# In the last 24 hours, this pregnant woman has been the recipient of:

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 21, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573 "2009-10-21T03:20:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/41 "2009-10-22T02:20:40Z")

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A few things about pregnant women:

1. Respect their space. Would you invade her space if she weren’t pregnant?

2. Don’t bring the pregnancy up unless they do. Some “pregnant” women arent. Pregnant, that is.

3. Yo, preggoes: get your flu shots. Srsly.

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/42 "2009-10-22T03:05:08Z")

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[Could be worse](http://www.yogadork.com/2009/02/12/bits-of-the-day-octomom-pics-are-huge-how-to-blow-your-nose-bruce-springsteens-in-the-now/)

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**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/43 "2009-10-22T14:46:11Z")

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I was so excited this weekend … I got to touch a pregnant belly! She was very obviously pregnant (due in January), and we had done the “when are you due/do you know what your’re having/how are you feeling” trifecta first. I said something about how much I love seeing pregnant bellies and she said it was OK to touch. Squee! Later on, the baby was kicking and she let me feel that too.

WAH! I wannna 'nother one!

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**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/44 "2009-10-22T14:57:00Z")

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You look cute! 😉

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**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/45 "2009-10-22T15:07:15Z")

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> [@overlyverbose](#):
>
> …my crotch hurt like hell…

Wait. What???  
(I don’t know nuthin’ bout birthin’ no babies.)

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**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/46 "2009-10-22T15:25:17Z")

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> [@astro](#):
>
> [Could be worse](http://www.yogadork.com/2009/02/12/bits-of-the-day-octomom-pics-are-huge-how-to-blow-your-nose-bruce-springsteens-in-the-now/)

:eek::eek::eek::eek:

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**Author:** ![raspberry\_hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@raspberry\_hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raspberry_hunter)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/47 "2009-10-22T15:35:31Z")

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I mean, I do think you’re within your rights to complain about comments like that, if they bother you. I can tell you that if anyone tries rubbing my belly I will be complaining loudly about it!

I know what you mean, though - the “popping out” comments, for me, have been coming from friends (who are mothers) who clearly mean it in a nice way (and as a compliment, even, a sort of “welcome to the land of having kids!”), and so I take them as affectionate. Now, one of my co-workers asked me how I was doing, I said, “Fine, but I’m definitely eating a lot more,” and he said, “Yeah, even I have noticed that.” Okay, I know he didn’t mean it in an unfriendly way, but that… did not strike me as quite as affectionate 🙂

And yeah, what’s up with the sudden preg-preg-preg-all-the-time anyway? Last week, I could have a normal conversation about my job, my in-laws who are coming to visit, my co-worker’s birthday party, etc. This week… it’s all about the same subject. (And everyone is asking me how I’m doing! Well, I’m doing great now, but if you’d asked me three months ago…)

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**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/48 "2009-10-22T15:46:55Z")

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> [@Munch](#):
>
> Homer Simpson: Why thank you! I \*have \*been drinking more lately…  
> And yeah - I just don’t comment on pregnancies. The chances of the “when are you due?”/“I’m not pregnant” response are too great (i.e. not zero). If I don’t see a leg protruding from you, I’m keeping my mouth shut.

We were on vacation last year and my wife asked one of the waitresses when she was due. The waitress was happy to talk about her baby. Later that day my mom said that she thought my wife was lucky that the waitress was actually pregnant.

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**Author:** ![StaudtCJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@StaudtCJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StaudtCJ)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/49 "2009-10-22T15:52:01Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Originally Posted by overlyverbose  
> …my crotch hurt like hell…

> [@niblet\_head](#):
>
> Wait. What???  
> (I don’t know nuthin’ bout birthin’ no babies.)

When you’re as far along as that, the baby starts (or continues) dropping into your pelvis, and pushing against all sorts of uncomfortable things down there, especially when you change position. (Speaking as another female who is currently 38 weeks pregnant.) This can be more than uncomfortable on occasion, and waiting for the discomfort/pain to subside before continuing to change position is a good thing. Also, when that’s happening, I often feel like I’m trying to walk with a softball between my upper thighs. It’s very awkward and uncomfortable. Does that help?

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**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/50 "2009-10-22T15:56:16Z")

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Owie owie owie.

Reaffirms my decision never to have kids.

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**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/51 "2009-10-22T16:04:26Z")

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**Ruffian** , until I looked at your picture I thought you might be my cousin’s wife! She’s pregnant and has not been well, including having H1N1, and has kids already.

