to be fed up of people thinking they can just touch my bump without even asking?

[memoo]

Clearly I don't mind DP or Dc touching it, or even my best friend for that matter but I get a bit fed up of other people thinking they can just start rubbing my tummy without even asking!

Work colleages, my nextdoor neighbour, but The final straw was this afternoon when picking DC up from school. Another parent who I have never even spoken to before came up to me asking how far I was and starting touching my tummy before i could even answer

People don't do things like this before you are pregnant so why is it that as soon as you sprout a baby bump some people suddenly think you are public property!!!

Nobody touched mine. (apart from DH and health professionals) Nobody even asked!

I feel a bit left out now.

I'm quite sour faced though.

lol cica. i wouldn't want to touch anyones bump thanks ew.

people don't mean it nastily but it does get to me. some guy in the gym came up to me and did it! I mean, wtf???

Almost all the people that did it to me asked so I didn't mind, except the four year olds I look after - but hey, they're four so I forgave them that too - plus they were cute trying to 'hear' the baby with their ear against my bump!

Every day someone at work says to me "ooh aren't you big already"

The other day one collague said "you're looking nice and fat today!"

How bloody rude is that!

I had to stop myself saying "well I am pregnant, whats your excuse"

this thread has made me feel quite sad, i'm a bit jealous of your lovely baby bumps, i only ever had one, would have liked more but twas not to be - if i touch a bump, it is done with affection, awe, exictement at feeling a new little life and rememberence.

try and humour us 'old girls' a bit, nothing rude is meant by it.

mind you, i don't go round touching strangers bumps!

ps - i honestly think most people comment on pregnant bumps as they would like to join in the happiness and excitement a new baby brings.

not cos they think you is a fat mama

This was was probably the only thing i hated about being pregnant.
I'm usually a bit of a wimp, but I did stand my ground with this and ask people not to touch my bump, or at least ask me first!
If anyone did just come and manhandle me they would get their own tummy rubbed in return. Funnily enough they didn't do it a second time!
I was very happy for friends/family etc to feel the baby move - they just had to have to courtesy to ask first.

I'm normally quite laid back and let things pass over my head, but this ready wound me up when I was pregnant (hormones can't have helped either )
I didn't mind at all if it was someone who I was close enough to that I would normally happily have a hug with. I also didn't mind if someone actually asked before having a quick grope!
Could you imagine this under any other circumstances? I saw a blokes arse that was really lovely in Tesco yesterday, but I didn't have a quick feel (tempting though it was ), because it just isn't right to invade someones personal space like that.

memoo - YANBU because it is your body.

Joe1977 - I agree. You have given exactly the example I was thinking of. Shortly after I began work for the very first time an older woman groped my bum just as I was leaning over the fax machine. She did it without even asking me. It was very upsetting.

When I was pregnant I told people not to touch me - if I saw them coming towards me I told them to back off.

It seems it's a female thing to me... never heard of a man touching a 'strange' female's bump! Would they?

Also, think it might be human nature to want to touch a pregnant woman's bump. I always want to but never would unless I was asked or a very close friend.
I can remember sitting in a really boring staff meeting with a colleague and both of us taking great delight in watching great big kicks protruding out of her belly...it really was hysterical and magical and I can totally understand someone wanting to touch that. But I agree it is an invasion of personal space.

Next time someone does it, bark. They won't expect that!

No, not unreasonable. When I was first obviously pg we met out of town friends one night in the pub, and one of the blokes came over, gave me a good feel, and said "ooh, isn't it great? when people are pg you're just allowed to touch them". Both I and DP chorused 'are you???' in outraged tones - no reaction. It is extremely weird.

Wow Biccy, never known blokes do it! But find it quite reasuring(sp?) that they have the desire to. Still think they should have more self control tho!

MadamDeathstare - LOL

This was in the days when computers had green screens and the internet did not exist.

I don't think they had invented sensitivity back then either.

that never bothered me

I had to have a laugh when I read this thread title!!! I was at my mums house a few weeks ago for her 65th birthday party and most of her family were there. My brother had come home from Scotland and the first thing he did after hugging me was to 'great my bump' by giving it a wee rub (like you'd pat a child on the head) - that was OK - he's my brother! Then later on my cousin (male) who I hadn't seen in AGES when speaking to me gave my bump such a rub, and to be honest he didn't even realise he'd done it!! It was like a natural reaction!!!! I did ask him, and those around me at the time, why is it when you are pregnant people think they can touch you like this, but wouldn't do it any other time! It made him think and then we did all have a laugh about it. My view?? - I think some people see the 'bump' as an extension of you - it is a baby covered in your skin and they are greating it. OK there will be those who go overboard with the touching (don't like that either) but in the main I get a quick wee 'pat' on the belly from some. My mum or sister haven't touched bump yet - that makes me feel they aren't that interested!!! You just can't please everyone!

But total strangers - iin a gym, at work etc - uncomfortably wierd and not necessary.

Oh and by the way - I gave my cousins belly a good rub too which took him by surprise!!