Sunday, December 14, 2014

What you should NEVER say to a pregnant woman. Ever.

You've probably read posts like this before, but apparently not everyone has.  As a pregnant woman who seems to invite comments, let me say, it is NEVER appropriate to speculate on a woman's due date.  Chances are you will be wrong. 

I'm firmly convinced that most people don't know what a full-term, 40-week pregnant woman looks like.  Even if you've been one, apparently you can forget.  Here is a small sampling of what I heard in the last week (between 25 and 26 weeks pregnant.)

"Oh a New Year's baby!"  (only if you count mid-March as the new year)
"Looks like we're having a Christmas baby!"  (No. Not even close.)
"You look like you could go into labor any minute."  (Trust me, this is not what I'd be acting like if I were verging on labor.)
"Have you dropped or is it a boy?" (Can we please refrain from talking about things dropping in my pelvis?")

To the common "Not too much longer, eh?" I generally respond "It's longer than you might think."  Then I smile and walk away.  It's easier to be vague and let the comments roll off.  But depending on the wording, sometimes I end up answering "No, not due until March."  To which I heard this week:

"Well then it must be twins." 

Don't ever tell someone they look like they are having twins.  Why is it even necessary to write this?  Why would you TELL someone they look like they have two babies inside their belly? The few pregnant women who are indeed having twins will probably readily offer that information to you. A bystander doesn't need to "diagnose" twins!  I mean really!

Would you believe the below conversation really happened?

"Actually, I'm not due until March."
"Well then it must be twins."
"No, just one baby."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"I mean you're really sure?  They can check for that now, right?"

 That is just so wrong.
26 weeks with big sister Cora


1 comment:

Unknown said...

Oh you are just the most beautiful preggo mama ever! People are crazy!