I was at an in-law event over the weekend, and my stomach got rubbed/stroked/groped by no less than 4 different people!!!
What's with people's need to touch pregnant bellies??
And why do people think it's okay to do it??
Has your stomach been groped since you became pregnant?
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
I haven't had this happen to me yet. So not looking forward to it though.
honeydew / 7235 posts
I haven't had any strangers touch my belly - just family and friends -- but I totally didn't mind! I wanted people to touch it! Ha - I may be the exception.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@hellobeeboston: I'm not a touchy-feely person, so anyone touching me besides my husband is uncomfortable! These people didn't rub my belly before I was pregnant, so I feel like they shouldn't do it now!
honeydew / 7235 posts
@Adira: yeah - totally understandable! Most people asked me first if they could touch the belly, instead of just reaching for it -- although at this point it's so huge (39w5d) that family just goes for it!
GOLD / papaya / 10206 posts
I stood in my sisters wedding when I was 6 weeks pregnant and of course the cat got out of the bag and people kept rubbing my belly. That was not baby, that was just pre-existing belly fat. Ugh, people have space issues :S
pomegranate / 3275 posts
I was a teacher with both of my pregnancies, but with my DD the STUDENTS would rub my belly. DAILY! It was a little weird, but it didn't bother me too much. Especially at the end when my skin just hurt, it felt good to have it rubbed.
kiwi / 733 posts
Ugh, yes. Older women, especially, seem to not be able to keep their hands off. At work, when I first told people I was pregnant--and I was about 14 weeks and in regular clothes with no bump--one of the ladies came up to me, put her hand on my stomach, and demanded that I unbutton my jacket (I was in a suit) so that she could see the bump. I politely declined. DH is still upset about it, 10 weeks later, and is convinced I should have responded, "you want me to unbutton my jacket?! Take off your pants!"
pear / 1698 posts
I'm 37.5 weeks and the only person who has touched my belly other than my husband is my MIL. I was a little taken back when we saw her and she made a bee line for it since I am not a touchy person. We were at a family reunion type thing and she kept introducing people to her "new grandchild" instead of introducing me as her daughter-in-law. It was awkward!
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@prettylizy: Ugh, that sucks! That's totally how I feel too. I have a little bit of a baby belly now, but it's mostly just my pre-existing chubbiness, so I feel like people are just rubbing my fat! Gross!
@JessiBee: Oh wow, that's awkward! Good for you to decline unbuttoning your jacket! That's such a strange request! Why do people think it's cool to do stuff like that??
@LemonLong: Ewww, awkward! I think I'd be pretty offended if people did that to me - that's like "Oh, here's the incubator for my new grandchild!!!" Thanks a lot!
GOLD / papaya / 10206 posts
@JessiBee: HA! I like your DH's style!! Take off your pants indeed 
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
I've been patted by two girls at my gym. Nobody else besides DH! Who pets me frequently now, lol. At least once a day he says hello to the fetus. One girl I don't know well, so that was weird. The other is a friend, and that was ok. As long as the petting isn't gratuitous and an all over, languishing rubdown, it doesn't bug me. But a quick pat? Doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I forsee my mother being ALL up in my space, though, and I've already talked to her about asking before she just gropes on me. The baby may be kicking enough for her to feel by Thanksgiving, though.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
I'm not pregnant yet, but I can't imagine I'm going to want anyone touching me, especially in the beginning! DH is already always touching my stomach (not because we are TTC, he just always has even though I hate it). So I guess I'll at least be used to it?
I did see him go right in and touch our pregnant friend's belly and I yelled at him for not asking, even though she said it was OK after.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@blackbird: One of my friends grabbed my stomach once and I think I said something about it afterwards, because she hasn't done it since! But Hubs step-mom was ALL OVER ME this weekend. She was talking to me and another person and she just kept petting my stomach. I wanted to back away, but I didn't want to be seen as the crazy pregnant lady, haha.
@Foodnerd81: I think being touched by your husband is TOTALLY different than other family members/friends/strangers doing it! I'm used to my husband having his hands on me, so it's not weird if he rubs my belly. But his parents have never touched me in the past except to give hugs, so having them rub my stomach is just weird!!!
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
Yeah, the insistent petting would be weird! It's like...you can touch me for 3 seconds and that's it, then it gets to be weird. My MIL is super respectful of space, so I don't think she'll do that to me.
DH didn't start doing it until i had a bump, thankfully. In that early stage, it's just squishy and icky to be touched 
pineapple / 12793 posts
Before being pregnant I thought it would bother me, but it doesn't at all. It seems I get tummy pats all the time. Our realtor, my SILs (4 of them), my mom & dad, hubs, clients, co-workers, neighbors. Apparently my belly is common property now. I'm glad it doesn't bug me considering how many people go for it.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@oliviaoblivia: Oh my gosh, if any of my co-workers tried to touch my stomach, I would probably FREAK OUT! But I work with all guys, so I'm hoping they keep a respectful distance, haha. So far so good!
@blackbird: I STILL feel kind of squishy, so I don't really like being touched! I was overweight to begin with, so most of this belly is ALL ME. Very little of it is due to the baby, so I feel like people are just rubbing my fat stomach when they touch me and it makes me feel gross.
pomelo / 5331 posts
Just by people I know. Which is weird enough. I hope no strangers try to touch me!
pineapple / 12793 posts
@Adira: Yeah. I only have two co-workers, both women, neither are moms or will be moms, so they're really interested in my pregnancy. If they were men it would be TOTALLY different.
blogger / pomelo / 5361 posts
I don't mind if it's a very close friend or immediate family, but it's so weird when other people touch my tummy. A lady at work, who I actually really like, did that to me the other day, and I was so uncomfortable!
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@Mrs. Blue: haha, I prefer no one except Hubs to touch my belly! When people do, I just stand there feeling sooooo awkward!
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