What were your biggest pregnancy surprises and pet peeves?

Adam Evans62 said:Stupid reasons. It’s actually embarrassing to even bring this up because half my family turned out to be total nationalists. 🙄

To them—not everyone, most people just stayed quiet with shocked looks on their faces—that’s a Canadian, basically a Muslim name. 👎So what? What's it to you?
It feels like "certain people" would only be happy if my kid was named Joanna, Anna, or Mary. What can I even say? He’s from the South and I’m from the Midwest. Talk about a clash of cultures. 😛)

Look, I'm definitely not changing my name just because of their narrow-minded bullshit. The only way I’d even consider changing it is if MM actually grows some backbone and stands by me when things get real with the family. 😉 With my luck, they probably won't even like the name. Who knows whose name Frank actually is, anyway? I doubt it's even a typical American name. 🤷)

I actually think Una is an interesting and unique name.
A colleague of mine gave her daughter that name about 12 or 13 years ago; she was very into Italian, and she chose Una because it carries the meaning of being "one" or "the only one."

But calling it a Middle Eastern or Islamic name🙂
just doesn't sit right with me.

But take a look at this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Una

I’m officially at 13 weeks and 2 days today...
I see you all are debating names... and honestly, the older women in my life have started hounding me too, and once I finally throw out a name they choose, the reactions are just hideous: "What kind of name is that? That's so tacky," or "Oh, don't even bother, I actually know someone with that name..." and before I know it, they've turned that perfectly good name into some ridiculous nickname...
Then comes the gender guessing games: "Well, what are you wearing?" or "What do you *think* you're carrying?" followed by "What's your gut feeling?" or "It could be a boy, but it might be a girl because you have such a certain look about you" (which is usually just their way of commenting on how much weight I've gained around my hips)...
And then the comments start about how I'm still way too thin—even though my doctor tells me I'm doing perfectly fine and there is absolutely nothing to worry about—and how I'm clearly not eating enough...
And why on earth am I not allowed to wash the windows?! Am I forbidden from even lifting my arms above my head? I can't vacuum, I can't mop the floors... I'm not even allowed to walk up the stairs normally, I have to waddle around like an absolute idiot... it's just exhausting...🙂

Michael Hernandez50, you're only thirteen weeks along. If you’re feeling up to it, don't feel like you need to go out and push yourself too hard for no reason. Just move around as much as you feel comfortable with—that’s perfectly fine. I’ll say it again: as long as you’re feeling good, just listen to your body.

Michael Hernandez50 said:I’m officially at 13 weeks and 2 days today...
I see you all are debating names... and honestly, the older women in my life have started hounding me too, and once I finally throw out a name they choose, the reactions are just hideous: "What kind of name is that? That's so tacky," or "Oh, don't even bother, I actually know someone with that name..." and before I know it, they've turned that perfectly good name into some ridiculous nickname...
Then comes the gender guessing games: "Well, what are you wearing?" or "What do you *think* you're carrying?" followed by "What's your gut feeling?" or "It could be a boy, but it might be a girl because you have such a certain look about you" (which is usually just their way of commenting on how much weight I've gained around my hips)...
And then the comments start about how I'm still way too thin—even though my doctor tells me I'm doing perfectly fine and there is absolutely nothing to worry about—and how I'm clearly not eating enough...
And why on earth am I not allowed to wash the windows?! Am I forbidden from even lifting my arms above my head? I can't vacuum, I can't mop the floors... I'm not even allowed to walk up the stairs normally, I have to waddle around like an absolute idiot... it's just exhausting...🙂

And she just might. Honestly, there's a fifty-fifty chance that it might actually happen.
🙂
Perhaps not.

Honestly, I feel absolutely fantastic! I haven't had a single complaint or any physical issues to speak of. Before I even found out I was pregnant, I was a regular at the local gym, hitting my workouts consistently, so I fully intend to get back into a prenatal fitness routine and start incorporating plenty of walking into my daily schedule... 😉

Jerry Fisher3 said:Right now, my biggest irritant is actually myself.
Honestly, being pregnant is wonderful—I’m feeling great, and there is nothing quite like those little kicks and stretches to remind you what's happening inside. It's pretty magical, really.

