I have a love-hate relationship with this Old Navy wrap-front hoodie. At the recommendation of a friend, it was one of the first maternity items that I purchased. I believe I bought it back in January before I even needed maternity clothing. I figured it’d be handy to have a black sweatshirt I could grow into, but I didn’t wear it for months because all of the extra fabric made me look like I had a giant belly. And this was before I was even showing!
Now that I have a legitimate belly, I’m still hesitant to wear this hoodie out in public despite the fact that it’s comfortable and it “fits.” Why? Because I think it makes me look like I’m due to give birth any minute. In the above photo, I’m wearing the sweatshirt over a black Gap maternity t-shirt. Below, I’m just wearing the t-shirt. The proof is in the pictures, people.
Last weekend, at the start of 26 weeks, I passed a neighbor I hadn’t seen all winter while we were both walking our dogs. She congratulated me on the pregnancy. “I saw you from my window the other day as you were walking down the street, and your belly was leading the way,” the sixty-something-year-old woman said. I politely chuckled and told her that I’m due in July. She replied that I looked large for having a July baby and inquired if I was having multiples.
Um, no.
But thanks?
It boggles my mind the things that people think is appropriate to do/say to a pregnant woman. It is not OK for you to remind me how large I look, just as it wouldn’t be OK for anyone but a super close friend to ask me if I was trying to get pregnant or to reach out and touch my belly.
Have you been in any of the aforementioned awkward situations? How did you handle it?
{self-portraits taken at 26 weeks, 5 days}
I don’t know if it was my work wardrobe or what, but when I first started really showing my coworkers commented endlessly on how big I was getting so quickly. Mostly I would just respond with “Really? You think so?” and blow it off, though secretly I feared becoming a whale.
Then toward the end of my pregnancy my rate of growth slowed, and I was more likely to get comments of surprise from strangers that my due date was so near. Then I started getting a little nervous about whether or not my baby was growing well. Ultimately, he was an extremely healthy little peanut when he came out.
The moral is: we all grow at different rates and your neighbors don’t know what they’re talking about. As long as you’re staying healthy, who cares? You’re beautiful!
Amen, Lynn. I need to say nothing… You look great, baby. (and baby).
Hit them. 😉
You look great! 🙂
Aron