Tips Tuesday!

The news that you are having a baby can be very exciting! Your new maternal status might have people treating you like a semi-celebrity ie. catering to your every need, but sometimes people are not cognizant of the fact that you are a person with feelings. Perhaps you don’t want to talk about being pregnant ad nauseum or you hate it when strangers ask if they could rub your belly- are you a buddha? Um, no. We think that there needs to be censorship for the way that people treat pregnant women, thus we have come up with a short list of pregnancy etiquette. Have a family member or friend that doesn’t seem to know the drill? Share this article with them, or hand print outs to strangers who have some learning to do:

Keep a secret, a secret.

• You may be super thrilled to that your best friend told you that she is pregnant but let her share the news when she feels like it. The same advice goes for when an expectant mom tells you the gender of the baby. Due to superstitions or privacy, the mom-to-be might not be ready to let the world know about her pregnancy so respect her feelings and keep the need to blab to yourself.

Don’t comment on her Size

• Preggo women NEVER want to hear someone say, “YOU’RE HUGE!!”, or “You look like your ready to pop!” A pregnant woman may feel huge, but she doesn’t want or need to hear it from you. Want to make a comment? Try a compliment like “you look so beautiful” or “your skin is glowing”.

Hands off the Belly

• We get it. The belly is sticking out and you want to feel the baby “kick”...Look but don’t touch. Some women may not mind if you just run up and grope their belly, but it may “rub” others the wrong way. If the pregnant woman invites you to touch her belly, feel free to get hands on, but if not, keep off. After all, would you like it if someone rubbed your non-pregnant belly? We didn’t think so.

Don’t give advice when you weren’t asked for it

• If what you have to say is unsolicited, you should probably keep it to yourself. Pregnant women are very emotional, and if she feels like you are judging her, then it could cause problems. For example, don’t tell her what she should and should not eat. Pregnant women are well aware of their dietary needs and restrictions. Unless she asks for your opinion, it is best to not say anything at all.

Keep your horror stories to yourself.

• Had a tough pregnancy? That is too bad. However, just because your pregnancy was killer, doesn’t mean that your friend/family member’s pregnancy will be. Keep your scary stories to yourself. Misery loves company, but you do not want to worry the expectant mom about things that may or may not happen to her so if you want to discuss your horrid pregnancy, wait until she is post-partum.

Things you should NEVER say to a pregnant woman.

• “Did you take fertility drugs?!”- This could be a very touchy subject to some expectant mothers. It is very emotional when you are having troubles conceiving, so unless she tells you out front that she did, don’t ask.
• “Did you plan this one?”- Well, it does not really matter! The mommy to be is obviously sharing the news because she is very excited, don’t burst her bubble!
• “Enjoy ____ now because once the baby comes, you can kiss it goodbye.” Pregnancy is n emotional time, and she probably already knows that her life is going to change forever. So, don’t tell her that she will never fit into her skinny jeans again.
• “I never had morning sickness.”- This is especially bad if you are telling this to someone who is as sick as a dog.

This is a short list of pregnancy etiquette tips but there are a lot more faux pas that need to be prevented. Our words of wisdom? If you think that what you are about to do or say can be at all offensive, don’t do it and don’t say it!

Have a great day!

XOXO,

The Moody Mamas