Ok, so colleagues are actually laughing at me when I walk past them now. I'm fed up with being the butt of all the jokes.

[MassiveBumperlicious]

Am 33 weeks and have put up with a lot of ribbing, 'are you sure it's not twins' [original] and 'look out it's an eclipse' but now people are actually just sniggering or even pointing and laughing at me when I walk past them at work.

I feel like a freak show. I don't even like it myself. It's not a vanity thing, I can cope with not being my usual size, but I feel like a caricature, huge and waddling. I feel like I look obscene. I'm not even that big! The MW says I am spot on but being short I seem huge, I feel fucking huge and I am sick of people goggling at me when I say I still have 7 weeks to go and no I am not ready to drop.

Enough everyone! There is more to me than being fucking pregnant!

Ok, rant over. As you were.

Oh that's horrible, why on earth are people so mean?

How bloody rude!!

But i do know how you feel, i had the same people used to gasped in horror at me because my bump was so huge and hung down and i am also short so did me no favours.

It actually put me off going out because of the rudeness.

the funny thing is its always bloody woman that do it, im pregnant again and im ready this time if someone comments on my bump i feel it gives me the red light to comment on there body lol, that will shut them up.

The fuckers.

People fear the power of a pregnant woman.

Tell them all to fuck off and give them the finger as you walk past. Its allowed cos your pregnant

I'm sure they are not being malicious, it's mostly men, and I am assured that the comments are their roundabout way of 'connecting' with me. But the laughing is just getting on my tits now. Fortunately I only have 3 weeks left of work.

Oh I feel your pain, poor you, just remember that, beign pregnant, you have the perfect excuse to turn round and snarl at them. Even if it doesn't stop them it might make you feel better. gits.

Look at them meaningfully and tell them "In 7 weeks time my gut is going to disappear..."

You could say something like, 'well at least my state is only temporary; when I've got rid of this, you'll still be ugly/fat/bald etc. Then who'll be laughing?'

Cross-posts Dinah, you're clearly a more diplomatic individual than me!

If it makes you feel any better, I actually went round the corner and started crying today when a very tall, slim, young woman looked at me and laughed while I crossed the road in town today. I felt like a silly idiot but I'm so tired of people mocking and commenting on how big I am. I'm also short and 33 weeks tomorrow. I can barely bear it!

Could you wear an iPod to drown out their noise?!

Or throw a few sickies? Stress at work , your gp might sign you off?

Why are people so weird? One of my colleagues is pregnant and all I ever say to her is 'how's the bump?' 'that's a nice top' and 'oh how lovely' to everything she says re baby, name, birth choice, colour of nursery.

Who are all these foul people? What kind of crass idiot laughs at a pregnant woman?

Ooosabeauta that's awful! I must admit I'm starting to look in envy at non-pregnant woman, with, you know, ankles and stuff!

god what a bunch of cunts

you don't look obscene, you can't let them make you feel like that! You look like you are carrying a baby. If they are so childish that that makes them giggle.... fuck 'em

I looked like a double-yolker on legs when I was carrying ds1. It was unconfirtable enough without all the puerile sniggering you are having to put up with. I don't know what you can actually do other than ignore them though

It did feel awful. My hormones are playing a part I suppose because I can't suppress the tears at all at the moment. It's making me now want to go out for the next 7 weeks. Sorry I've made this all about me now! Know what you mean about ankle-envy. Mine is fast-walking envy. So jealous of people speed-walking past me!

not want to

There's a line in the first Bridget Jones book which is something like being pregnant is like the ultimate admission that you had sex and is displaying it all for the world. I feel a little bit like that.

Doesn't help that due to pelvis pains and and just being so huge I am literally waddling.

No don't worry ooosa, this can be a mutual whinging thread

oh massivebumperlicious i can empathise entirely. Am at same stage of pg, am enormous with swollen trotters that can no longer fit into proper shoes and am doing something inbetween a shuffle and a waddle rather than steps. Previously was somewhat slight, am short with a crooked back so looks like I've got some prop bump actresses doing labour scenes have on. All of which amuses my colleagues no end. Tho I can see the comedy in it, it also pisses me off no end too

Do you feel up to telling them its got beyond a joke and you feel really offended and their comments to you feel nasty? Some people have no idea. I got told yesterday i was waddling, and that cheesed me off as i thought i was walking fine and can still run down the stairs etc (am 30 weeks). So, quite off the cuff for me, i said i was waddling no more than any of the men here with bigger tummies than me. The guy who had said it to me, said, fair one, then, after a pause said, 'and I'm probably one of the men with a tummy bigger than yours!'. Made me feel better.

I do think the ultimate retort is I'm pregnant- whats your excuse? And for women- they're just jealous. I bet you look fab.

Aw, Bumper, I clicked on this wondering if it was you ... I'm glad now I got to be pregnant pre-open-plan, in a smaller office full of people most of whom knew EXACTLY how hormonal and crazy I was. And my boss's boss was pregnant at the same time, and no one was going to laugh at her.

Still, if they're ignorant to snigger at a pregnant woman, they're ignorant to think that maternity leave is a lovely holiday; maybe you could encourage that idea for once? All those months you'll be at home sipping coffee with a snoozing newborn in a basket, DD playing nicely, while they'll be slaving away?

Or a fantasy of storming (it's a fantasy - you can storm rather than waddle) up to their desk and posing three questions: 1 what IS your problem? 2 do you KNOW what hormones can do to a pregnant woman? 3 do you think any court would convict me?

I lost it at work when the receptionist pointed out that I was twice the size of the other pg girl in the office though due a week later.

In front of several people she said this (since been confirmed other girl a freak of nature - full term looked 4 months.............) and I rather acidically responded that I did wish people would stop feeling they could comment on my weight constantly and if it continued I would be making an official complaint..........

Haven't heard a word in this pg, funny that!

I'm the opposite. There are loads of pregnant women in the office, all a few weeks less preggo than me and I keep getting told that their bumps are all bigger than mine. My irrational, hormonal thought process interprets that as them telling me "your unborn child is going to be a malnourished midget you crap mother to be".

So I think the safest thing would be if everyone stopped making comments on preggos bump sizes!!

I would be inclined to have a nice chat with their supervisor, explaining that it is upsetting you and making you uncomfortable in your workplace. What they are doing is harassment and bullying, even if they think it's a bit of fun, perhaps an informal word from a boss would help them see that.