But at the same time? I am counting down the seconds until this whole phase is over and I finally have my baby in my arms. I never imagined I’d feel this specific kind of impatient. 😢
I’m being a nightmare—just constantly getting on my own nerves.

Only 85 days left. (And honestly, that feels like a shorter stretch than twelve weeks ever did. 🤣 ))

You aren't alone in this. I think people totally oversell that whole "pregnancy is a beautiful state of being" thing. I am definitely not enjoying being pregnant (I'm being a brat)
The one thing I actually like is feeling the baby kicking and moving around inside me.
And yeah, I can't wait for this to be done so I can hold them in my arms instead of having them stuck in my stomach.

I've still got "only" 155 days to go (or 27 weeks)

Michael Hernandez50 said:I’m officially at 13 weeks and 2 days today...
I see you all are debating names... and honestly, the older women in my life have started hounding me too, and once I finally throw out a name they choose, the reactions are just hideous: "What kind of name is that? That's so tacky," or "Oh, don't even bother, I actually know someone with that name..." and before I know it, they've turned that perfectly good name into some ridiculous nickname...
Then comes the gender guessing games: "Well, what are you wearing?" or "What do you *think* you're carrying?" followed by "What's your gut feeling?" or "It could be a boy, but it might be a girl because you have such a certain look about you" (which is usually just their way of commenting on how much weight I've gained around my hips)...
And then the comments start about how I'm still way too thin—even though my doctor tells me I'm doing perfectly fine and there is absolutely nothing to worry about—and how I'm clearly not eating enough...
And why on earth am I not allowed to wash the windows?! Am I forbidden from even lifting my arms above my head? I can't vacuum, I can't mop the floors... I'm not even allowed to walk up the stairs normally, I have to waddle around like an absolute idiot... it's just exhausting...🙂

People are seriously trash for commenting like that.
I picked out this gorgeous name for a little girl before I even knew the sex, and once I found out, I was like, okay, if it's a girl it'll be this, and if it's a boy it'll be that.
So what are they gonna do, judge? They claim they don't like the girl's name because it's "not traditional" or whatever—who cares? Even I don't love my own choice right now, so... look, parents pick the name for their kid, not grandmas, aunts, uncles, or whoever else...
If they're so obsessed, let them carry the baby for 9 months and then they can pick the name.
And that cleaning stuff? If they want everything pristine without anyone doing the work, they can come over and clean it themselves. To hell with that, we aren't disabled.
Just ignore all that noise and be pregnant your own way. As long as the pregnancy is healthy and you and the baby are fine, there’s no reason you can’t do everything just like you did before (obviously, not extreme stuff, like lifting heavy weights and all that).
Hang in there.

Hannah Lewis2 said:Amazon???? So what, is it supposed to be Muslim or something??? Honestly, those people are out of their minds. Even if it is, who cares? If you guys actually like it, I don't see any reason why you'd bother changing it. 🤦 People allow all sorts of weird stuff these days. The name is gorgeous! Personally, I think Amazon sounds better than Franka, but both are 👍.

Una is such a lovely name... short, clear, and sweet..
I am actually dealing with a very similar headache regarding my own parents... they aren't fond of the name Matthew for my son.. apparently, they worry about how people will pronounce that 'w' at the end.. they claim it sounds silly when I call out, "Come here, Matt-hew," while I argue that it's much more sensible to just go with Peter, Mario, Dario, Philip, or any other classic choice.. so, I told them plainly—if they can't get behind it, they don't have to call him, and they have four and a half months to get used to it.. well, they called me a few days ago to say the name is actually fine after all, but then they started questioning Thomas... I mean, seriously!! 🙂

I am losing my mind over this name! 😠

I have no idea why some of my relatives think it sounds Canadian—clearly, geography isn't their strong suit since they don't realize the Mississippi River is just a border between us and Canada 🙄

Like I said, I'm not changing it for anyone unless my husband turns out to be a brave enough man to actually hold my hand during labor (yeah, right—not happening)😛

I actually had my favorite girl's name "saved up" for years, waiting to give it to my little girl, my sweet 😍-Lola (we got her because I fell into a deep depression after being told we couldn't conceive naturally, so I gave the name to her immediately, and honestly, she feels like my actual child 😁)
Then I spent months trying to come up with a replacement and fell in love with UNA.

