Sticks and stones... and belly touching

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." 

That's a bunch of bull. Whoever came up with that saying had never been the recipient of sticks, stones, or harsh words.

This is my first blog post since I have been pregnant, and I have been keeping many mental notes of how people react to my belly's growth. Some rude, some irritating, some interesting, some funny. I'll share examples of comments directed to me over the last several months just to give you a peek into the life of a lady carrying a child for nine months.

"Wow, you look big for only 15 weeks - are you carrying twins?"

My response: "Nope. I have had an ultrasound and there's only one heartbeat."
My thought: "Good thing I have good self-image. Maybe you should think before you speak."

"You are so tiny, you'll definitely want a C-section."

My response: "I plan on having and want a natural childbirth unless something goes wrong."
My thought: "Just because I'm small, doesn't mean I can't deliver. I know women much larger than me who have had to have C-sections. It has to do with what's going on down there and in utero. :)"

"Oh, you're having a girl! Yeah, girls are known to take away their mother's beauty."

My response: "I try."
My thought: "YOU must be carrying a girl. I think I look pretty darn good, thank you very much."

"You are carrying small. I carried small, too, and only had a 5 pound baby."

My response: "I'm actually carrying this baby right on track, but my family is known to have 9 to 10 pounders."
My thought: "You are probably trying to make me feel better about me gaining weight, but I am actually very happy with my belly. It is adorable to me and my hubby."

"You're carrying high." or "You're carrying low."

My response: "How can you even tell?"
My thought: "I'm JUST right." :)

"Let me tell you about my horrible experience. Fill in the blank with terrible stories of childbirth here."

My response: "Okay, well I know things won't go as planned. But I pray for my health and my baby's health constantly."
My thought: "What makes you think you have to explain things in detail of a dreadful experience to a first time pregnant lady/first time mom?!"

"I would NOT want a little girl."

My response: "My husband and I are very excited about having this little girl."
My thought: "This is a precious life, and I could care less if it's a boy or a girl. I love HER!"


Note to all of you out there. Just ask how the mom-to-be is feeling and what she needs. That would mean a whole lot more and she may actually come to you with questions. Giving unwanted advice or comments is not something she wants to hear! My good Southern woman response and thought to all of this?

"Bless your heart."