Comments on: Hands off the Bump! Are pregnant women public property?

By: Dobby

Dobby — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 22:39:21 +0000

Oh this made me laugh. My Dad LOVES pregnant women but he would a) never touch a complete strangers bump and b) always asks his friends or relations.

I love pregnant women too – always think they look fantastic. But again, I would never, ever, touch a bump without being invited to. I have felt my cousins and my aunts and loved it, wasn’t freaked out at all. Wouldn’t mind friends/relations doing it with me, but complete strangers? Jog on.

Also – the comments? Christ. I think in general though we’re a terribly pass remarkable nation. Going out with someone – “When are you getting married?”. Get married – “Oooh when are the kids?”. FECK OFF!!

By: ELphaba

ELphaba — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 20:22:49 +0000

I got this all the time, someone even said to me “oh look you’re putting on weight” no you idiot the baby is, the baby I’m growing right now! Another woman I knew to see from the bus stop stopped me in the supermarket just to tell me I was huge and “shire I thought you’d have had it by now…..” I was only 7 months gone and had told her that last time she asked. Although ladies it does not get better when you have the little one, my man is 5 weeks old and you’d swear he was lady crack the wy women want o smell him and pass him around like a parcel.

By: Marianne

Marianne — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 16:55:57 +0000

Perfectly timed post-Am so happy & excited to be pregnant except for one thing….the unasked for bump grabbing! I’ve always liked my personal space so been a bit surprised at people, even friends, thinking just because I’m pregnant I’d suddenly want nothing better than a good ol’ belly grope. I know it’s meant well but it makes me so uncomfortable. Would love to be a bit more “hands off” but not quite brave enough

By: Buttons

Buttons — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 12:13:27 +0000

I also am one of the more scared of the bump people. I used to have to touch a friends bump to try catch it moving (I never did…think the baba was as scared of me!)

I think the reason some people comment on the size of the bump is because they feel they have to say something and can’t think of anything else after congratulations. I don’t think they realise that it would be upsetting to Mum to be because its not her thats big…

Anyway, god help anyone that tried to touch my stomach univited. No one invades my personal space and gets away with it lightly…preggers or not.

By: red razors

red razors — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:01:56 +0000

My cousin would always offer me a feel of her bump/baby moving. I am definitely in the freaked-out club on this. You couldn’t get me to touch it for love nor money. It would turn into this prolonged exchange because she thought i was just being polite, me: you’re grand, there’s no bother, her: no i don’t mind at all, have a feel, me: no really, it’s ok, honest, her: no do, let me have your hand, me: no, REALLY, it’s ok!! It wasn’t til her second baby that i was like, pam i really don’t like touching it

By: Lucie

Lucie — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 23:16:22 +0000

In our culture (central to eastern Europe) there’s a saying that such strangers who look or touch your bump are trying to steal the baby’s luck (evil eye or something like this) (in my own words, we do have an actual word for this). I’m not really into those kind of things though, but when I’m going to be pregnant and somebody, a stranger, will try to touch my bump, he/she can expect a lot of problems with me.

By: Melanie

Melanie — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 21:36:58 +0000

Was working at a trade fair when expecting my first daughter. I was treated like Budda for 3 whole awful days!

I was told I was humongous, must be twins at least. Next person would say I was tiny & was I really expecting – ha ha bloody ha.

I hated every single second of being pregnant as soon as I walked out my front door because everyone had an opinion & I was forced to listen whether I wanted to or not. As for once they arrived – still pi**es me off when strangers lecture me on how to raise the three sprogs!

By: Jujube

Jujube — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 19:13:29 +0000

Best response I’ve heard to the “you’re huge” comment? “I’m pregnant, what’s your excuse?!”

By: sevda

sevda — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:19:48 +0000

I work in an environment where there is usually 2 or more pregnant so after 20 years I am baby ed out (ditto weddings, people don’t eve ask me do I want to see snaps anymore).

I asked a colleague the other day who this Mary she was talking about was to be told it’s her 1 year old.

I have come to the conclusion that can only handle humans who can walk and talk themselves.

By: Gee Gee

Gee Gee — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:46:27 +0000

Aisling – I’d be the same, saying people look great, and just asking how they are finding the pregnancy, how much long they have to go etc, wouldn’t be with random people either, ask customer in my shop sometimes but only people that I would see regularly… Would the same about asking about people’s families etc.

Have only ever touched a baby bump once and that was when I was asked to by my (nurse) sister when she was pregnant with her first, she wanted me to feel the bump when it was gone all hard, and was getting the baby to move about and stick his little foot out. I have 13 nieces and nephews and only touched one of those bumps, and even then I was like “oh are you sure?!” while everyone else was rushing for a feel of the bump, dunno what I’d be like, think I wouldn’t want anyone touching me, cos I don’t like (random) people touching me normally anyway.