I am pregnant. I am hormonal. There are certain things I don’t want to hear. This is not to say any of these things are necessarily ill meant, or negative by any means. However they still hit a sore spot.

1. “You carry so well! Look how tiny you are!” In comparison to what? I am almost 8 months pregnant, and even though I may be considered tiny by most standards, I currently feel like a beached whale. I generally nod and smile at this one. I understand they mean well. I really do.

2. “Wow, you have gotten so much bigger!” This is the opposite of the one above. Basically, don’t comment on a pregnant woman’s size, regardless of what it may be. I know I have gotten bigger. Trust me, I know. There is no need to state the obvious. If I wasn’t pregnant would you say the same thing, say around holiday time?

3. “Are you going to eat all of that?” Yes.

4. “How is the baby doing?” I don’t know. Unless I just came from an ultrasound, I do not have any way of knowing what or how the baby is doing any more than I can tell you how my liver is working. Now I am forced to smile and tell you the baby is doing great. Hopefully.

5. After telling someone what gender your baby is (presuming you know), “Is that what you want?” Does it matter? Do I get a choice?