"precious" pregnancies

Second pregnancy: trailing round the house with a demanding toddler in tow; trying to go to the loo without the company of said toddler; toys everywhere, sometimes where she least expects them; struggling to balance work and childcare. I could go on, but I expect all this will be familiar to many other grans. There won't be much flaunting of this second pregnancy!

Pictures of celebs baring all and if you have planned your forthcoming event then why shouldn't you feel joy.
But you are not unique and you have not invented mother hood and am sick to the teeth of these rapturous expressions and nude pictures thrust at us day in day out.

Yes, I'm afraid it's a trend that's been going on for sometime to practically expose 'The Bump' at any opportunity - remember just a couple of years back when those dreadful tiny cropped t-shirts were in vogue (the better to show off 'The Bump') and accompanied by very low waisted jeans designed to show off designer thongs?

Lord save us.....

But I remember Princess Diana dressing in very lovely floral maternity wear, with wide lace collars and flowing hemlines....

Margo - Princess Diana looked like a Cath Kidston bell tent in those dresses!!
I am not talking about semi-nude selfies but can't we cut these women a bit of slack. No it is not the "Me, me" generation. It is entirely justifiable joy and pride (not "hiding a bump as if they are ashamed of it as WAS often the case in the past) in bringing a new life into the world.
Are we gong to have a thread about breastfeeding next?
There are some grumpy grannies online I fear -are they going to be the same ones who feel they have a right to time with their grandchild or who fall out with their "DILs from hell " for taking their sons away from them?
Celebrate pregnancy as you would celebrate a precious new life,mit is still a miracle as some here have evidenced.

"Baby on board" badges are an attempt to obtain a seat on the train or tube for expectant mums who may be trying to keep on their job despite swelling ankles , nausea or sheer exhaustion. Why should you be "sick of them"sarahhelen etc ?
"Rapturous expressions" eh? Heaven forfend a young woman might be happy that she is pregnant?
And if you don't want to see pictures on FB (and I have not seen any as any young women I know have privacy settings) don't look at them!
Thank goodness we are now a bit more open about birth, life etc In our mum's or granny's day they employed euphemisms like "In the family way", and "expecting. In previous centuries they were rather more forthright and the word "breeding" was used to denote "pregnant"!!

Sorry, the first comment was meant for HannahLoisLuke. Grandchildren perhaps? Were you not thrilled when you heard they were "on the way?"

2017 Babies ( 25 Posts)

Read this thread for the other happier side of the coin. Genuine celebration of new life, much wanted babies, precious grandchildren.
I suspect I am using the word "Precious" in the sense of "treasured", maybe not what OP had in mind )

DD2 has just had her second baby. I loved feeling it kick and watching it move. Her son (9 yrs old) was fascinated and would also kiss her tummy every night and say 'night night baby, love you. He was often rewarded with a kick back lol.

My DD is expecting my 2nd DSG in May, DGS1 went to private baby scan with his parents (DD wanted to know sex of baby, midwife at 20 week scan couldn't tell , cord between legs). He was amazed to see baby & couldn't wait to ring me to tell me he's going to have a baby brother

He also went to midwife appointment (half term week) & could listen to baby's heartbeat.

He is desperately excited & loves to feel baby kick & talks to baby, he's 7 & can't wait

My DD has no need to "flaunt" her bump, she wears lovely tops, not tight ones. I'm another who hates "bare baby bumps", you don't have to wear a "tent" just something comfortable. I didn't wear "tents" either just maternity jeans & looser tops, I spent a lot of my time on the farm & round Livestock Auctions

I wondered about the title of the post-thought all pregnancies were precious anyway-like MawBroon I mistook it for treasured.
I can't see why anyone is grumbling. I think these young women have it exactly right and have a perfect right to celebrate and make themselves the centre of attention. How much worse if the baby wasn't wanted.
Is it perhaps sour grapes because it wasn't the same when we were having babies?

What winds me up is the 'We are pregnant', including the Father in the pregnancy! Dictionary definition of pregnant - of a woman or female animal) having a child or young developing in the uterus. The Father is not pregnant!!!!

