https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 03 May 2026 10:33:18 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-426598 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 06:35:07 +0000 JerricaBenton 426598@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>These are so funny! Most people have been sweet but I'm so surprised at how many people ask,<br /> 1. Are you breastfeeding? (Just plain old none of your business!)<br /> 2. Are you going to do it naturally? (Which as someone stated above I never know if they mean sans drugs or just vaginally - and I'm always like - um yeah we're going to try because I figure that covers either question)<br /> 3. Are you getting an epidural? (After which follows judgement about whether I should or shouldn't)<br /> 4. You should name her after me/Valentina (I'm due 2/15)<br /> 5. Ohh, a girl - you're probably happy but is your husband upset? (Uhh, no you nut job!)</p> <p>I just can't believe people ask so many personal questions! My sign would say 'It's a girl and we're BOTH very happy! The rest is none of your business!' </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-426561 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:15:46 +0000 lomom 426561@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not showing yet, despite being 16 weeks, so I don't get the commentary from strangers yet. But my coworkers continuously remind me that I'm not showing. There were two other women in the office pregnant this year and both were very thin and showed from the moment they conceived. Being plus-sized, I can tell my body has changed and I can tell I've got a little bump, but when I'm fully clothed, I just look like I've put on ten pounds. So that comment totally irks me!</p> <p>People who do know I'm pregnant, or when they find out I am, I get "are you breastfeeding?", "are you going to find out the gender?", "are you going back to work?", and "are you getting an epidural?". These questions seriously set off an alarm in my head, *this is a trap, this person is looking for an in to give me their opinion!* and sure enough... </p> <p>So my sign would have to be "yes, we're finding out the gender, yes I'm continuing my career, yes I plan to breastfeed, hell yes I'm getting an epidural, and nothing you say will change any of that!" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-426534 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 01:31:31 +0000 glimmersnaps 426534@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ladyfingers Oh you sound just like me 2 years ago! I had a boy due in February actually Valentine's Day WAS my due date! "Oooooh Valentine baby!" was my most-frequently-heard comment. I was also huge so I got the twins/you-must-be-due-any-day remarks too. </p> <p>My favorite weirdo comments come from my in-laws who like to tell me I look tired. They aren't from the States so I guess they don't get that this is offensive. But still. I always reply with a "thanks." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425569 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:11:46 +0000 rachiecakes 425569@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@umegoodness: I had a Christmas baby (Dec.17), so I can TOTALLY relate - oh, and when I was checking into the hospital for my induction the nurse asked if it was twins. You gotta think, this chick sees pregnant ladies every.single.day. NICE. haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425509 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:55:37 +0000 ladyfingers 425509@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoJoGirl: Oh, don't feel bad! I don't get irritated at the individual people asking harmless questions, I just get irritated answering them over and over. It's just the rude comments/questions that get me! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425506 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:54:56 +0000 ladyfingers 425506@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LazyLightning: bahahahaha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425491 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:51:01 +0000 JoJoGirl 425491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh lord this is hilarious. It does make me feel bad though cause the onlyquestion I could ever think to ask my pregnant friends was "how are you feeling?" - I always felt super sensitive to be asking that instead of saying "wow you're huge!!!" or "are you excited?"... like acknowledging the answer might be "shitty". :) And I never knew what else to ask! I'm sure I'll be super sick of answering it one of these days! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425482 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:46:22 +0000 jedeve 425482@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LazyLightning: @umegoodness: I like to say I'm fat and happy. Which prompts ooh you aren't fat. Why can't I just be fat if I want to be??</p> <p>Sorry for three posts in a row...just kept seeing something I wanted to reply to! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425480 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:46:00 +0000 LazyLightning 425480@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jedeve: haha no kidding. "Just relax, it'll work out."</p> <p>Stuff works out 'cause you make it work out.</p> <p>Just like I'm not going to feel less barfy if I go around with a smile on my face repeating "miracle growing!!" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425479 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:44:33 +0000 jedeve 425479@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LazyLightning: I hated all the "just focus on what's important" comments when I was engaged, especially right before the wedding. Which, again, I know I've said to people. But it was annoying because I wasn't freaking out or being Bridezilla, I just would want to address a basic logistic people would have totally been annoyed about if I hadn't, you know? Yes. The most important thing is my husband. But I still need to print off these programs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425471 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:41:40 +0000 jedeve 425471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: I'm in January and get the ooh so far away! thing too. I smiled so much when one woman told me it was getting close (which I know will also get annoying) because it finally made me feel like I wouldn't be pregnant forever. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425334 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:45:03 +0000 umegoodness 425334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LazyLightning: LOL! