Scaremongering
Credit: Cathy Thorne
Why do people think its necessary to scare the crap out of pregnant folk?
On a friend’s facebook wall today she said that she is overdue, had just been for a scan and that they were estimating baby to be quite large. So I respond that scans aren’t usually all that accurate and that my kids were both much smaller than estimated so not to worry about it too much. Hoping that she’ll relax a little – because she really doesn’t need the stress right now!
And because scans are notoriously inaccurate, and because big babies don’t necessarily mean anything when it comes to how hard/easy birth will be.
But of course “well-meaning friends” have jumped in with horror stories about how much bigger their babies were than estimated and other encouraging words like “ouch!” and “wholey moley heck!” (no points for spelling either). It really annoys me.
I wish when someone spoke to pregnant woman they’d keep their info/responses thoughtful, encouraging and most of all kind. Because it is not kind to reel off horrible birth stories and comments about how enormous she is. And if what you are going to say includes the words “watermelon” please reconsider and save it for once the baby has arrived.
