Awkward moments, inappropriate places and imperfect people – pregnant women have reasons to avoid all of these. But given that even moms-to-be must be a part of the rush hour, there is little they can do to avoid these and many more situations. Instead underneath that Mona Lisa smile, they wear their contrasting (read ‘coerced’) reactions. Here are our top picks:
1. Bare It All
To the maternity haute couture – you have made the retail outlets provide us with so many options to style ourselves during pregnancy. But honestly, we don’t owe you gratitude for the outfits done with great care, not because they lack aesthetics, but because no amount of satins, cotton or flannels can give us the comfort that our birthday suits can give. We look smudgy, sweaty and tired anyway. We are overloaded with a bloating body plus the growing life inside; we just want to cast off any fabric from over the skin.
2. Oops, We Are Gassy
The metabolism is so different this time around; we just want to relieve ourselves of excess ‘winds’. We don’t care about what the public thinks about our expulsions, but we guess people must be more considerate like how they could be towards a baby who has no control over his reflexes.
3. We Donât Want To Wear Make-Up
It is not the time to wear make-up and look all dolled up for nothing. It’s the time when we want to feel beautiful inside, feel good about ourselves the most natural way. So if you see us with no gloss on the face, you don’t have to worry about how we look naturally. We will dare to turn up at work as if we have just sprung out of our beds. Don’t mind the blemishes and don’t mind the sebum. But hey, this is what we are.
4. Eat Voraciously
How much is too much during pregnancy? Yes, we eat for two, but we eat just how much our appetite allows us. The food reaches the baby first anyway. So we are nourishing him. It shouldn’t bother you if we salivate seeing the neighbour’s food or that chocolate treat on display. Giving into our untimely and spur of the moment food cravings is typical of us, and we must say we are entitled to during pregnancy.
5. Throwing Out The Rude Passenger
To those who so nonchalantly claim their seats on buses even when they see a heavily pregnant woman standing on board and swaying between the railings – we keep mum because we are busy imagining throwing you out of the bus. What else, but it is the degree of decency that bridles us from literally doing so while you demote yourself to the lowest of civility possible. Move your ass from that crunched seat.
6. Have Someone Tote Us
We have waddled enough. If there are kind men or women out there, we wish to call someone to tote us till our destination – never mind even till the cab. It will be an angelic favour you will be doing for us.
7. Scream At The Top Of Lungs
Many women experience excruciating pelvic pain, especially during the third trimester. You neither want to sit, not stand, nor walk. Although every woman has a different sort of journey through pregnancy, some are likely to suffer from mood swings, some seem erratic and some have the baby blues already. And the constant visits to the loo. All these boil down to annoyance and we feel like screaming out to the highest pitch. Why should women bear the brunt?
8. Grab That Damn Drink
Abstinence from alcohol…huh…nine months is a long time to those who are used to drinking. While no amount of alcohol is good, perhaps few sips of wine may not do much harm. And yet the moment we walk into a pub with our protruding tummies, all eyes are cast on us. “Does she want to feed her baby alcohol?” We can read your minds. But sigh…we give up debating between the urges and the well-being of the baby. And more often than not, it is the latter choice that wins.
9. Get Some Tango
So did we watch some amazing tango couples and we are ready to raise the eyebrows of all around – in the most subtle of intimate movements possible? Want to watch a bumpy show!
10. Gosh…Hope The Waters Didnât Break
When we feel a discharge while we are travelling, it scares us thinking if the waters have broken. The urge is to ask the strangers alongside. But…erg…what and how are we going to ask a stranger! Are we going to make it in time to the doc? It freaks us out.
Yes, pregnant women out there can have so much going through their minds while in public. At the end of it all they are surrounded with so many vulnerabilities. Have you been through such situations? Share your story with us.