Each month a pregnant woman's appearance changes as her belly grows little by little. Naturally, those around you will notice your body changing, and naturally people will make comments. This has been one of the most entertaining and sometimes frustrating parts of pregnancy.
Before Chance and I found out that we were having a boy, both of us were convinced that we were having a girl. This was due, in no small part, to the fact that almost everyone around us was convinced it was a girl, too! The first comment I remember someone making around week 19 had to do with the "way" I was carrying. Now keep in mind that I hardly showing at this point, but alas, the comment went something like this: "You have only gained weight in your tummy. It's definitely a girl! With my two boys I gained weight all over, but with my girl I only gained weight in my stomach." After hearing that, I was confident that this person was right. However, since week 19, I have heard this exact comment--only OPPOSITE! Multiple people have told me that because I have only gained weight in my tummy that it MUST be a boy. Wow, talk about contradicting opinions!
About two months after we found out that I was carrying a boy, a woman Chance and I were talking with told us adamantly that we would be having a girl. I corrected her by telling her that we had been to the doctor and had seen the sonogram of our baby boy. "We are having a boy," I repeated to her, but it was to no avail. She was convinced that regardless of what the sonogram said that we were having a girl; in other words, the doctors were wrong. Oh fooey.
Just this past weekend, a woman told me that I was carrying very low, which is (apparently) an indication that it is a boy, and that he will arrive early. Really? Most people who I've talked to have said that I am carrying HIGH and that your first is typically on time or even late. I've been told that Hudson will definitely come before the new year, that he'll be here before his due date, that he'll arrive on his due date, and that he'll probably be late so don't expect him early--all from different sources! Everyone has their opinion, and everyone is indeed entitled to their opinions. But are they helpful to the pregnant woman who is already anxious about the way she looks and about when her baby will arrive? I would answer a definitive no.
I say all of this to simply conclude that it is not always wise to listen to the "advice" of others. More often that not, that advice is not correct, and will just lead you to think something that is probably not true. Thankfully, there haven't been any comments that have caused me to break down into tears (at least not yet!). Therefore, I would advise you to take everything with a grain of salt, and be thankful for knowledgeable healthcare professionals who give their honest, expert opinions. And just remember that doctors make mistakes too.
And the next time you think about sharing your two cents with the expectant mother at the grocery store, you might be wise to keep those lips sealed.
-Kathryn
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