I'll never measure up to her standards since apparently everything I do is easier than what she endured 🙄 at this rate, she'll be claiming she floated through her pregnancy while I'm just here, miserably walking 🤣

Thomas Gonzalez9 said:🤣🤣well, you've certainly lifted my spirits 😁

my darling is anything but mature... I practically have to draw him a roadmap just to get him to do a single chore, because otherwise, he could walk right over my dead body and I wouldn't even notice 🤣

then again, he is a good man and he actually follows through once I tell him what needs doing... it's just the constant need to micromanage every little thing that gets under my skin 🙄

anyway, back to the point...

I'm still mostly annoyed by those women who act like they're the smartest people in the room and assume I'm some kind of idiot who won't survive without their "expert" advice. Sure, this is my first pregnancy, but I do my research... and frankly, I probably know more than they do with their outdated, old-fashioned notions 🙄
look, I don't mind a bit of advice, but when they start lecturing me and trying to force their opinions on me... I just lose it 😠

and then there's my mother-in-law... she drives me crazy because she feels the need to comment on every single word out of my mouth. She acts like she's the most capable woman on the planet, and clearly, I'll never measure up to her standards since apparently everything I do is easier than what she endured 🙄 at this rate, she'll be claiming she floated through her pregnancy while I'm just here, miserably walking 🤣

It’s infuriating because they make it seem like I'm incompetent, like I can't care for my own child or handle basic tasks properly. Their way is the only right way, and mine is somehow wrong. It's always that same tired logic.
In the beginning, all this constant nagging really got to me—I even cried about it—but at no point did I ever doubt my own decisions. I continued to do what I felt was right, rather than following the orders of everyone else.
This is my child. I am the one who will raise them, and I will do things my way (though I might let my husband weigh in 😂 if I actually agree with his perspective 😂).

It is truly pathetic that instead of providing genuine support to expectant mothers, people choose to exhaust them and belittle every move they make.👎

Elizabeth Chavez33 said:Look, I have never understood this... how can they not know where things are located? They live in that house😕 and everything stays in the exact same spot every single day.....

I mean, fine, my partner can handle a few small chores while I'm out (seeing a doctor or whatever), but then he has to spend the entire rest of the day "resting" because he's just *so* exhausted😂 (and I've only been gone for maybe two hours)

It’s unbelievable! And the worst part is when he asks where something is—even though, mind you, he’s been living here for five years now—he gets the answer, and then ten minutes later, it’s like he’s never heard it before! He asks again and again and again!!! It drives me absolutely insane, and honestly, it feels pretty disrespectful too. He knows I’ll just end up telling him anyway, so why bother taxing his brain with useless information?
And sometimes, when I tell him exactly where something is, he’ll open a drawer, look right at it, and say, "It's not here." I swear, I lose my mind! I want to tell him, "Don't make me come over there and find it myself!" Once he realizes I'm serious, suddenly he manages to find that one tiny little thing tucked away in a drawer that’s basically the size of a coffee table. Like, hello?! It’s clearly a byproduct of having mothers who did everything for them, and now we’re the ones stuck dealing with the fallout because we can't exactly un-spoil them.
Don't get me wrong, I love my man, but this specific habit... 😠!
He absolutely loves playing with our little one, which is wonderful, really. But he doesn't seem to realize that I’d also love to have some playtime, provided he handles everything else. He gets home from work at the same time I do... I cook, we eat, he plays with the kid... then I’m the one scrambling, bathing the baby, and getting them ready for bed, while he uses that time to take a long shower so he can go straight to sleep. Then, of course, he has the nerve to ask me when I'm coming to bed or if I'll be much longer. 😠 If he played a little less, or spent less time reading the paper or watching the game and actually helped me with half the housework, we’d actually be heading to bed at the same time. Every once in a while, we do manage to crash together 🙏, but it’s incredibly rare.

