These Women Share Ways They Shut Down Unsolicited Advice During Their Pregnancies
For whatever reason, when a person is pregnant, the entire world feels the need to weigh in on the expectant mom and the fetus. In a viral tweets, these women sharing hilarious ways they handled strangerâs unwarranted advices about their pregnancies. And itâs definitely relatable!
Twitter user Jaclene Paolucci, @Diamond_Jax, describes a recent encounter she had with a stranger at a coffee shop, which pregnant people are allowed to have.
Well, according to Healthline.com, there are recommended doses of caffeine milligrams put in place for optimal fetal health or whatever. But, you can totally still have coffee! Apparently, this stranger didnât get the memo. She tweeted:
”(I am 6 months pregnant) Me after ordering my coffee: Stranger at Starbucks: you know you should be drinking decaf when youâre pregnant. Me: Iâm… not pregnant. Stranger: (horrified) I am so, so sorry! And thatâs what you get for giving unsolicited advice.
When youâre pregnant itâs strange enough to lose so much of your body autonomy to the baby, but then everyone else confirms itâs no longer your body as well. Itâs the worst part about being pregnant.”
Funny, âIâmâŚnot pregnant.â you could imagine the look of sheer horror on that personâs face? And itâs nothing less than what they deserve.
READ ALSO: Jennifer Garner Dishes on Handling Unsolicited Parenting Advice
Jaclene tells BBC News:
âIâve discovered that if you want unsolicited advice, then you should get pregnant. It feels like the moment you do get pregnant, then you lose your bodyâs autonomy.
People start touching you and everybody has an opinion on how you should act, what you should wear â everything. The only people who should be able to do that should be you and your doctor.â
For what itâs worth and because there are surely nosy people out there, she says sheâs limited her daily caffeine intake to one coffee per day and her doctor is fine with it.
But thatâs not the point. The point is, society as a whole feels entitled to tell pregnant people what to do with their bodies.
Read some of the responses from others who faced similar disdain from perfect strangers while pregnant.
I drank regular coffee through all three pregnancies. My kids are practically perfect. Fuck ppls advice! You do you!
Lauren Zboralskiâ @lttlovelylauren
A male coworker once said to me as I was eating a McDonaldâs cheeseburger and fries, You should eat something healthy, like a salad. I was vegetarian up until my 6th month, I literally hadnât had McDs in 15+ years. I looked at him as I shoved it in my mouth and said SHUT UP ERIC.
I told everyone he was an asshole that likes to tell pregnant women what do eat because apparently heâs a fucking doctor. He later apologized and I told him to stay away from me until he can learn to mind his own business.
Elizabeth Jeannelâ @jeannelzabeth
I’ve always been curvy. I’ve had a belly since I was eight. I was asked how far along I was at 13, and my mom heard and stepped in with “my 13 year old is due about the same time you stop opening your fat mouth for stupid questions”
DeploymentPrbs â˘â @DeploymentPrbs
After I had my son, a lady stopped me & asked if I was able to âproperly feed him by the breastâ I said âhe doesnât seem to like boobs all that much. We think heâs gay.â Her face was priceless. Even after the baby your body isnât yours anymore.
I had a woman next to me in line for a movie ask me about my birth plan. I politely told her she was not part of my plan.
I was getting ice cream with my mom, when I was in sixth grade, wearing an empire dress and the woman infront of us asked how far along I was. I looked at her blank faced and said âIâm Eleven.â She was very quiet for the rest of her wait.
Angela Altman – Askewed Viewsâ @altman_angela
I had several odd encounters when I was approached by strangers asking how far along I was while pregnant with twins. The most immediate response was to reach out and touch my belly and it felt totally invasive.
Sis-in-law in hospital gown with distended belly (ascites): enters hospital elevator.
Stranger: Woah-ho! Hope we donât get stuck in here, I donât know how to deliver a baby!!
Sis-in-law: I have cancer. Is it still funny? (exits thinking âHey I finally said cancer out loud!â)
When I was 5 months pregnant, a woman told me of a store where I could buy a “nice pregnancy dress”. I told her I wasn’t pregnant and that I just loved cake. She walked away quickly.
Naomi Skarzinski – Top Shelf VAâ @NaomiSkarzinski
LOL, I’m a curvaceous woman. Years ago I was walking into a store. A gentleman had an Agape Church table set up by the door. He said, “Congratulations on your pregnancy.” I smiled broadly and said, “Oh no honey, that’s just fat.” Don’t think I ever saw someone turn that red!
A male coworker once said to me as I was eating a McDonaldâs cheeseburger and fries, You should eat something healthy, like a salad. I was vegetarian up until my 6th month, I literally hadnât had McDs in 15+ years. I looked at him as I shoved it in my mouth and said SHUT UP ERIC
— Lauren Zboralski (@lttlovelylauren) August 4, 2019