Really odd reaction from neighbour!

[Moorhen]

I'm 35 wks today with first, and was just getting home last night after meal out when next door neighbour (no problem with her but she can be very tactless) came up and said she'd had no idea I was pregnant and congratulations.

Then she touched my bump (big no-no for me) and then said "That didn't take you long, did it?".

I mean, what? We could have been trying for years for all she knew (actually it was two months but honestly). My parents and DH were with me and were all a bit gobsmacked. Not sure what the polite answer would have been...

It's so funny what goes through people's minds...

[ledodgy]

Where you married recently? perhaps she meant it didn't take you long after your marriage?

[HonorMatopoeia]

Could she have meant it didn't take you so long to get big? Does she know you are 35 weeks? Just wondering, she could have course just be a tactless old dingbat!

[Miaou]

Did she mean that it didn't take you long to get to that size rather than to get pregnant?

[TooTicky]

Odd. And tactless. Perhaps she just meant that your bump had grown quickly - still daft thing to say though.

[HonorMatopoeia]

Although a great reaction would have been:

'Oh no, but then Mr. Morrhen and I are at it like rabbits!'

Oh, I'dlove to have the guts to say things like that!¬!

[Moorhen]

Honor, if my parents hadn't been there I would have LOVED to say something like that! Damn, missed opportunity.

The pregnancy was confirmed the day after our first anniversary, so we hadn't been married that long - but then again, could have started trying while confetti still stuck in our hair.

And she doesn't even have the excuse of being a naive old lady - she's only a few years older than me! I guess she could have meant 'it hasn't taken long to get this mahoosive, has it?'. But then that's not exactly tactful either.

Do bumps give off a 'quick - say something stupid' chemical or something? If I had a quid for everyone who's said "oooh, it's going to be a big responsibility" I'd be writing this from my private island in the Caribbean...

[kimi]

My favourite was being ask "oh not had it yet then" while I was waddling about like a beached whale, reply was "umm yes but I like this look so much I stuck a football up my top"!

[kimi]

Would like to add, I have never patted any ones bump, and I only ever ask things like how are you feeling? Got long to go? Bet other children are getting excited at thought of new brother/sister.

[flightattendant]

It's weird, isn't it, what people come out with?

I'm past my due date but only a couple of weeks ago, someone said, 'Oh I didn't realise you were Pg!' I mean, wtf? i've seen them frequently in the past 9 months!
It's not like I had this tiny bump or anything.

I expect she just hadn't a clue what to say and is very nervous or something...maybe...probably wouldn't be able to explain what she meant if you asked her

Patting the bump, I love it when friends do it, but strangers makes me literally duck out of reach, no tact, no diplomacy, just a physical 'GET OFF' followed by a verbal 'Sorry, I hate that'.

Only had to once so far but she got the hint

[flightattendant]

Nah, thanks for asking...getting a bit fed up now! How are you?

[Alfie72]

Hi Moorhen, I feel your pain here....It's funny isn't it ? People think they can say what they like when you are pregnant, I was told I really had stacked the weight on my arse the other day, charming !!!! and I tell you it makes me so cross that people I have just met thin k they have the right to touch and prod my bump !!! AAAARGH !! Sorry just being a grumblebum mama to be !!:O

[beckmo]

Yup. My FIL tells me every time I speak to him that labpour isn't what I should be worrying about -"It's when the baby is born that the fun starts" or "you think labour is hard work -just you wait til the baby gets here" etc.

I snapped last night in a way a 3 days overdue pregnant women is allowed to("I know it's going to be hard work...you tell me at every opportunity- but I decided to have this baby and I'm very happy about it and looking forward to it!!!!")but I bet he says the same think when he rings again tonight (to ask if I've had it yet...sigh!).