What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

🙂

Honestly, human stupidity knows no bounds—are you seriously suggesting she should just lock herself away at home now because she received all those gifts? Good grief...
It isn't like she went out and ordered a bunch of baby gear just so she could have extra cash for a spa getaway—she was given things by people who simply wanted to be kind, plain and simple.
Thank goodness she actually had people willing to help her out when it mattered.

I’m with you there—if people actually had anything worth offering. Honestly, even from those I expected a little something from, I didn't see a single person step up with even a hand-me-down size 6—not even once. And believe me, I’d gladly take it. It’s just incredibly irritating.😠

I'm expecting to get a little something—at least a small gift—from my godmother, though since she ended up having a little girl, it might just be some cute little baby gear...
It’s funny because the dates actually line up perfectly within the same month, so if I were bringing my daughter along, she would have walked away with a huge haul of absolutely gorgeous stuff😢

I’ve been following this thread, and if I can offer one bit of advice based on my own experience: you haven't heard anything yet until the baby actually arrives. From those early trips to the pediatrician—the kind we never had to deal with ourselves, so people think our kids shouldn't have to either—to breastfeeding, starting solids, and the endless cycle of discipline and chaos... honestly, all of that was far more exhausting than any unsolicited pregnancy advice.

Angela Reed5 said:I’ve been following this thread, and if I can offer one bit of advice based on my own experience: you haven't heard anything yet until the baby actually arrives. From those early trips to the pediatrician—the kind we never had to deal with ourselves, so people think our kids shouldn't have to either—to breastfeeding, starting solids, and the endless cycle of discipline and chaos... honestly, all of that was far more exhausting than any unsolicited pregnancy advice.

I really feel like the hardest part hasn't even happened yet
And that's exactly what scares me...
I might just need to go get myself a 🙂 somewhere

Angela Reed5 said:I’ve been following this thread, and if I can offer one bit of advice based on my own experience: you haven't heard anything yet until the baby actually arrives. From those early trips to the pediatrician—the kind we never had to deal with ourselves, so people think our kids shouldn't have to either—to breastfeeding, starting solids, and the endless cycle of discipline and chaos... honestly, all of that was far more exhausting than any unsolicited pregnancy advice.

Man, I totally agree with her.
Like when my mother-in-law puts her hand on my stomach just two weeks postpartum and tells me the weight isn't coming off anytime soon. Touching a pregnant belly is one thing, but this is next level. Then there's the constant questioning about whether we have enough food or if the laundry is done, even though she wouldn't lift a finger to help. And then she asks a thousand times, in this shaky, overly anxious voice, if we'll be able to see the baby clearly, like she's worried she won't be able to spot it and might just leave it in a dumpster. 🙂 🙂
There's plenty more where that came from, but that's for RID.😁

feralmoose32 said:What do you think will happen when I mention I'm planning to use a private hospital for delivery? 😬
It'll probably be just as pointless as the stroller thing—she'll likely say there are plenty of public hospitals available if I really wanted to, or that it’s just such an unnecessary expense... 🙄
I mean, why does it concern them so much?
I really can't stand it when people act like they're auditing my bank account while they're sitting there drowning in credit card debt from their own car payments, furniture, summer trips, and ski vacations. 🤮

I don't even tell everyone I'm going the private route—only a select few—and honestly, some people have been nothing but judgmental... whatever... right now, I'm just saying I haven't decided where to give birth yet; I haven't settled on a single hospital or facility... period. The only time I slipped up was once when I asked about the cost of an amniocentesis... but I caught myself before it went any further.😬

As for baby gear, unfortunately, we'll be paying for everything ourselves since we're getting older...😬 most of our friends have already had their kids or aren't planning on it anytime soon... we have friends we could ask, but they won't help us because they claim they're barely scraping by (which is a total lie 😬), even though every time they show up, they're wearing designer clothes worth hundreds of dollars and would probably go broke if they actually tried to help us out...

feralmoose32 said:I really feel like the hardest part hasn't even happened yet
And that's exactly what scares me...
I might just need to go get myself a 🙂 somewhere

I won't have any trouble dealing with my own people, but when I face his, there won't be any mercy left after everything they've put me through so far...🙂

It’s honestly so frustrating how I just can't seem to stop eating sweets.🙂

I even tell my husband not to buy any candy because I know if it's in the house, I'll end up devouring everything in sight. But he just keeps doing it...😠Every single day when he gets home from work, he brings in a bag of treats "for the little guy."

And let's be real, the kid isn't going to be happy about having to diet later on.🙂 🙂 🙂

Peter Adams58 said:It’s honestly so frustrating how I just can't seem to stop eating sweets.🙂

I even tell my husband not to buy any candy because I know if it's in the house, I'll end up devouring everything in sight. But he just keeps doing it...😠Every single day when he gets home from work, he brings in a bag of treats "for the little guy."