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425330 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:41:38 +0000 LazyLightning 425330@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@umegoodness: "let me tell you about the zits in my ass-crack. would you like to see them?" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425328 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:40:37 +0000 umegoodness 425328@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LazyLightning: Ha ha! Yeah I always automatically answer "Fine" or "Good" to the "how are you feeling" questions, which these days has been a bald-faced lie. I think in my head - well, I could give you a list of the crappy things I'm dealing with right now, but I don't think you want to hear it! Like do you really want to know that I am nauseous, having heart burn, have a sore back, a sore neck and hips? That I'm more sleep deprived than I have ever been in my life? Lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425303 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:30:19 +0000 LazyLightning 425303@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hergreenapples: "I feel like shit, thanks for asking. If you keep talking to me, I'm likely to barf my pop tarts on your shoes." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425300 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:29:06 +0000 LazyLightning 425300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: ME TOO. I can comfortably sit in silence with other people, gladly. Most people can't.</p> <p>@umegoodness: I will admit, it was really hard for me not to ask each of the ladies in my office when they were due all the time (I kept forgetting). But knowing how much pregnancy ladies hate it, I kept quiet!! I figured I'd find out when the baby was born eventually, right?!</p> <p>@hergreenapples: oh yes. Some people who've found out have been jumping up and down, squealing, even had tears in their eyes. And it's me having the baby and I'm just like "yep. yeah it's exciting." We all experience things differently. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425286 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:25:09 +0000 heartonastring 425286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LazyLightning: YES! It's totally like when people would ask about being excited before the wedding. I never felt like my answers satisfied them then either. </p> <p>I kind of feel like Miranda in that episode of SATC when she finds out she's having a boy and isn't as ebullient with her reaction as everyone else thinks she should be. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign/page/2#post-425281 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:24:01 +0000 umegoodness 425281@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlebug I TOTALLY understand what you mean! I straight out told a woman sarcastically, "well THANKS" yesterday when she commented on how big my belly is getting. She insisted "no that's a good thing!" but I hope I made her think for a second. It takes a lot of patience to keep smiling and answering each question as if it's been asked for the first time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign#post-425280 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:23:19 +0000 chrispygal 425280@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LazyLightning: OMG, I hated that question. Got it all the time - from everyone! It was so weird from men especially. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign#post-425273 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:19:50 +0000 littlebug 425273@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine would say, "January 10th. One baby (it's a boy.) Yes, I'm absolutely sure." </p> <p>Yesterday, I had someone tell me that I looked "ripe" and then proceeded to tell me that she was "feeling" December 8th. I was like, "Um, no, December 8th is more than a MONTH early!" </p> <p>I am sick to death of people telling me my due date is wrong (it's not, I know when we conceived), that my baby will be huge (we're measuring right on track), that I must be having twins (I've had 10 ultrasounds), or that I'm not going to make it till my due date. I get more and more aggravated each time someone says something. One of these days, I may snap. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign#post-425272 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:19:28 +0000 ladyfingers 425272@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LazyLightning: And that's the thing -- I'm an introvert! I HATE small talk! </p> <p>Like others have said, I wish I could start maternity leave now basically so I'd not have to leave the house at all for the next 2 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign#post-425271 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:19:27 +0000 heartonastring 425271@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PrincessBaby: Hahahahaha! I totally laughed out loud at "going for the vagina" - too funny. What is with that question though? Totally inappropriate!</p> <p>@jedeve: Ugh! Yes! The sympathetic, "How are you feeeeeling?" question. I really don't know how to respond to that and I hate it. </p> <p>I guess my sign should say, "April. We're not finding out. I feel totally normal other than the internal baby movements." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign#post-425264 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:17:46 +0000 LazyLightning 425264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: yes!! so great. </p> <p>Really i think Pregnancy makes people think it gives them instant small-talk. Instead of taking it for what it really is--a very private, *sexual* matter that we wouldn't display like this if we could avoid it, people tend to think "Oh, there's her belly, it's on display so that means she wants to talk about it!" OR *touch it*. (Seriously, would you honk someone's boob if you notice they have boobs? why would you rub someone's belly?)</p> <p>Anyway I figure it's like having pink hair. Or your leg in a cast. Or a rainbow-colored manicure. Or a shirt that says "I just ran 26.6 miles!" It's something people can see and easily ask you about instead of what you normally talk about with acquaintances---weather, or TV shows, or other impersonal stuff since we don't know people's interests. It's like people zero in on a pregnant belly and think "Oh she's pregnant. Her interest is PREGNANCY. I will ask her about that, thus making myself successful at small talk!" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign#post-425247 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:10:18 +0000 ladyfingers 425247@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LazyLightning: you should just answer, "whatever you think I should do." