07.07.2010
I happened to read a column today written by a guest journalist for the LA Times about her 3rd trimester pregnancy.[1] In my humble opinion, I don’t think that the column was particularly good or insightful, but she raised an interesting topic that I’ve heard other moms talk about. The belly.
The journalist explained how much she hated people commenting on how “large” she was or that they made gender guesses as one CVS clerk did by exclaiming that she was having a girl because if she were having a boy she’d be “much prettier.” Her quip back at the clerk was, “How do you know I’m not always this ugly?” That’s smart, I thought. Better than what I would’ve come up with. (The journalist had a boy.)
I’ve heard that women hate their bellies being touched or commented on. The touching thing I can get because I think it’s just rude to go up to someone and start touching them. I don’t really do that with people that I know much less strangers. I have to feel ultra comfortable with someone to pat him/her on the shoulder, hand or whatever. Part of me thinks this might have to do with being a teacher where you’re strongly discouraged from touching children by any means unless they come up to you and you’re in the vicinity of other adults. But then, I'm generally not a touchy-feely kind of person.
So those of you who have been pregnant, what say you? What do you deem acceptable behaviour from the public towards your pregnancy and what do you consider unacceptable? What about friends and family?
[1] Brodesser-Akner, Taffy “Quiet! Baby on Board,” Los Angeles Times, Wednesday, July 7, 2010, A13.
I didn't mind people touching my belly once I was actually showing as long as they asked first. I think people forget that it's still a body and you wouldn't touch someone's belly if there weren't a bay inside, right? But I get the urge. It's a miraculous thing to be able to grow people. I had a coworker touch my stomach when I was like two months pregnant. Ummm...that's not a baby bump that's belly fat...thanks.
ReplyDeleteI did hate the gender guesses, especially before I knew I was having a girl because everyone would say "You're having a boy." And I WANTED a girl. So I would get so pissed because I was afraid they were right. And everyone says they just want a healthy baby. It's a lie. Of course I wanted a healthy baby but I wanted a healthy baby GIRL.
Now as far as commented on my size...I was really happy fat and pregnant. No lie. But I hated it when my dad kept telling me I was getting fat. There's a difference between being pregnant and being fat. And everytime I say Mike & Jenn's grandma...she would tell me "You know, I only gained 10 lbs when I was pregnant with Anna and Joe." That kind of made me want to slap her. I was healthy and I had a healthy child. But as far as someone saying I was huge, as long as they just meant my belly, I was cool with that.