What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

Michael Barrett11 said:It’s honestly pretty irritating that I can't find a complete list of prices on the Adax website. 🙂
I’ll be scrolling through looking at a really nice sectional sofa... nothing, no price listed. 😠
Then I’ll find a baby carrier, one of those kangaroo styles... again, no price to be found. 😠

Plus, their closest showroom is in Chicago, and I’m all the way out here in rural Iowa. 🙂

Ugh, everyone thinks Adax is so overpriced, but honestly... once you actually look at the numbers, there isn't even that much of a difference. For my little munchkin, I just bought everything at Baby Media Shop! And the girls there were seriously sweet... they let me sit down 😍 and even let me use their restroom to go pee 🤣 and they explained everything to me!! 👍

lol how can you say the FBI isn't working when they're everywhere!!!
honestly, what gets under my skin most is that every single time I visit my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, it's the same old story... WATCH OUT SO YOU DON'T GET TOO FAT!!! seriously... like I'm some cargo ship... I don't even have a bump yet... and fine, if they said it once or twice, whatever... but every single time? it's getting ridiculous... meanwhile, they've both gained like 60 pounds!
then there's the constant questioning about whether the baby is actually okay, where I just play dumb and act like, "of course, since the moment we saw the heartbeat..."
but the absolute worst part is people touching my stomach—which isn't even showing yet—especially people who aren't even close friends... ask first, for crying out loud!!!!
so yeah, that's my rant👋

It honestly drives me nuts how everyone feels the need to lecture you about getting enough sleep while you still can. It’s constant. Whether it’s coming from a woman who just gave birth a month ago or some teenager 😠
it's always the same thing. Easy for them to say, but they don't realize that my wife ☕
is dealing with the same exhaustion.

The constant, relentless focus on pregnancy, babies, gear, weight gain, and labor just grates on my nerves.
Sometimes I just want a break and to chat with other women about literally anything else... gossip😁, makeup, fashion, travel, whatever... But since I've been pregnant, it feels like everyone thinks my entire identity has shifted to just "pregnant lady." Like they assume nothing else matters to me anymore, which is 😵

Just because I'm expecting doesn't mean I've lost interest in everything else—like talking about the fallout from the latest celebrity breakup or economic crisis😁

Also, it drives me crazy when random older ladies I don't even know reach out and grab my stomach without asking, peppering me with intrusive questions like I'm their own granddaughter🤦

Or when people assume I'm some pregnant teenager just because I look younger than I actually am🤣

Until recently, I didn't even have a visible bump despite being six months along. Everyone was acting so surprised by how flat I looked. Now that it’s finally showing, it feels like every person I encounter thinks they have a right to poke at my stomach, which is honestly driving me crazy😠. That space is reserved for my husband and me—and maybe anyone else if I actually feel like inviting them in. It shouldn't be an open invitation for every random relative or acquaintance to grab at me
. And then there are those classic unsolicited comments... you know the ones. "Just wait until the baby gets here, then you won't be able to just lie down and relax or enjoy some peace and quiet," blah blah blah...🙄

At first, I was just a bit puzzled by all that belly touching, but lately, I’ve started to realize it actually bothers me too. 🙄
I really caught onto how weird it felt when a close friend of mine surprised me by reaching out like that. We’re still on great terms, so I didn't say anything or let it turn into a thing, but I guess it just felt off.

I don't mind people touching my belly at all... people always ask first, though, like "hey, can I put my hand here?" and I'm just like, yeah, go for it, it doesn't bother me. It actually feels pretty normal that they'd ask 🤷

The thing is... it didn't really make me mad or anything, but it definitely caught me off guard and left me feeling super confused when two of my girlfriends went ahead and gave the baby a little kiss on the stomach... I mean, I'm pretty close with one of them, we're tight, and she thought it was just this sweet, cute gesture... but honestly? I felt a little awkward about it. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally fine with my buddies giving me a peck on the cheek or the forehead—you know, sometimes just messing around with a friend or doing a high-five or something—but kissing any other part of my body feels weird if it's not with someone I'm in a... well, a different kind of relationship with 🤷. And look, I KNOW there’s nothing sexual about it, nothing bad at all, and I can't quite wrap my head around why it made me feel so uneasy... but it was just 🤷

It honestly gets under my skin when my brother-in-law keeps insisting we picked some "backwoods, hillbilly" name for our little one. Look, he doesn't have to like it—I get that—but saying it in such an obnoxious, condescending way? And not just once, either 👎

I honestly find it kind of sweet when my husband talks to our baby through my belly, telling them 🤣
. It’s just one of those little things, I guess—how we can play around and joke with my stomach like this 😁. It feels like a small, silly way to connect
.

Pure aggravation......