Can't we just be happy for them? Being pregnant is a very special, and often precarious, time - I think they all deserve a bit of indulgence.

The mothers to be, I mean - though I can be happy for an expectant dad I can't accept he's pregnant as well!

It's a lovely time in life and just indulge & enjoy this special time in life ?

It's so exciting and life changing, but I regret the passing of a private life - it seems that every single emotion, event, experience now has to be shared in all its detail, lovely or grisly, with the whole world. I smiled reading these posts - I could just imagine my mother's reaction to seeing pregnant women now who don't buy maternity clothes, and just let the bump 'hang out' of whatever short tight top they happen to be wearing. As for inviting anyone to touch...!!. We did need to stop behaving as if pregnancy was a terribly private and slightly embarrassing situation. Does anyone remember when the Queen was expecting Prince Andrew, and then a few years later Edward? The TV cameras were not allowed to show her front view on any news item because she was wearing a slightly looser coat - I think she disappeared from public life from about 12 weeks as I recall!

I thought it lovely when my daughters enjoyed their pregnancies. I don't see how a young woman involving her spouse and children could be a negative. My GC were excited, the alternatives are not pleasant thoughts.

It's good to see some positive, kind comments among the grumpy, negative ones here. Amongst my daughters close friendship group there have been some tragedies, complex late miscarriages, very sick babies, more difficult deliveries than ever happened amongst my friendship group. These are all fit, healthy young women with much wanted pregnancies. Being pregnant is a very special time, celebrate it. Princess Diana was a beautiful young woman but, like so many of us, expected to wear a tent as a means of somehow hiding the growing bump. Of course, it didn't hide the bump. I like the current fashion for wearing more ordinary clothing when pregnant.
As for privacy, people can share or not share aspects of their lives. I dislike the celebrity culture, in fact I'm a bit sniffy about it but then I expected my children to work hard and get proper jobs rather than become someone on a tv reality show. Mind you, if they'd decided to go on one of those awful shows, they'd still have been my much loved child and I'd have had to put up and shut up wouldn't I, rather than sit around with my judgemental hat on, sneering and sniffing.

Iam64 Yet Kate is quite covered without the tent. What is it about styles?

I agree with MawBroon totally. Having a baby is a wonderful thing that we can happily celebrate these days. There are lots of women who would gladly have a bump to talk to and stroke, but they are unable to conceive.

I feel so surprised to be referred to as a grumbling granny and also it being suggested that I feel entitled and possibly estranged from my family. nothing could be further from the truth.
I was merely expressing a personal opinion which anyone is at liberty to disagree with without almost insulting my view.

I remember those dreadful tents with giant bows or 'sailor' collars' only too well MawBroon! However , having had years of treatment to get pregnant I think I started wearing them almost from the moment of conception I was so happy to be able to put one on lol

Well, I'm very happy for them all and wish them all the best but I don't particularly want to look at a naked pregnant belly displayed on the news stands which seems to be the latest sleb thing to do.

As for stroking bellies, I think it's just an unconscious thing that mums-to-be do; I used to have to push DD2's foot away from underneath my ribs as she seemed to like lodging her feet there and it was most uncomfortable.

They may be stroking their bellies with cream, oils etc later on to try to get rid of the stretch marks which appear sometimes whatever you do!

Wonder what is the right thing to say when someone digs in their pocket or bag and produces a scan picture. I'm never sure whether to say how lovely it looks when it clearly doesn't. They can now have these scan pictures in 3D, sorry whoever it is I can't help feeling it's all a bit spooky. I'd rather wait to meet the baby in person

I also completely agree with MawBroon and Lona .
Pregancies are to be celebrated, however one chooses to do so.

There's such pickiness on GN sometimes, and pickiness about the pleasure of a forthcoming baby really does confound me!

I loved the tent dresses as my skin hated anything touching it and itched beyond belief with anything tight. I spent a while in Greece and was shocked that people came and rubbed my belly as it was considered lucky. This was over forty years ago. I was told it was the only time men would give me a seat on a bus as I might be carrying a boy. She was a girl so yaboosucks to the m