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**Author:** ![Textual\_Intercourse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Textual\_Intercourse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Intercourse)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/52 "2009-10-22T16:11:39Z")

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> [@Minnie\_Luna](#):
>
> A friend of mine went into the hospital for the birth of her first. TLC or Discovery Health was filming for one of their “Baby Delivery” shows. They asked her if she wanted to participate. She had never seen any of the shows and asked what they wanted to film, and they said they wanted “everything”. She said they could film whatever they wanted, but no hoo-hah shots, they moved on to another mother in labor. She really didn’t want her lady bits preserved for posterity on tape somewhere, even if it was for the miracle of birth. Can’t say that I blame her.

During that miraculous stage of late labor, shortly before the wee one will look upon the world for the first time, the hoo-hah or lady bits cease to exist and become something else entirely.

I’ve seen footage…

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**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/53 "2009-10-22T16:19:36Z")

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The gods have blessed me with a delicious coincidence. My friend’s ex works at an upscale women’s clothing store, doing window design and buying, dealing with clients occasionally but not selling to them. A woman wearing an empire waist dress came in the other day, greeted him, and his own greeting came out, ‘Hiiii! Oh, when are you due?’ The answer? Never. He spent the rest of the day on his laptop in the stock room. I was nice and didn’t laugh at him, at least not to his face. I don’t know if the woman bought anything, but it did make me wonder if she just felt horribly embarrassed and angry, or if she had some sympathy for his own embarrassment. Hoping for the latter is probably a bit naive!

> [@raspberry\_hunter](#):
>
> I  
> And yeah, what’s up with the sudden preg-preg-preg-all-the-time anyway? Last week, I could have a normal conversation about my job, my in-laws who are coming to visit, my co-worker’s birthday party, etc. This week… it’s all about the same subject. (And everyone is asking me how I’m doing! Well, I’m doing great now, but if you’d asked me three months ago…)

It’s to get you prepared for the baby-baby-baby-all-the-time talk.

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**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/54 "2009-10-22T16:28:15Z")

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> [@Jettboy](#):
>
> Once a noticably pregnant woman was standing in line at a Starbucks. A nosy old busybody in line behind her says, “…you know coffee is bad for the baby, don’t you?”
> 
> The pregnant woman comes back with, “Yeah, I know, but it’s the only way I can deal with this hangover.”

If you’d said Dunkin’ Donuts (and nearly twenty years ago) I’d assume that had been me. I used to say stuff like that all the time. Another favorite was “Yeah, but the cigarettes just aren’t the same without it.”

And don’t get me started on random unpermissioned belly rubs.

The comments about how I looked when I was pregnant never bothered me, but the comments about what I DID made me crazy. If you ever find yourself with the urge to tell a pregnant woman that coffee (or deli meat, or whatever the hell she’s currently got in her hand that you disapprove of) is bad for the baby, please do bite your tongue. It may be decaf. It may not be for her. Or it may be her fourteenth espresso of the day. Either way, it’s none of your business.

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**Author:** ![Ruffian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Ruffian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruffian)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/55 "2009-10-22T23:15:18Z")

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One of my coworkers knows _exactly_ how to make a pregnant woman feel great. She complimented me with:

“You’re still all baby! You look so cute!” When I thanked her heartily and mentioned the “You’re getting so big!” comments, she said, “Well, that’s because the rest of you is still so small. It’s disproportionate–It’s all baby!”

I wanted to hug her. She rules.

BTW, it’s odd–in the last two days, I’ve not gotten a single belly rub or “You’re big”-type comment. Maybe I just grew a lot over the weekend. ?? Quite strange how it ebbs and flows.

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**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/56 "2009-10-23T00:00:45Z")

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I suppose it’s too much to hope for that everyone around you used up their month’s allotment of dumb a little early.

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**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-last-24-hours-this-pregnant-woman-has-been-the-recipient-of/514573/57 "2009-10-24T04:34:21Z")

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> [@KneadToKnow](#):
>
> Barry’s Law: You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests you think she’s pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

If you are the pregnant person in question - especially once you get to that third-trimester “definitely pregnant” stage -, you can have a lot of fun with this. Next time someone says “when are you due?” (thinking they are safe, because you are so freaking enormous you _have_ to be pregnant) stare at them blankly and say, with a slightly puzzled air, “I’m sorry, what do you mean?”.

I could never hold it for more than a few seconds before laughing, but it was fun to see them considering how to backpedal…

P.S. the nicest thing to say to a pregnant person is “from the back you don’t look pregnant at all!” Even if you have to quietly admit to yourself that you are lying, this will always go over well.

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