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Original poster

Weirdest reactions when you told people you're pregnant?

236 replies

tindel · 24/04/2015 10:21

As I'm now 17 weeks, I've pretty much told everyone that I'm pregnant. Most people have been lovely about it - even had a couple of people crying because they were so pleased Smile - but two reactions have definitely stood out as being a bit odd and one slightly rude, imo.

First one was when I announced it at my team meeting, which was mainly done over teleconference. After I'd said it, I had people saying their congratulations and then my boss said "Yes, well done Tindel". Well done? For what? Getting knocked up? I know it was meant nicely, but it just seemed a bit weird to be praised in the same way as if I'd finished a work project!

The other one, I'm still not sure if I should have taken offence at. When we went to tell DH's parents, MIL's first reaction was to turn to him and say "And I suppose this is your doing?" FFS, who else would it have been, given that we've been together for more than 10 years? Angry

So share - what has been the weirdest reaction you've had when you've told people you're pregnant?

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Lemondrizzletwunt · 24/04/2015 20:15

What is it with completely non sequitur posts on MN today? Start your own thread, Mail!

aletea · 24/04/2015 20:18

"oh, aletea" in a very disappointed tone from my mother, after I told her about all 3 pregnancies!

mailegmice · 24/04/2015 20:20

SorryBlushjust the thing about the sympathy over Aug EDD when announcing pregnancy. Struck me as strange( much like my post, obviously..)

Alexandpea · 24/04/2015 20:21

FIL's only comment on being told he would be s DG: "how did that happen then?" in smutty tones.

I wanted the ground to swollow me up Blush.

Bustherb · 24/04/2015 20:46

A work colleagues reaction was 'was it planned' I mean what has it actually got to do with her!!!!!!!!!!!

AbbeyRoadCrossing · 24/04/2015 21:09

maileg no we can't here. There is a Bliss campaign to give parents the option in the case of premature babies who developmentally are in the next school year e.g. due in October but born in August, but no luck from the government so far.

I'd forgotten about the "how'd it happen" thing until a pp mentioned it. I had one of those! I didn't understand the question and said "what?". They said " natural or IVF" bit personal really. I'm still unsure what gave the idea to ask that

whyhasmyheadgonenumb · 24/04/2015 21:14

My mom walked out of the room and went for a drive. She wasn't very pleased! There was a small age gap and it was obvious the pregnancy wasn't planned, afterwards she apologised and just said she was worried about how I would cope. Thankfully as a single mom now, working and doing an OU degree I've proved her wrong :)

hideandseekpig · 24/04/2015 21:20

My mil asked if it was planned and sounded anxious almost as if we were 15! We are 27 and 28 and have been together 10 years married for nearly 3! She was fine after that and very excited and absolutely dotes on her grandaughter. I think she was just a bit over whelmed !

I was a bit offended at the time I have to admit. I couldn't help thinking well its none of your business anyway planned or unplanned we are I'm a stable relationship and we're happy who cares!!

It was planned btw Smile

mailegmice · 24/04/2015 21:30

Okay, thanks Abbey.

cerealqueen · 24/04/2015 21:32

A former best friend said 'You? Of All people!' . Didn't congratulate me.

A year or so later after DD1 had been born she congratulated me for 'Not banging on about it' .

At the time I was Sad but now I've concluded she was jealous.

titself · 24/04/2015 21:32

We waited for my DF's birthday lunch to tell them I was 8 weeks pregnant. My DB and SIL already knew. After we'd given DF his presents I said, we have one more present for you, but it won't be ready for another 7 months! Then we showed them the grainy, but unmistakable can pic. My mother looked at it in utter confusion and said, 'is it a puppy?'

A special sort of silence followed.

DramaAlpaca · 24/04/2015 21:43

When I announced I was pregnant with DC3 I phoned my parents to tell them (we live far away from them, so I couldn't tell them in person). My DF greeted the news with stony silence, then announced 'Oh well, I suppose a mistake can happen to anyone.' That was bad enough, but when I told him that actually the pregnancy was very much planned he hung up on me & refused to speak to me for a couple of weeks. Still haven't quite forgiven him for that one, many years later.

Chillycamper · 24/04/2015 21:44

DC1 "when did Daddy put the sperm in"
""Er, about 3 months ago."
DC2 "where were we?"
"Um you were asleep."
DC1 "Why didn't you wake us up?"
"Well it's a private thing that mummies and daddies do on their own.."
DC2 "were you awake mum?"

DH quietly as an aside "barely!"