And let's be real, the kid isn't going to be happy about having to diet later on.🙂 🙂 🙂

Ugh, tell me about it. I'm constantly clearing all the chocolate out of the pantry. If there isn't any chocolate left, I'll just grab a spoon and go straight for the peanut butter or Nutella.🤦

David Thomas362 said:Ugh, tell me about it. I'm constantly clearing all the chocolate out of the pantry. If there isn't any chocolate left, I'll just grab a spoon and go straight for the peanut butter or Nutella.🤦

🤣🤣🤣🤣 Guilty as charged. I do the exact same thing.🤣🤣

David Thomas362 said:Ugh, tell me about it. I'm constantly clearing all the chocolate out of the pantry. If there isn't any chocolate left, I'll just grab a spoon and go straight for the peanut butter or Nutella.🤦

You know how they say when you're pregnant, you start craving sweets and the baby just wants them? I think I read somewhere that it's actually true. Like, in those first little sample packs you get from a pharmacy, if you're craving something, you might as well just dive in. I guess the baby is going to want it anyway, right? 🤣

It honestly drives me crazy when I try to talk to my mother-in-law about the gear I’ve been browsing for the baby or what I’m planning to buy, because she immediately cuts me off with, "Oh, don't worry, there's plenty of time! How long will you even be in the hospital? Three days? We can just buy everything for you while you're recovering..." I truly don't understand what they think they can accomplish in just three days, considering we have to assemble the nursery furniture, wash all the tiny clothes, and get everything perfectly organized... once the baby arrives, everything needs to be ready to go, and the idea of leaving it all up to someone else during those first three days just goes completely against my nature... so naturally, I've stopped trying to bring it up with her altogether...
Anyway, I’m entering my sixth month now, and since this is my first child—and their first grandchild—everything feels quite significant, though I'm on strict bed rest, so I can't exactly indulge in the luxury of a last-minute shopping spree, which is a situation I definitely want to avoid, making it much easier to just prepare, plan, and organize things bit by bit as I go...
So, my husband went ahead and picked up some essentials the other day—a crib, some bedding, a mattress—and apparently, his mother took it personally and snapped at us, asking, "Why on earth are you rushing everything?" 😲😲
What rush, honey? I just want to make sure we have everything the baby needs so nothing is missing; I'm going to be a new mom, and I want everything to be absolutely perfect and ready...
Besides, I haven't heard from anyone else, nor has anyone suggested that it's too early to start shopping... and I certainly won't wait until after the delivery to see if anyone decides to buy me something... I was actually hoping she might ask if we had looked at anything yet, or if she could help since she insists on doing everything in those three days, so why wouldn't she just ask what I actually want, what I've been looking at, or what I need? 🙂

Charles Moore49—just let her talk and do what she wants. Obviously, you can't just buy everything in a three-day window; it took me three whole months just to pick out a stroller—first browsing online, then hitting the stores, and finally making a call. It’s smart to keep an eye on sales too, since you can snag much better deals that way—something that doesn't happen in a single weekend. And honestly, it's not too early at all; I personally think everything should be ready a month ahead of time because you never truly know when that baby is going to make its appearance. It's all just old wives' tales and superstitions. 😉

So, my mother-in-law actually had the nerve to tell me she doesn't think it’s a great idea for my husband to be at the delivery room, apparently because "that’s not what men do." As if seeing the actual reality of childbirth is somehow going to kill his attraction to me or something. Like, sorry he might see a little blood and some sweat, right? 🙄 Honestly, though, he handled it pretty smoothly; he just told her straight up that it wasn't her business and that he intends to be right there by my side, mostly because he’d probably just end up worrying himself sick if he left me to deal with everything alone.

🙄 I mean, I get where they’re coming from—they were raised in a completely different era, so our way of thinking probably seems totally alien to them—but honestly, just keep your mouth shut and stay out of it. 😳

It’s not that I’m actually holding a grudge against her—honestly, she’s a wonderful person most of the time—it’s just that she has these occasional outbursts that catch me off guard. She raised three kids all on her own while her husband was working away from home, so he wasn't really around during the pregnancies or those early years when the kids were little. I suppose she grew up thinking that every woman out there has to be a one-woman army. It was a different era back then, I guess...

Regarding my mother-in-law—she actually called my mom the other day just to claim we’re overdoing it with the baby gear (as if we’re blowing our budget on overpriced nonsense). Of course, she was really aiming that at me—since I'm clearly the one "influencing" my husband to pick the premium options. 🙄 I wouldn't even care if we didn't all know how he is—everything has to be top-tier or he’s perpetually dissatisfied. But since he's her golden boy, why wouldn't she just pin the blame on me instead? 🤣 Naturally, she won't say a word to him directly—she's too intimidated by him.

