Belly Rubbers

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read or been told…

“Get ready… Pregnant bellies are automatic hand magnets.”

Or as my friend Andrew put it, “Pregnant bellies are public domain. I’m sure you can read that in “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” Well, I didn’t, and I’m finding this to be increasingly true.

I’ve never been a big touchy-feely person, so this concept is a little uncomfortable for me to say the least.  I’ve been able to conceal the baby belly for the most part, so no strangers have attempted to touch me yet, but people who know I’m pregnant have tried to. So not to make the situation more uncomfortable for me than it already is, I have kind of pulled away or jokingly requested that they not do that. And what do I find? Most people forget this request. It’s bad enough that I think people are constantly staring at my stomach and discussing its growth, now people are trying to rub it? Um, no thank you.

One of my friends said she’s going to get me a t-shirt that says, “Look But Don’t Touch” with an arrow pointing down. That’s genius, but no one likes a crabby pregnant woman, so the chances of me wearing that are slim to none.

I guess it comes with the territory of being a pregnant woman, but that doesn’t make it any easier to swallow.

This is the way I see it. Any reasonable adult would never rub someone’s stomach under normal conditions. Why is that when women are noticeably pregnant, all brains and couth go out the window? If it weren’t acceptable to touch my stomach 6 months ago, it certainly isn’t acceptable now. Unless I invite you to do so.

(Which probably wont happen either…)

~Jenn