Best advice ever: don't tell a soul what the name is until the baby is born 👍

Adam Evans62 said:I am losing my mind over this name! 😠

I have no idea why some of my relatives think it sounds Canadian—clearly, geography isn't their strong suit since they don't realize the Mississippi River is just a border between us and Canada 🙄

Like I said, I'm not changing it for anyone unless my husband turns out to be a brave enough man to actually hold my hand during labor (yeah, right—not happening)😛

I actually had my favorite girl's name "saved up" for years, waiting to give it to my little girl, my sweet 😍-Lola (we got her because I fell into a deep depression after being told we couldn't conceive naturally, so I gave the name to her immediately, and honestly, she feels like my actual child 😁)
Then I spent months trying to come up with a replacement and fell in love with UNA.

Best advice ever: don't tell a soul what the name is until the baby is born 👍

If I remember right, you mentioned your sweetheart is a big fan of the South? Why not just gift him a massive, framed map of the US? Let him try to figure out where Mississippi actually sits. 🤣
Don't let them grill you about the name—it's perfect!
I was waiting on a girl...up until this morning's ultrasound... 🤷...now we're just waiting on Andrew. 😳

Ugh, I am just so incredibly frustrated with my husband right now... I’m four months pregnant, and all I wanted to do was sit down with him and just browse through some catalogs for strollers, car seats, and all that baby gear—just to get an idea of what looks cute and, more importantly, what the price tags actually look like. You know, just to start planning! But he won't even listen to a word I say... He keeps insisting it's way too early to even think about it. Like, seriously? It’s not like I’m trying to rush out and buy everything tomorrow morning! I just want us to see what we like so we can figure out how much we need to set aside, especially since he's the one bringing home the paycheck right now. But no, according to him, looking at it is "too early"... Honestly, it’s driving me up the wall, and my blood pressure is through the roof because of this constant back-and-forth. And then, if I decide to pick something out myself, suddenly it’s a problem—either it isn't his style, or it's "way too expensive," or there are a hundred other excuses. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, I could honestly just burst into tears right now.

🙂 Brenda Bishop2! Man, I feel for you. Honestly, your best bet is to just curate a tight, specific shortlist yourself. Keep them ready to go so whenever he actually finds a spare second to look, you’ve already trimmed down the search. This kind of thing doesn't just happen overnight. My husband put me through the ringer like that when we were planning our wedding, but hey, we’re on the same page now. Just hang in there, stay organized, and try to dig into the research for fun rather than letting it turn into a massive headache.

Hannah Lewis2 said:🙂 Brenda Bishop2! Man, I feel for you. Honestly, your best bet is to just curate a tight, specific shortlist yourself. Keep them ready to go so whenever he actually finds a spare second to look, you’ve already trimmed down the search. This kind of thing doesn't just happen overnight. My husband put me through the ringer like that when we were planning our wedding, but hey, we’re on the same page now. Just hang in there, stay organized, and try to dig into the research for fun rather than letting it turn into a massive headache.

If he keeps acting like this, I might just have to make a whole movie montage of everything I want and serve it up to him on a silver platter, because if he tries to complain, I'll just tell him, "OH, SORRY... YOU WEREN'T EXACTLY JUMPING AT THE CHANCE TO HELP WHEN THERE WAS TIME!" I mean, I'm not usually that type of person, but I could definitely see myself becoming that way if this continues.😠😠😠 If he doesn't step up within the next six months, he's going to get exactly that reaction, because I've already started building my own little world of things I love...😍

