To be delighted that my previous bos who "didn't agree with women with small children working" is pregnant?

[MrsSchadenfreude]

She made my life a misery for three years, making comments about wone with small children being a complete pain in the arse in the workplace as they were always having time off to deal with ill children/school holidays etc.
To the extent that I used to dose up the DDs with calpol and send them into school as it was easier to go and collect them at break after the school nurse had phoned than to put up with all her tutting and sighing when I phoned in asking for a day's annual leave to look after an ill child.

I am delighted for her, but even more delighted that she will now see what other people go through. I did email her to congratulate her, and she told me she had taken most of the first three months off with morning sickness. I was so tempted to say "That must have been inconvenient for the rest of the team" but I bit my tongue and sympathised (in a Schadenfreude sort of way).

I find myself hoping, in an unsisterly way, that she gets piles.

Also is it too late to say maddeningly, 'oh, morning sickness must be awful: I've never had it, of course, I felt marvellous all through both my pregnancies' and similar things (which drove me insane when anyone like for instance my mother mentioned them to me)?

(Actually I'm lying. My mum doesn't know I was ever sick in pregnancy. She Doesn't Believe in morning sickness.)

Really BAD piles
ooh and heartburn

And I hope its twins

And that they sleep on alternate nights

And shoplift (though when they are a tad older than newborns)

Oh yes.

"Gosh, I really feel for you about the morning sickness. And the LAST thing you need when you're feeling crap is to know you're totally letting everyone else down and they're all talking about you behind your back about your competence, isn't it?..
Is there anything I can do?"

I'd modify that into the more insidious 'now don't worry about what anyone might say, of course'...

...that'll keep her wondering in the small hours.

I would also cultivate a very brisk manner of oh what a relief it is to have all that 'nonsense' over with now.

lol mother - much more subtle..

OR, for brevity: How are you coping with the comments?
with a concerned smile.

I would go with MI, and chuck in a "Now you mustn't feel guilty, you know, when you can't pull your weight the way you're used to doing."

but must also remember that if you make her feel too bad she might send lo off to boarding school age 3!

Oh pile it on....

Advise her that stress is bad for the developing foetus (I've read reports recently on this) and it's imperative that she remains unstressed and calm so no working late or meeting tight deadlines, all that needs to be handed over to a reliable member of the team.

You could also say "Thanks for the 'heads up' on the impending vacancy when you leave, I might throw my hat in the ring, can you help me with planning for the interview ?"

At all times you must act like you just assume she is quitting work due to her views on working parents.

Finally .......

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !

There truly is a god isn't there ! Perhaps he ensured that she didn't suffer with any fertility problems as she really needs to know what being a working parent is like.

oh fedup you're gooood.