Etiquette 101: On the Woman who is With Child

[mollyringle]

Friendly reminder to the world:

No woman wants to hear "I can't believe how big you're getting!", even if she is pregnant.

Here are some welcome alternatives:
"You're looking so healthy!"
"Your hair looks great!"
"Beautiful sweater!"
"I've always said you had the best taste in literature of anyone in the company."

Truthfully, though, I'm in a good mood today. Will actually go see a movie (Harry Potter, natch) in the cinemas this weekend if all goes as planned. Hurrah! Enjoy, yo.

Comments

[fujerica.livejournal.com]

I was (hugely) pregnant in July. My friends kept saying stuff like, "you're beautiful! You're glowing!!".
Of course I was glowing. I was pregnant.. in July. I was glowing so much that I needed a shower every three hours.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Ooof. I feel for you. I'm nice and cozy now that it's winter, but whenever the temperature was over, oh, 72, I started wilting like a snowdrop. Maui was kind of miserable that way. And they say Hawaii's paradise. Hah.

[tdj.livejournal.com]

"I can't believe how big you're getting" = "Your trimmness really contrasts with the ol' incubator there."

When they don't even notice you're preggers, that's when you start to worry.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

I guess that would be the "benefit of the doubt" interpretation. :) I'm trying to give that to people more often, so I'll train my thoughts that way.

[(Anonymous)]

Then there's the rather large woman who took her toddler to the pediatrician and mentioned that there would be a little brother soon. The doc said, "Congratulations, when is your due date?" and the lady responded, "Doctor, we are adopting."

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Hehe. Oh dear. Also heard of the following conversation...
TODDLER: Mom, why are you getting so big?
MOM: Well, remember we talked about it, how your little brother or sister is growing in my belly?
TODDLER: Yeah, but what's growing in your butt?

[terrylj.livejournal.com]

There was this one lady in our church who told me numerous times, "You haven't gotten really big, but you sure are getting wide!"

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Urf. Ah, the tact skills of some folks, eh?

[gillen.livejournal.com]

I like to open with, "Whoa! Dude! Hey, did you ever see Alien?"

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, 'Alien' thoughts occurred to me the first time I could feel the baby move.

Now it's more scientific, luckily - "What is this exactly? An elbow? A knee? A foot? Hold still, would you; I'm trying to figure this out."