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign#post-425228 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:03:52 +0000 LazyLightning 425228@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: it's like they want to make sure you're making the "right choice". WTF. I will make my own choice and it will be the right choice for ME! agh. </p> <p>@Tidybee: ugh that reminds me of before i got married. "are you excited? you must be soooo excited. are you nervous? don't be nervous!" I'd feel like if i didn't display the 'right' amount of excitement or nervousness or whatever, i was doing it wrong. hah. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign#post-425189 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:45:45 +0000 Tidybee 425189@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted to go on maternity leave earl because I was so sick of the coworkers every day, asking how are you, when do you think you'll go, are you excited, etc.<br /> I felt bad because they were just being nice, but it was so annoying! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign#post-425184 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:43:10 +0000 ladyfingers 425184@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pregnantbee: Haha! I always wanted to do that but never had the guts.</p> <p>@LazyLightning: See, again, weird! Why does anybody care if somebody's going to breastfeed?</p> <p>@umegoodness: You poor thing! Man, I can totally see how the Christmas comments would get old. And you're right, it's almost always women -- and usually women who haven't been pregnant before. I'm also sick of the "You poor thing" comments. Thanks for making me feel like I have something to be upset about. I'm growing my child in my body and preparing to push it out into the world and feed it from my own body, thereby taking part in some of the greatest, most amazing miracles of human life, but you're right -- I totally deserve pity.</p> <p>@Phillybaby2013: I think it's because it's next year maybe? I wonder if we were in October and due in December, if people would say the same stuff. Although... obviously based on what other people have said, the answer to that is "yep." And yes on different signs! I would have one for DH that says, "I'm fine" haha because if I grunt while bending to pick something up or grimace while trying to shift in bed after laying there all night or put my hand on my belly, he's all -- ARE YOU OK ZOMG?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign#post-425145 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:23:07 +0000 Phillybaby2013 425145@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: Our signs would be the same. I hate saying February bc everyone seems to think that it is sooo far away and will say things like "wow you still have a while". I'm like it's 60 some days away but thanks for making this whole 9 months thing feel even longer.</p> <p>@jedeve: i cringed at your exaggerated feeling comment bc its so true and i can't stand it. Everyone asks and i basically say I'm fine, I'm pregnant! What else should I be? </p> <p>I would like different signs for specific people and alternate them. Like for my Dad - "yes I'm bigger since the last time I saw you and he moves all day every day." </p> <p>Aaaaarggh! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign#post-425129 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:14:59 +0000 umegoodness 425129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I realize that post was the longest ever, but one more thing: I have noticed that I have only ever gotten these comments from women. Men, even ones I know well, on the other hand, always respectfully look me in the eye (not automatically the belly) when they talk to me and have not made a single comment! Strange. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/im-going-to-start-wearing-a-sign#post-425114 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:01:57 +0000 umegoodness 425114@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've been a longtime hellobee lurker and finally registered just to respond to this post! Thank you for posting this, I have been miserable this past month or so and it really helped me to read all of your responses. :) I'm going to rant, OK? </p> <p>I'm 9 months pregnant and I look like I'm 10 months pregnant - I know this officially because my uterus is measuring 4 weeks ahead (the baby is not big, I just have extra amniotic fluid). Part of the reason I am intending to leave work early is so that I can hide from all of the stares and comments! "Oh, you're getting so big," "When are you planning to leave? It must be soon." "You must be due any day now, no?" Guess what? I'm still a person, not just a breeding machine.</p> <p>I think these types of comments are hard not just from one person, but because you here them all the time, from everyone, and they are people that you may not necessarily know that well. It just gets repetitive, intrusive, and exhausting. If you like attention then maybe you don't mind, but sometimes you just want to blend in and go to work and then talk about the weather or something inane and impersonal, you know? </p> <p>and the worst was from someone who I didn't even recognize who appeared to be using the bathroom on our floor. "When are you due?" my answer (taken aback because she was a complete stranger): "December 28th." (at the time it was mid-November). "Oh WOW." Not a good oh-wow, but an "wow-you're-huge" oh-wow. </p> <p>Of course it's really fun for me since my due date is smack in the middle of New Years and Christmas, so I get a lot of "oh boy"s and "Christmas baby!" comments. Yes, it is a crappy time of the year to have a birthday. No, it was not intentionally planned that way! </p> <p>I've gotten the twins comment A LOT too, even earlier in my pregnancy, and I think that is the rudest one. Even when people say it as a "joke," I know that they are really thinking it. I mean, come on, in what world is that not insulting!!!! People often say it without thinking and I grimace and say, yes I'm sure there's only one baby girl in there. Everyone carries differently when they're pregnant and since my little girl seems to be leaving my ribs alone, I'm assuming she's positioned pretty far out there, causing all of the twins comments.</p> <p>My sign would read: "December 28th. Yeah, Christmas baby. I know. No, it's not twins."</p> <p>Yesterday at work I started crying and was googling forum topics like this one because I was so stressed and upset with all of the stupid comments. People don't realize that these token comments become so overwhelming when they are repeated so often and when you feel like your body is on display being ogled constantly. Combine that with the hormonal third tri and you have a recipe for misery. </p>