Done and done! 👍

Sophia Walker89 said:Una is such a lovely name... short, clear, and sweet..
I am actually dealing with a very similar headache regarding my own parents... they aren't fond of the name Matthew for my son.. apparently, they worry about how people will pronounce that 'w' at the end.. they claim it sounds silly when I call out, "Come here, Matt-hew," while I argue that it's much more sensible to just go with Peter, Mario, Dario, Philip, or any other classic choice.. so, I told them plainly—if they can't get behind it, they don't have to call him, and they have four and a half months to get used to it.. well, they called me a few days ago to say the name is actually fine after all, but then they started questioning Thomas... I mean, seriously!! 🙂

I suppose it’s actually alright (if you want to think about it that way).
ALI What are your thoughts on Tomislav? 🤣

Adam Evans62 said:I am losing my mind over this name! 😠

I have no idea why some of my relatives think it sounds Canadian—clearly, geography isn't their strong suit since they don't realize the Mississippi River is just a border between us and Canada 🙄

Like I said, I'm not changing it for anyone unless my husband turns out to be a brave enough man to actually hold my hand during labor (yeah, right—not happening)😛

I actually had my favorite girl's name "saved up" for years, waiting to give it to my little girl, my sweet 😍-Lola (we got her because I fell into a deep depression after being told we couldn't conceive naturally, so I gave the name to her immediately, and honestly, she feels like my actual child 😁)
Then I spent months trying to come up with a replacement and fell in love with UNA.

Best advice ever: don't tell a soul what the name is until the baby is born 👍

Merry, I’m siding with the Mississippi River (though, honestly, who asked me?) 😉 )
So, even though I know how much you want your sweetheart to be right there by your side during delivery, if he can't make it, just remember that you'll at least have the little one to hold!

Here’s my situation: every single person I’ve mentioned this baby name to has absolutely loved it. It seems like everyone is on board. I guess I’m just lucky that I didn't get roasted by everyone I know! 🙂
I'm completely stuck on a name for my little boy... any suggestions?

Brenda Bishop2 said:Ugh, I am just so incredibly frustrated with my husband right now... I’m four months pregnant, and all I wanted to do was sit down with him and just browse through some catalogs for strollers, car seats, and all that baby gear—just to get an idea of what looks cute and, more importantly, what the price tags actually look like. You know, just to start planning! But he won't even listen to a word I say... He keeps insisting it's way too early to even think about it. Like, seriously? It’s not like I’m trying to rush out and buy everything tomorrow morning! I just want us to see what we like so we can figure out how much we need to set aside, especially since he's the one bringing home the paycheck right now. But no, according to him, looking at it is "too early"... Honestly, it’s driving me up the wall, and my blood pressure is through the roof because of this constant back-and-forth. And then, if I decide to pick something out myself, suddenly it’s a problem—either it isn't his style, or it's "way too expensive," or there are a hundred other excuses. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, I could honestly just burst into tears right now.

I completely understand where you're coming from, and I am so sorry you're dealing with this... 🙂
I honestly have no idea how to get him motivated enough to finally pick out a Peg Perego stroller.🤷

Brenda Bishop2, I feel you. I’ve been watching this show lately, and man—my guy is already getting under my skin. It’s not even that he’s wrong about strollers, it’s just that he doesn't have a single clue about anything. So, the other day, he runs into an old elementary school friend he hasn't seen in like 20 years. They’re catching up, she happens to have a stroller and another baby with her, and she mentions how the Peg Perego was a bit too narrow for her kid. God knows what the woman actually said or which specific model or age group she was talking about 🙄
. Then yesterday, I bring up Peg Perego, and he goes, "Not that one." 😠
Like, seriously? Get outta here. You don't know what I'm talking about, you haven't seen it, you haven't lived it...
It drives me nuts when I hear something that stupid—he doesn't know the details, doesn't know who said it, yet he clings to it like his life depends on it
. I'll just find what I want and buy it myself. Who's even listening to him? 😳

