When you’re pregnant, there are a lot of pregnancy symptoms, but it amazes me the misinformation people wish to impart on you.
Case in point, my Mom has ‘baby-brain’ these days, as my sister-in-law and I are both expecting. My Mom has two best friends who have daughter-in-laws that are expecting as well. Turns out most of us are due all around the same time, which makes it worse, since comparisons are flying.
Here is one conversation I had with my Mom about my pregnancy and her friend’s daughter-in-law’s pregnancy.
Mom: You must be having a boy.
Me: Why is that?
Mom: Because she is only two weeks behind you and she is not even showing yet, while you have really popped out.
Me: Isn’t this her first pregnancy?
Mom: What does that have to do with it?
Me: Mom, after you have one baby, your abdominal muscles aren’t as tight and you typically show much earlier the second time around.
Mom: Well, that doesn’t make sense.
Here is another conversation:
Mom: You obviously are having a boy.
Me: Why do you say that?
Mom: Because you are really sticking out. And that is how you know it is a boy.
Me: Didn’t you say that Mrs. C said her daughter-in-law is carrying all over and you think that is the sign of a girl?
Mom: Yes.
Me: But she is having a boy.
At this point, I wish I knew I was having a girl (check out this post to get the answer!) so I could prove her wrong. Seriously, you’d think these women who have had 7 children and an existing 6 grandchildren amongst themselves, that they would be a bit more informed with these wives tales.
Of course, I get other strangers imparting their thoughts on my pregnancy. Which, of course, always starts of with: “Congratulations!” Followed by, “When are you due?” Further followed by,”Do you know what you are having?” I’m really tempted to say I’m having an alien baby and they don’t have a gender…just to see what they say. Often, these strangers then proceed to tell you what they think you are having. I was told at a Starbucks recently that I was carrying a girl because I was carrying high. (Note that during my last pregnancy, another woman, coincidentally at another Starbucks, said I was carrying low and that it must be a girl.)
Then you have the people that state, “Wow, you must be due any day now?” When, I have to respond, “I am only 5 months along, so I would hope I would have more time.”
Pregnancy, in and of itself, is not easy. Then you leave the house and deal with all of this. Which is why I often don’t leave it.
So what crazy things have been said to you during your pregnancies?
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Image Credit: Doriana via stock.xchng.com
About Charlene DeLoach
Hi! I'm Charlene! I'm a Toy Expert, Creator, Media Personality, and a Mom. I love helping fellow families learn how to play, find the best educational games, or discover the best toys. My first job was in a toy store and I've been happily playing professionally in the toy industry for the past 10 years. So let's play together!
One of my friends stock response to the gender question was “We’re hoping for a human. Or maybe an owl.”
Right now the biggest question I get is have we named her yet? Which I am always uncomfortable answering because it’s an unusual name and I don’t want to have to defend it if the person doesn’t like it. Ever notice how easy it is to insult a name, but once that name is assigned to an actual child they wouldn’t dare. So until baby is here, keep your mouth shut, it’s a secret!
The heartburn = lots of hair thing gets me. I had killer heartburn last time, only a few little hairs on that baby’s head.
I got a lot of the carrying low thing with my first. Because he was SO low and he was a boy so everyone thought they were all proud of themselves that they could tell he was a boy. And I was thinking, “Guys, you have a 50/50 shot here.”
What gets me now is that I’m seeing that bias a lot of parents of all-boys or all-girls get. I have a boy, #2 is a girl, and whenever people find out they say, “Oh that’s PERFECT.” Which is fine and all, but what if I was having another boy?
Ha! Love the convos with your mom. When I was pregnant my MIL told me I’d never have a girl because “Meltzers don’t have girls.” Guess who had a girl HA!
Haha… I heard these same things the second time around… So funny all the old. Wives tales