Anyway, I know I'm totally going off on a tangent here, but he just pushes my buttons! 😉

driftingeagle65 said:She’s got a chronic case of laziness,😁 I know someone just like her.
But honestly, his mother was the one who really drove me crazy. According to her, my struggles were nothing compared to what they went through, yet that didn't stop her from scrubbing the carpets at our house just a week after I gave birth.🙄 And then there were all those ridiculous old wives' tales. About a week before I was due, I washed all the secondhand baby clothes and hung them up to dry overnight, only to have her screaming, "Get those clothes inside! You're going to bring bad luck onto the baby!"😢😲
What kind of superstition is that? It was the same deal after the birth—don't you dare have guests over at night or you'll invite bad vibes toward the baby. My little one was born at 9 months, then 10 months... by then, the "bad luck" had already arrived around 8 PM!

I mean, sure, maybe you wouldn't want some germ-filled stranger touching the clothes and causing a 😂 mess, but still—some women actually swear by that stuff. Personally, the only reason I dry the laundry indoors is because we live out in the country where the ragweed and other airborne allergens are just brutal, and I definitely don't want my kid dealing with allergy issues right out of the gate.

Elizabeth Chavez33 said:It’s infuriating because they make it seem like I'm incompetent, like I can't care for my own child or handle basic tasks properly. Their way is the only right way, and mine is somehow wrong. It's always that same tired logic.
In the beginning, all this constant nagging really got to me—I even cried about it—but at no point did I ever doubt my own decisions. I continued to do what I felt was right, rather than following the orders of everyone else.
This is my child. I am the one who will raise them, and I will do things my way (though I might let my husband weigh in 😂 if I actually agree with his perspective 😂).

It is truly pathetic that instead of providing genuine support to expectant mothers, people choose to exhaust them and belittle every move they make.👎

There's a reason people say a mother's instinct is never wrong. 👍

ironrider20 said:I mean, sure, maybe you wouldn't want some germ-filled stranger touching the clothes and causing a 😂 mess, but still—some women actually swear by that stuff. Personally, the only reason I dry the laundry indoors is because we live out in the country where the ragweed and other airborne allergens are just brutal, and I definitely don't want my kid dealing with allergy issues right out of the gate.

Honestly, my partner and everyone else has been driving me crazy about this. They really think we should just wait until the baby arrives before buying anything, which would be a total disaster 🙄. That’s why we don't have a stroller, crib, or changing table yet (we actually found some stuff today since I insisted we get things ready now). We do have the tiny clothes and small essentials, though.
I can't exactly imagine him managing everything alone while I'm stuck in the hospital for three days...

Elizabeth Chavez33 said:you aren't exactly a tank... you're actually quite 😉

I'm right there with you, haha.😂

Morgan Barnes3 said:Haha, looks like my weight has sparked quite the debate! Personally, when I think of "skinny," I'm picturing those runway model types—and that’s definitely not me, nor is it a look I’m ever interested in chasing. Honestly, nobody has ever called me skinny; people have always just put me in the "average" category, which is why I said I wouldn't call myself thin. I'm actually really happy with my body, and right now, I'm just sitting here happily enjoying some ice cream 🤣

I’d also love to join MrBeast in figuring out how to save up enough sleep for later in the day... haha, seriously though, if we actually found the secret to that, we'd be looking at a Nobel Prize

those girls fall into the anorexia category😉
Look, you didn't cause any real debate. We're all just messing around here.🙂

Morgan Barnes3 said:Haha, looks like my weight has sparked quite the debate! Personally, when I think of "skinny," I'm picturing those runway model types—and that’s definitely not me, nor is it a look I’m ever interested in chasing. Honestly, nobody has ever called me skinny; people have always just put me in the "average" category, which is why I said I wouldn't call myself thin. I'm actually really happy with my body, and right now, I'm just sitting here happily enjoying some ice cream 🤣

I’d also love to join MrBeast in figuring out how to save up enough sleep for later in the day... haha, seriously though, if we actually found the secret to that, we'd be looking at a Nobel Prize

That's one of the dumber pieces of advice out there...
I mean, someone please enlighten me... how exactly am I supposed to stockpile sleep?

