People staring

[Cherryblossom200]

Hi everyone,

I'm 37 weeks pregnant on Tuesday with my first baby and decided to brave the cold and meet up with a friend I haven't seen for a few years at spitalfields market. It was a lovely leisurely day, spent mostly having lunch and stopping off for a couple of hot chocolates on the way but I really felt a bit self conscious because people were just literally staring at my bump. I'm petite so I think my bump looks bigger anyway but I did feel a bit sad for some reason. Almost like I should be at home locked up in my room or something. I just found people's reactions a bit bizarre.

Apart from that I'm thoroughly enjoying my time off before my daughter arrives xx

Don't worry about it honestly. I'm in the same position, 37+2, people do like a good gawp. I don't think heavily pregnant women are well represented in the media and it is quite rare to see.
Don't feel sad, it's beautiful!
I do get it though, I am still going to the gym just for walking etc and some people look at me like I'm crazy, try just smiling back, don't lock yourself away x

I don't understand why it's so rare to see a heavily pregnant woman out and about do they just stay at home and hibernate for 3 months?!

I'm perhaps (unconsciousnesly) guilty of this although I hope I'm discreet and not rude. Be proud of your bump, I hated being heavily pregnant, I felt ungainly and exhausted at the end of my 3 pregnancies yet I think other women look beautiful. There's also perhaps a little nostalgia there when I look at other's bumps and also the wonder of an imminent new life.

Why do people stare though? I don't get it why is it so strange? It's a bump with a baby in!

I think people stare not in bad sense. I think they do because it is beaufitul and mesmerizing. Its like you cant take you eyes off. I used to look at pregnant women and wonder how is it with belly and especially wonder how they can wear pants, how do they hold etc.
In my early pregnancy I went to the party where were 2 heavily pregnant woman and kept wondering all the time how one of them could fit into those jeans she was wearing.

Well, now I know. :-)

I love staring at people's bumps. It reminds me of being pregnant (which I loved) and it's a beautiful thing to look at. You're growing a baby. It's amazing. People like looking at amazing things. Relax and enjoy.

Thanks I confess I came home and burst into tears because I felt like I must of looked awful or something. You have all made me feel better! xx

I agree on the nostalgia, baby bumps are absolutely beautiful, amazing things!! I would have been staring enviously... Sure you looked gorgeous, enjoy these last few weeks of it just being you and the baby in your own lovely little world. Oooh I'm missing those little baby kicks now.

I catch myself doing it sometimes, it's mainly nostalgia and a slight jealousy as I won't have a beautiful bump again

big bumps are beautiful. People are probably looking because they are remembering fondly their own or their partners bumps! be proud of your wonderful bump and what your body is creating.

Heavily pregnant women are a bit unusual, and they look super cool. I probably stare a bit, because I'm remembering what it was like.

I rarely notice personally. And I didn't notice anyone staring at me. I was out and about up to and on the day both dc were born. Maybe I'm just not observant.

ive had peple stare at me on the school run. im 30 weeks today and nobody has asked me anything but they see oh at the school without me and stop him to ask how far along i am. then reply oh shes big for that many weeks. yeah i know no sh*t sherlock

Ah I love a big bump.

I used to take DS1 swimming in the Lido til I was about 38 weeks with DS2 because in the water was one of the few places I could pick him up and twirl him about without feeling as though I was going to wet myself. I wore a bikini. I got a LOT of stares but I was a rather spectacular shape!

I confess of being guilty of admire bumps. And little babies. Seriously i cannot pass a buggy without trying to get a peak. Reminds me of my pregnancy and my baby when little.

So apologies in advance if i stare at your beautiful bump.

This was my monster twin bump at 34 weeks! People would gawp open mouthed at me. I hated going out in public at the end as I felt quite freakish.

Now I often find myself looking longingly at bumps and I really miss my own.

thanks guys! I think I'm probably just a bit hormonal as well. But I guess a heavily pregnant woman walking around a trendy market and jumping on the tube is a bit rare. I just still enjoy doing things on my own and treasuring my time before my little one comes along. I just sometimes 'forget' I'm pregnant until I look down and see my huge bump and see people looking at me! I saw a guy pushing his baby with his partner and he just stared at me. But like you said he was probably just reminiscing about his wife when she was pregnant.

I feel a bit stupid now. I walked in through the front door and burst into tears saying I must look like a baby elephant trampling through London

I am pregnant with a bit of a bump and I do find myself staring at bit at heavily pregnant women, just because I know that's what's going to happen to me and I'm curious, to be frank.

I was massive. I'm quite small so I think it looked more extreme than it really was, but baby elephant was not far off the mark (am normally a size 8 and most of me didn't expand that much but my goodness, the bump was extraordinary). At 6 months, I had people asking me in Sainsbury's when I was due and they were clearly expecting me to say 'next week' or something instead of 'in three months'. Anyway, don't fret. You are doing the right thing in enjoying time to yourself while you can, and quite honestly there is no better time in your life to look like a baby elephant. Also, you know, hormones. You'll probably look back at this and laugh!

BTW, I gave birth to a single, slightly undersized baby. It wasn't surprise twins or something.

I had a gigantic bump and I loved it! I miss my bump and probably would stare wistfully at yours! People did openly stare at mine, and would look shocked when I told them that I still had a few weeks to go. I was way off the charts and sent for many a growth scan but dd was, thankfully, a very normal size.

Cherryblossom try not to worry about others staring. I personally think that people sometimes can't help it when they catch something (thing as in a pregnant tummy) in their eye line. I was massive with my dd and I am sure people looked but I guess I was also rosy cheeked (it was winter) and for some off reason people felt the need to say things like 'You look ready." "That's going to hurt when it drops!" etc etc. All very unhelpful but it was almost as if I was suddenly public property, or rather my pregnancy was!

What is even 'funnier' now is that due to an IBS problem I have a very bloated tummy which makes people think I am pregnant! So I have been asked so many times when I am due etc.

I had one person point directly at my tummy and ask if there was a baby in there, 'No, just gas!' and one dear lady would not take my word for it that I was not pregnant!

So 'wear' your bump with pride! Mine is just 'gas' but yours is your precious baby, let them stare, maybe some are jealous, enjoy your hot chocolates and think happy thoughts!

Congrats.

I do find that some people look at my bump then scan my hand for a wedding ring lol makes me laugh!

Opoponax, you are like me. I'm normally a size 8 and only 5'3 so my bump looks really big in proportion to the rest of me. I haven't really put on a lot of weight elsewhere so I feel like a tribe of baby elephants