So, here was my mother-in-law’s birthday dinner yesterday:

My husband and I went over to her place, and we were joined by her longtime family friends—people who, frankly, are quite exhausting because they just love to pry into everything. I only see them maybe once a year, but hey, they’re getting older, so I endure it...
Right as I walked through the door, they hit me with: "So, how much weight did you put on during your pregnancy???"🙄😲
Now, look, I’m not particularly shy, and I didn't gain an excessive amount of weight, but why on earth would you ask that while you're still taking off your coats? A simple "how are you?" or "how is the baby?" or "how has the pregnancy been?" would have sufficed...
Me: "That’s private, I’d rather not say." There was this awkward, heavy silence for a moment... then the conversation just shuffled along...
About half an hour later, their daughter—who's about 50—shows up, and before she even sits down at the table, she pipes up: "And how much weight did you gain during the pregnancy???"🙄🙄 (And I only see her once every couple of years).
Then everyone starts chiming in: "Don't ask her that!" "That's a forbidden question!" I jump in and add, "It's incredibly rude..." but she didn't back down one bit. She goes, "Oh, come on, it's not a secret! My sister gained this much with her first, and this much with her second..."
Sure, but I actually told my own sister those details (though she never even bothered asking me), whereas you two aren't exactly on that level of intimacy, if you think about it; besides, it's just plain disrespectful to broadcast someone else's personal business in a group setting without their consent...🙄

Then comes the next remark from this woman: "Well, I thought you were going to give birth today!!"
😲 😲
I was just standing there, utterly stunned and confused: "Why would you think that??"
Apparently, since it's your mother-in-law's birthday, it would have been "convenient"...
Me: "No, it wouldn't, because my due date isn't until the end of the month. If the baby came now, it would be way too early..."🙄

And so it goes... a lovely little evening... and honestly, the mother-in-law and father-in-law weren't even the ones at fault...

copperjackal49 said:It honestly gets under my skin when my brother-in-law keeps insisting we picked some "backwoods, hillbilly" name for our little one. Look, he doesn't have to like it—I get that—but saying it in such an obnoxious, condescending way? And not just once, either 👎

Ugh, tell me about it. My old man told me at least a hundred times that "Jan" was a totally lame, stupid, or just plain awful name... 🤷

gentlegardener83 said:Until recently, I didn't even have a visible bump despite being six months along. Everyone was acting so surprised by how flat I looked. Now that it’s finally showing, it feels like every person I encounter thinks they have a right to poke at my stomach, which is honestly driving me crazy😠. That space is reserved for my husband and me—and maybe anyone else if I actually feel like inviting them in. It shouldn't be an open invitation for every random relative or acquaintance to grab at me
. And then there are those classic unsolicited comments... you know the ones. "Just wait until the baby gets here, then you won't be able to just lie down and relax or enjoy some peace and quiet," blah blah blah...🙄

Ugh, I absolutely loathe this! It honestly feels like people are trying to threaten me—like they're wishing all the worst upon me, hoping the baby won't sleep or won't eat...
Honestly, just back off. You have your child, we’ll have ours, and we’ll both be perfectly fine.

As for people touching my stomach—well, all my friends and family already know that I’m generally not much of a touchy person, so they’re already asking if they'll be allowed to feel the bump. I told them, "It depends on my mood." If anyone tries to touch me without asking first, they might find themselves losing a finger. And that goes for more than just now while I'm pregnant; it's just how I am.

It honestly drives me up the wall when people act like they’re some kind of elite intellectual or just naturally cooler than everyone else simply because they decided someone’s name sounds "low-class" based on their own supposedly refined taste... 🙄👎

Or you know, that guy who gets into a petty argument with someone and then spends every single chance he gets trashing everything about them, including their damn name 😬

Honestly, what drove me absolutely crazy during my pregnancy was all the constant chatter about how I wouldn’t be able to breastfeed, or how much it would hurt, or how I’d definitely end up with mastitis, or how I’d just give up way too soon... It seriously got under my skin so much that I actually found myself tearing up... like, seriously? I kept wondering, how on earth can something so incredibly natural be made out to be such an impossible struggle... but then I started actually doing my own research on breastfeeding and realized it isn't nearly as nightmareish as everyone makes it sound, because those ladies who were trying to scare the life out of me were basically just totally uninformed, and looking back, it wasn't cool of them to try and wreck my confidence like that. I'm successfully nursing now thanks to the amazing women over on Reddit! I just stuck to all the advice and stayed patient...

vividtinker17 said:Honestly, what drove me absolutely crazy during my pregnancy was all the constant chatter about how I wouldn’t be able to breastfeed, or how much it would hurt, or how I’d definitely end up with mastitis, or how I’d just give up way too soon... It seriously got under my skin so much that I actually found myself tearing up... like, seriously? I kept wondering, how on earth can something so incredibly natural be made out to be such an impossible struggle... but then I started actually doing my own research on breastfeeding and realized it isn't nearly as nightmareish as everyone makes it sound, because those ladies who were trying to scare the life out of me were basically just totally uninformed, and looking back, it wasn't cool of them to try and wreck my confidence like that. I'm successfully nursing now thanks to the amazing women over on Reddit! I just stuck to all the advice and stayed patient...