Elizabeth Chavez33 said:Oh, please... they would all love to swap with us because... what exactly are we doing? We're just sitting at home, right? Just "babysitting" all day.🙄
But the second they actually have to stay home and watch the kid for an hour or two, they lose their minds. They're constantly glued to their phones, snapping at everyone and texting us to ask when we'll be back.😂
And don't even get me started on the physical pain. It’s been proven time and again that they're total wimps when it comes to actual discomfort. I’d really love to see how they’d handle labor.😂 😂

Yeah, right. As if.😂

When it comes to keeping things tidy, I'm a solid 5 out of 10. I definitely fall short there.
But if I don't get my act together, he's already given me that look—the one that makes it very clear I won't be hearing any excuses.

I swear, I went gray from the stress of him in a heartbeat.😠

The bottom line is this: we reached an agreement. I handle the bulk of the daytime and nighttime shifts during the week, and he steps up once he's off work and throughout the weekends... just so I can actually catch my breath for once.

We'll see if he actually follows through, though.

As for the pain... please. If he gets a minor head cold, it's a national emergency. Imagine if he had to deal with actual monthly cramps. He'd be hitting up the ER every twenty-eight days.

Ronald Williams9....your last sentence actually reminded me of my father....if his temperature hits 98.5, he starts drafting his will and planning his own funeral😂😂
and my mother, if she hits that same mark, just collapses into bed and waits for the end😂
they are unbelievable🤣

yet, nobody ever asks me what happens when I’m running a 102-degree fever. Do I get to stay in bed? No. Do I get help with the kids, the cooking, or the cleaning?
Not a soul....because I'm expected to handle it all alone.
I have never once driven my child to the pediatrician while feeling like death warmed over—and I mean truly, barely able to stand up straight kind of sick.🙄
Look, in our house, I'm the only one behind the wheel, but even then....I practically have to beg my mom to go with me because it's so hard to manage everything solo (especially when I'm ill), and hearing her say, "Why do I really have to go?" absolutely infuriates me.
He loves his son—don't get me wrong, he adores him—but when it comes down to actually getting off the couch and doing something, suddenly there are endless excuses about how much his head hurts.🙄

Ronald Williams9 said:Yeah, right. As if.😂

When it comes to keeping things tidy, I'm a solid 5 out of 10. I definitely fall short there.
But if I don't get my act together, he's already given me that look—the one that makes it very clear I won't be hearing any excuses.

I swear, I went gray from the stress of him in a heartbeat.😠

The bottom line is this: we reached an agreement. I handle the bulk of the daytime and nighttime shifts during the week, and he steps up once he's off work and throughout the weekends... just so I can actually catch my breath for once.

We'll see if he actually follows through, though.

As for the pain... please. If he gets a minor head cold, it's a national emergency. Imagine if he had to deal with actual monthly cramps. He'd be hitting up the ER every twenty-eight days.

Oh my goodness, reading that sentence made me realize that, as much as it sounds terrible, I am actually incredibly jealous of you!!!😉😉😉
I think my husband might be the absolute gold standard for laziness. I tend to blame his mom because he was an only child, and his parents and grandma basically treated him like he was made of gold. When we first started living together, it drove me absolutely crazy; I had total nervous breakdowns over how lazy he was. I kept thinking he’d eventually change, but unfortunately, nothing ever did. Now, I just lose my mind a little less because I’ve somewhat accepted the situation. Since he barely touches the mess, if he never helps me tidy up, he can't exactly complain about whether I've cleaned, cooked, or done the laundry...🤷

Now, while I'd love for him to show me a bit more affection and care while I'm pregnant, 😉 it would be nice if he didn't just tell me how "great" things are for me now simply because I'm handling this pregnancy relatively well and getting to hang out at home all day. Yesterday, I spent two hours ironing, and my back and legs were absolutely killing me. On top of that, I wasn't feeling great earlier in the day, yet there he was, playing video games all afternoon, only to flop onto the bed and gloomily remark that I have no idea how lucky I am... oh my god!! 🙂 Well, I feel better now that I've vented. 🙂