BikeRunSki · 24/04/2015 22:05

A more sad one

"You two? Really" (whilst visiting me in hospital with hyoeremisis). I never thought you'd have children, so many of my friends are expecting babies this year, but I never thought it would be you. I feel let down."

At the time the friend in question was married, but we didn't know till later that they were ttc. It was only after the decree absolute came through a year later that we found out they'd been TTC for over a year. I wonder from time to time if that had anything to do with the breakdown of her marriage.

flamingtoaster · 24/04/2015 22:14

My SIL always took the family Christmases at her parents' house very, very seriously. We all had to travel (by air) to get there. When I phoned to say I was pregnant and I told her the baby was due on New Year's Eve her immediate response was, "That will mess up Christmas nicely."

teacoffeesomethingsweet · 24/04/2015 22:20

I just remembered one more. Somebody, who I thought was my friend, said "I can't imagine you as a mother, you're clueless!"
I never forgave her this. It hurt my feelings so badly that I gradually cut all the contact.
I was a totally carefree party girl but FFS I really wanted a family and changed my life to have a family.

shutupaboutstarwars · 24/04/2015 22:24

My boss said "on a personal view, congratulations, as your boss, oh god" (30 female members of staff, 6 pregnancies in 10 months) Smile
A male friend went up to DH and spoke straight to his groin and said congratulations with a very big grin.
By the time we got to DC 3 we found it very funny just how many different ways people could ask 'was it planned'. One person straight out, 1st thing she said. Mind you I got my own back when she told me that she was pregnant. I asked her was it honeymoon baby. It was

Sapat · 24/04/2015 22:24

My family were happy because they knew we had been trying for a couple of years.

A lot of friends were surprised, most asked if it was planned, which I put down to the fact that we weren't married at the time. We had though been together 10 years though, had bought a house together, were in our early 30s with good jobs so I am not sure why they were surprised. I was not amused by a friend of DH asking if he was going to sue the condom manufacturers. Not funny.

More surprise when we announced our 3rd, since having already one of each, a third was not required.

Sparklingbrook · 24/04/2015 22:35

'Bet it was fun trying eh son?' FIL to DH. Confused

lomega · 24/04/2015 22:46

"It is your husband's?" - one of the contractors at work

"I could tell you were pregnant by the way you were stuffing your face at lunch" - one of my best friends lol Hmm

"Well we're very surprised. We didn't think you looked maternal." - DH's Uncle

All of these above made me laugh, but the oddest/most hurtful response was DH's cousin who sent us a tirade of abuse via text message upon finding out about our pregnancy including gems such as "your decision to have a child is interesting at best" and "I'm really struggling with how to respond to your news". When we suggested she just be happy for us she replied sarcastically "people can have more emotions than just happiness.."
We don't talk to the utter bitch her any more even now.

Momagain1 · 24/04/2015 23:55

so many people ask 'was it planned?' What did these dodoheads say before birth control and (attempting) to plan your family became the norm?

AvaAmulet · 24/04/2015 23:56

My MIL and FIL's reactions were the same - both welled up, with blank expressions and rendered mute (not that they were big talkers anyway Hmm) It was quite awkward for DH and I... I couldn't tell if they were tears of joy or tears of sadness....?

MIL, who never seemed at all bothered with us or DD, went loopy at our house when DD was 4 months old after we announced we'd be moving closer to my family (15 mins away, not the other side of the world) and finally showed her true colours - after 10 years of me being with DH - and DH and I have barely spoken to them since...so I guess it was the latter Hmm

AvaAmulet · 25/04/2015 00:06

Oh, and my family's reaction was hysterically... odd. My DM twigged we'd be making a pg announcement as I asked, in advance of our overnight stay (to make the 'surprise' announcement), not to have runny eggs with my breakfast the next morning.

So, as soon as I'd barely finished said announcement DM shouted for my sister to cue the music, 'Baby Face' by Al Jolson (jazz hands, anyone?) started playing whilst my DM paraded around with a poster she'd drawn (wtf?) with her version of 'George lassos Stork' a la 'it's a wonderful life' (a fave of mine) with a photo of my DH lassoing a 'stork'.... which looked more like a duck... My sister's hubby filmed it all, my face was a picture Confused

hobNong · 25/04/2015 00:12

lomega why did your dh's cousin react in that way?! How horrible and strange.

ISpidersmanYouMeanPirate · 25/04/2015 05:41

DB - congratulations but do not send us any scan photos. SIL gets freaked out by them - she sees pregnancy like an alien or parasite in your stomach

Hmm

Needless to say, when she got pregnant a few years later they paid for several private scans and sent me every photo Confused I didn't bother commenting