Some lady actually had the nerve to tell me I should be scrubbing my nipples really hard with a towel every single day after my shower... I was like, uh, excuse me?! 🙂 Not a chance, I'm not even letting people look at them, let alone rubbing them like that. Good grief!
I'm fully convinced my milk is gonna be flowing like a damn river 🤣 and my little one is always gonna be stuffed... 😬

As for the name, people around me keep rolling their eyes (let's call her Eve) and I have no idea why... 🤷 I guess if it isn't some trendy, mainstream name, it's "not good enough." Screw 'em. ☕

Edward Rodriguez4 said:Some lady actually had the nerve to tell me I should be scrubbing my nipples really hard with a towel every single day after my shower... I was like, uh, excuse me?! 🙂 Not a chance, I'm not even letting people look at them, let alone rubbing them like that. Good grief!
I'm fully convinced my milk is gonna be flowing like a damn river 🤣 and my little one is always gonna be stuffed... 😬

As for the name, people around me keep rolling their eyes (let's call her Eve) and I have no idea why... 🤷 I guess if it isn't some trendy, mainstream name, it's "not good enough." Screw 'em. ☕

Personally, I think Eve is a lovely name; I've always had a soft spot for short names. 👍
I mostly just get eye-rolls from the older generation, but the younger crowd seems to really dig my choices. 🤷

Edward Rodriguez4 said:Some lady actually had the nerve to tell me I should be scrubbing my nipples really hard with a towel every single day after my shower... I was like, uh, excuse me?! 🙂 Not a chance, I'm not even letting people look at them, let alone rubbing them like that. Good grief!
I'm fully convinced my milk is gonna be flowing like a damn river 🤣 and my little one is always gonna be stuffed... 😬

As for the name, people around me keep rolling their eyes (let's call her Eve) and I have no idea why... 🤷 I guess if it isn't some trendy, mainstream name, it's "not good enough." Screw 'em. ☕

Personally, I think Eve is just lovely. 😍😍
When we finally announced that our little girl's name would be Selena, my brother-in-law had the nerve to comment that people these days just pick names out of thin air for everything, and then he—acting like such a genius—told us he named his kid after some character from a mob movie... how incredibly "original" of him...👎

Michael Barrett11 said:Personally, I think Eve is a lovely name; I've always had a soft spot for short names. 👍
I mostly just get eye-rolls from the older generation, but the younger crowd seems to really dig my choices. 🤷

I’m totally on board with Eve too... though Jan is also high on my list. Right now, Jan is the frontrunner for my partner, and if we end up having a little boy one day, that’s likely the name he'll have. 😍

Since I'm not pregnant yet, I get some pretty weird looks when I mention that we'll probably name a girl Tia. My mom immediately jumps in asking why on earth I wouldn't choose Emma or Mia instead. I just tell her, "Well, isn't it great that you're the one who gets to pick the name then?" ☕

Ronald Davis22 said:Personally, I think Eve is just lovely. 😍😍
When we finally announced that our little girl's name would be Selena, my brother-in-law had the nerve to comment that people these days just pick names out of thin air for everything, and then he—acting like such a genius—told us he named his kid after some character from a mob movie... how incredibly "original" of him...👎

Look, as long as it isn't some total hillbilly name, I'm fine with it.
So what's the little guy actually called? Little Junior 2? 🍿 🤣

I told them if it's a boy, he's gonna be named Maximilian and better grow up to be a doctor!! Just imagine: Dr. Maximilian!!! Girls would be tripping over themselves for him! 😍
But nope, even Maximilian didn't get any traction. Honestly, once I saw that positive test, I knew damn well it was a girl, so I wasn't even wasting my breath thinking about boy names anyway...😁

Ugh, some old lady totally blew my mind this morning... I was heading into my appointment at the Social Security office—first time ever—and after some sweet older gentleman suggested I might get priority since I'm pregnant, I knocked on the door. And then, out of nowhere, this woman starts yelling at me! She’s basically interrogating me about why on earth an expectant mother is even showing up in a room full of sick people, saying I should just be resting at home and that if there was any issue, my doctor should have been the one to tell her. Like, excuse me? She didn't say anything to me before, and I had zero clue she was going to go off like that. Honestly, I was right on the verge of bursting into tears right then and there. 🙄
Then, literally ten minutes later, this completely different, super chill woman walks out. She tells me she isn't going to grill me at all, hands me my paperwork, confirms my medical leave is set through the end of the third trimester, and even wished me good luck with the delivery! I was just standing there in total shock. 😛

Oh, and regarding names—my cousin picked Lana for her little one and Jane for hers, but everyone constantly messes them up! Even I do it all the time, and they both end up getting called "Lan" or "Jan." It's such a mess. 🤣

My husband is dead set on naming our baby Kim; he’s been calling her that from day one. Personally, though, I don't hate the idea of Tia either. 😍