Today Show: Pregnancy Etiquette
Pregnancies can be fun and exciting times in a woman’s life, as well as the people around her. In order to keep that time joyful, there are a few topics of conversation you should probably avoid, and some basic manners you should use, around women who are with child, courtesy of Today Show.
Today Show: Pregnancy Weight Comments
What things should you avoid saying to a pregnant woman? (Ferdiperdozniy / Shutterstock.com)
The segment started out with a clip from The Office of two pregnant women, and one of them commenting on how they’re so much smaller than the other. While this kind of behavior is, of course, hilarious on a sitcom, it’s not appropriate for real life. In fact, you should never comment on how much weight a woman has gained during pregnancy.
In relation, don’t ever comment on how big their belly has gotten, or any other part of their body for that matter. Also, never say, “You look like you’re ready to pop!” The person you are speaking to is just that, a person, and not a turkey. You also shouldn’t ask if they’ve checked to make sure there’s only one baby in there. All these comments are extremely offensive, and should be avoided at all costs.
Today Show: Unsolicited Advice & Belly Touching
You might have opinions about pregnancy, childbirth, etc. However, if you are not the one with a baby in your belly, you should keep it to yourself. Comments about what they eat, whether or not someone should be wearing heels, and opinions on birthing options or breastfeeding are not ok. Also, if you’re going to ask about baby names, be prepared to keep your opinion about that to yourself as well.
It is also not OK to touch a pregnant woman’s belly unless you have been invited to do so. It’s extremely intrusive and can make the woman feel very uncomfortable.
Finally, don’t ask if the pregnancy was planned or not. Seems like a no brainer, but apparently the question is becoming more and more common.
Today Show: Most Annoying Pregnancy Comments
Today Show viewers voted in a poll that asked what they found the most annoying as a pregnant woman. 44% said people touching their belly uninvited, 16% said weight comments, and 15% said unsolicited advice. Who were the worst violators? 49% said family, 37% said strangers, and 14% said friends. So if you’re thinking it’s ok for you to ask those questions because of your relationship with the pregnant woman, think again.
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