God, they are just so incredibly clever, aren't they? Honestly, I’m already starting to get a real sense of what our direction might be... though I won't be rushing out to buy anything quite yet. It feels a little early, especially since I dealt with a miscarriage before and had some spotting again at the very beginning, but now the baby is actually kicking—I can really feel those little movements! So, I think it's finally time to start digging into the "how" and the "why," figuring out what the most practical and straightforward options are. We've already had one big conversation where we agreed we don't want anything over-the-top or neon blue; we want to find something universal and timeless. Since we're planning on having a second child down the road, we want to be prepared so that whatever the first baby wears for those first few months can be saved for a little brother or sister later on... that's really the one thing we've settled on. As for everything else, I'm honestly a bit lost on where to even shop around here. There's this one little baby boutique in downtown Chicago, but the selection is pretty thin, even if the prices are absolutely killer. That's why I've been nudging him to go look, to think things through, and to make decisions together, because we'll likely have to drive a bit further to find the good stuff, and I know for a fact that I won't have the patience to hunt through aisles in this sweltering summer heat and the crazy seasonal crowds. But of course, he thinks it's way TOO EARLY for all of this. So, naturally, I've already started building a massive digital folder filled with photos and spec sheets for car seats and strollers that caught my eye. Once the gentleman decides to grace me with his attention and sit down for a talk, I'll just serve it all up on a silver platter: "WE ARE GETTING THIS."

Anthony Watson35 said:Brenda Bishop2, I feel you. I’ve been watching this show lately, and man—my guy is already getting under my skin. It’s not even that he’s wrong about strollers, it’s just that he doesn't have a single clue about anything. So, the other day, he runs into an old elementary school friend he hasn't seen in like 20 years. They’re catching up, she happens to have a stroller and another baby with her, and she mentions how the Peg Perego was a bit too narrow for her kid. God knows what the woman actually said or which specific model or age group she was talking about 🙄
. Then yesterday, I bring up Peg Perego, and he goes, "Not that one." 😠
Like, seriously? Get outta here. You don't know what I'm talking about, you haven't seen it, you haven't lived it...
It drives me nuts when I hear something that stupid—he doesn't know the details, doesn't know who said it, yet he clings to it like his life depends on it
. I'll just find what I want and buy it myself. Who's even listening to him? 😳

Man, it sounds like you're describing me.
Whenever I hear some random bit of info, whether it's actually true or just total garbage, I treat it like it's the absolute Bible.
I can listen to someone repeat other things to me a hundred times, but it’ll just go in one ear and straight out the other. 😳
I'm honestly starting to think about hiring someone just to feed my head all the stuff that actually makes sense to me. 🤣

It honestly drives me crazy because he just isn't being supportive at all.

I suppose I’ve just become a bore to him; he thinks I’m completely obsessed since all I ever talk about is this pregnancy... and then he just shuts down and refuses to listen.🤷
Then, my friend drops by—someone who also knows absolutely nothing about babies or parenting—and she throws out some random comment. It doesn't even matter what it is. Maybe it's actually decent advice, but he hangs on her every word like it's the most fascinating thing he's ever heard.😠
I swear, I'd love to just kick them both out of the house.🙂
The whole situation is just so frustrating...

Jeremy Thomas5 said:It honestly drives me crazy because he just isn't being supportive at all.

I suppose I’ve just become a bore to him; he thinks I’m completely obsessed since all I ever talk about is this pregnancy... and then he just shuts down and refuses to listen.🤷
Then, my friend drops by—someone who also knows absolutely nothing about babies or parenting—and she throws out some random comment. It doesn't even matter what it is. Maybe it's actually decent advice, but he hangs on her every word like it's the most fascinating thing he's ever heard.😠
I swear, I'd love to just kick them both out of the house.🙂
The whole situation is just so frustrating...

Same here!!! 🙏 🙏 🙏
God help me.
My friends who actually have kids, books that matter, my aunt who works in pharmacy... nope. Instead, he’s listening to some story from his mom's cousin's neighbor's daughter's mother-in-law's godmother... 🙄
It makes me want to scream!
Right now, I'm just scrolling through strollers on Axelrod's site and enjoying the peace. Heard some good things about Jane, so I might just drop one of those right in front of him. :P