this is my second pregnancy and ive noticed a lot of you girls posting about other peoples comments/suggestions about your bumps and labour.

so i just thought id post on how i cope with non-pregnant people... this is not to say this is how you should all cope too i just thought it would be helpful maybe....

I find it best to be completely honest with people when they say/do things that offend you.. most of them do not even know they are being rude or out of order!

If people try to touch my stomach/poke the baby i let them do it and then explain to them afterwards that its a bit rude to go around touching pregnant peoples tummys. most of the people who i have said this too have looked completely shocked and said they had no idea it was even offensive!

If people comment on my weight gain/how big my bump is i simply tell them that actually i feel quite self concious about my body and theyre comments dont really help.

'not long to go now/havent you popped yet? hurry up and have that baby!' people think it is completely natural to comment on the fact that you are still pregnant (especially if you go overdue) it is easier to reply to these people if they are texting you rather than if you are face to face with them. if people send me messages asking if i am 'still pregnant' i usually comment back that im not actually due yet and that the baby will come when he/she is ready not when i or other people want them to arrive.

family wanting to be present at the birth/soon after... these people do not get that a birth is NOT a public event. they presume you will need them there,that you would prefer it if they were present.they will never know you do not want them there if you do not tell them! it is something that i bring up in natural/calm conversation.. before they even offer... that i just want me and my husband present. last time i was pregnant my MIL was sooo insistant that i would 'NEED' her as shes had 6 kids and loads of experience.... so i told her that if i needed her i would get my husband to ring her and she could come to the hospital. (i of course had no intention of needing her) she did ring my husband while i was in labour but he simply told her i was doing very well and didnt need any 'help' my MIL was happy i was doing ok and i was happy that she wasnt there!

so what im trying to say girls is that im completely honest with my friends and family about how theyre comments make me feel. im not shitty with them and i dont speak to them with an attitude when i explain my feelings... i just tell them calmly that what they are doing actually isnt the best thing in the world.

you will be surprised with how many people do not actually know how they are making you feel!

anyway... theres my two cents on how i deal with things...

Haha, I'm more of a "touch my belly again and I'll kick your arse" kind of person..

ooo... my mother is sooo insistent that she is going to be there while i'm in labour and that i will need my mammy. It's getting to the point where i'm thinking of not telling her until ive had the baby. She doesn't understand that i dont want to see anyone other than my OH until i'm clean, comfortable and had an hour alone with our little bundle.

I'm not sure she'll ever get the message... *sigh* Mothers

Good advice Tezzy! I am going to try the honest approach....if that does not work I will try Toria's approach and kick their arses! Actually I am so big I dont need to kick their arses....I will just lie on top of them and they will suffocate for their sins!

lol! ive found that when im snippy with people then they say im 'emotional','hormonal' and 'over reacting' ive had one person tell me once that they had the right to touch my stomach and that it was the complete normal thing to do and i was being over sensitive!

What the hell? Maybe I'm violent but they would've got a punch.

Same as me... I HATE when people touch my belly. Unless it's OH. I'm a very private person and when someone ''invade my bubble'' I really hate it.

As for the people who can't stop texting or calling to see if I've popped yet, I hate it too. Some of my friends have been very rude in the last week, with their stupid comments on how big I am, or ''WOW YOU'RE STILL PREGNANT?, HOW CAN YOU BE?'' ... It really winds me up!

I'm still working so I get loads of comments on the size & shape of my belly from customers as well as people randomly touching my stomach.

Unfortunatly it would be bad for business if I did anything that seemed rude to them like telling them not to touch or telling them how worrying or offensive it can be for them to comment on my size but I do my best to with family.

I like my sister feeling LO kick but I'm not so keen on my mum touching my belly. When she asks I don't like to say no to her if I'm letting my sister do it but my sister feels him and moves her hand, where as my mum leaves her hand there for ages, I guess in the hope of feeling him again. She won't remove her hand till I tell her to!!

I'd never dream of touching someone elses belly though, even before I'd been pregnant myself. The size thing you become very aware of when you're pregnant though & I think my future comments to people will be limited to positive things like how it's a nice shape or suits you as I know how much you can worry if someone says something about you being big or small.