Charles Moore49 said:It honestly drives me crazy when I try to talk to my mother-in-law about the gear I’ve been browsing for the baby or what I’m planning to buy, because she immediately cuts me off with, "Oh, don't worry, there's plenty of time! How long will you even be in the hospital? Three days? We can just buy everything for you while you're recovering..." I truly don't understand what they think they can accomplish in just three days, considering we have to assemble the nursery furniture, wash all the tiny clothes, and get everything perfectly organized... once the baby arrives, everything needs to be ready to go, and the idea of leaving it all up to someone else during those first three days just goes completely against my nature... so naturally, I've stopped trying to bring it up with her altogether...
Anyway, I’m entering my sixth month now, and since this is my first child—and their first grandchild—everything feels quite significant, though I'm on strict bed rest, so I can't exactly indulge in the luxury of a last-minute shopping spree, which is a situation I definitely want to avoid, making it much easier to just prepare, plan, and organize things bit by bit as I go...
So, my husband went ahead and picked up some essentials the other day—a crib, some bedding, a mattress—and apparently, his mother took it personally and snapped at us, asking, "Why on earth are you rushing everything?" 😲😲
What rush, honey? I just want to make sure we have everything the baby needs so nothing is missing; I'm going to be a new mom, and I want everything to be absolutely perfect and ready...
Besides, I haven't heard from anyone else, nor has anyone suggested that it's too early to start shopping... and I certainly won't wait until after the delivery to see if anyone decides to buy me something... I was actually hoping she might ask if we had looked at anything yet, or if she could help since she insists on doing everything in those three days, so why wouldn't she just ask what I actually want, what I've been looking at, or what I need? 🙂

I get what you're saying, so don't crowd me right now—and I definitely don't need any barley. 😛
I was just posting about this on a pregnancy forum yesterday. Since my pregnancy is high-risk and we lost our first one, my husband thinks he can just handle everything and buy all our supplies in the final seven days... I honestly have to laugh. He even thinks we'll be picking out a name during that last week, too. 😂So, we have exactly seven days to get all the gear, names, and baby technicalities sorted out.
I actually find that quite endearing. I know he’s only acting that way because of the deep-seated fear he's dealing with, not because he doesn't care about the baby.
Honestly, I don't really stress about much, except for one thing: having a healthy baby. My due date is in August, so it’s going to be sweltering here. I figure we'll need ten super thin onesies, twenty cloth diapers, and a light swaddle to start. You might think I'm crazy, but all this gear is secondary right now. I'm just living from one doctor's appointment to the next.

Jerry Bailey47 said:Charles Moore49—just let her talk and do what she wants. Obviously, you can't just buy everything in a three-day window; it took me three whole months just to pick out a stroller—first browsing online, then hitting the stores, and finally making a call. It’s smart to keep an eye on sales too, since you can snag much better deals that way—something that doesn't happen in a single weekend. And honestly, it's not too early at all; I personally think everything should be ready a month ahead of time because you never truly know when that baby is going to make its appearance. It's all just old wives' tales and superstitions. 😉

My cousin ended up giving birth six weeks early, so the little guy is actually five months old now. Since she runs her own business, she had to head straight to the hospital from work. She didn't have anything prepared at home, so our family stepped in to help out—luckily we're a big group. By the time they got home, everything was set up and ready to go, which she absolutely loved. You hear all kinds of stories, but I think the best approach is just not to stress about the chaos; things usually work out great in the end.
Sometimes I think about the circumstances surrounding my brother’s birth. He's eight years younger than me, and back then, we were right in the middle of building our house. My mom actually had to leave the construction site to head straight to the hospital, and since we didn't have anything ready, she ended up having to dress him in my old clothes to get him started. 😂Haha, my brother is flying high today; he’s doing absolutely great.
I honestly think having everything ready a month ahead of schedule is just perfect. I'll try to convince my husband to push our seven-day prep window up to thirty.

Jerry Bailey47 said:Regarding my mother-in-law—she actually called my mom the other day just to claim we’re overdoing it with the baby gear (as if we’re blowing our budget on overpriced nonsense). Of course, she was really aiming that at me—since I'm clearly the one "influencing" my husband to pick the premium options. 🙄 I wouldn't even care if we didn't all know how he is—everything has to be top-tier or he’s perpetually dissatisfied. But since he's her golden boy, why wouldn't she just pin the blame on me instead? 🤣 Naturally, she won't say a word to him directly—she's too intimidated by him.

My mother-in-law and sister-in-law live halfway across the country, so they give their "advice" via FaceTime, constantly pressuring my husband to do everything around the house instead of me and telling him he can't say anything that might upset me😂. I just love their attitude. It actually surprises me sometimes because they are usually on my side, but then again, they've only had him as the man in the house for over 20 years since his dad passed away when the kids were little. I used to think they were just being possessive, but honestly, they're pretty fair.