So I’ve heard from all my girlfriends who have previously had babies that random people will offer you advice that you could do without hearing. I’ve had a pretty wonderful and uncomplicated pregnancy from this point, and as of a month or little more ago I hadn’t received any advice that I didn’t find offensive. I was doing the normal weekly grocery shopping before Paul came home, and I received some of the most disturbing advice from an older gentleman. Normally it’s always the women that tell me to do this or that concerning anything under the sun, but this tip came from a guy who had previous experience with delivering babies. He was so proud to tell me that he had delivered seven or eight of his fifteen grandchildren! Then he told me what would make my birthing experience less painful including the hand motions demonstrating the technique. I will keep this G rated so that all audiences can enjoy, but for those of you who have had babies it has to do with the tearing process. This is not something that a grown man, unless he is your doctor, should advise a young woman in public to do to herself! I was in so much shock that I thanked him for his advice, and I jumped into my car faster than I’ve been able to move my entire pregnancy! I immediately called Paul so that he could help me calm down, and he seemed to be disturbed also. I switched grocery stores for a little while, but I had a hard time finding the normal things we like and went back. In case I haven’t mentioned this gentleman happens to work at the grocery that I love! So I only go to the same cashier who happens to know that this guy freaks me out, and she’s done a wonderful job of making sure he stays away from me. Last night I went in there and didn’t see her. Big surprise that this guy was standing right there to help me out! He once again let me know of other things that I should be doing to my body to prepair myself for breastfeeding! I thanked him again, and this time I had no Paul to talk to because he was at tennis practice! So I called a girlfriend, and let her have some good laughs about this guy. I decided that I’m no longer going to the grocery unless Paul is there because we get almost no attention other than the normal due date, girl or boy, and name questions. Maybe I should be more vocal about how he creeps me out, but it’s one of those moments you just want to run as fast as you can away from! So advice to all you guys out there: no matter how much experience you’ve had in the baby department, let your wife give all the advice unless you want an angry husband hunting you down!
Sure, unsolicited advice from some weirdo at the grocery store is odd, but the funniest part of this story is how Laura goes out of her way to avoid this guy. I can almost picture her walking up and down the isles not actually looking for food, but scanning to see if that guy is occupied so she can speed through a check out line without being noticed.
I THOUGHT ALL THE STRANGE OLD MEN LIVED IN FLORIDA OR CALIFORNIA. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH BEHAVIOR BY ANY MAN TOWARDS A PREGNANT WOMAN ANYWHERE. IS THE OLD GUY BY SOME CHANCE A RETIRED DRUG USING OB/GYN? ANYWAY STAY SAFE.
I WANT YALL TO KNOW THAT I HAVE HAD SEVERAL DREAMS THAT MADE ME LAUGH BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCE IN YALL’S HEIGHTS. I AM HOPING THAT EVERYTHING GOES VERY SMOOTH AT THE TIME OF DELIVERY AND THAT YOU ALL WILL BE ENJOYING LILLY AS CLOSE TO THE DUE DATE AS LILLY WILL COME. IT SEEMS THAT MOST FIRST BABIES WANT TO DELAY THEIR APPEARANCE BY A FEW DAYS BUT I AM HOPING THAT LILLY MAKES IT RIGHT ON TIME. MOTHER AND I ARE AWAITING WORD ON THE ARRIVAL AND WISH WE COULD BE THERE BUT WE ARE THERE IN SPIRIT. YALL ARE SO LUCKY AND GOD IS BLESSING YOU WITH THE GREATEST GIFT ANYONE CAN HAVE. WE ARE PRAYING THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE GREAT FOR YOU ALL. ANYWAY, BE CAREFUL AND RUN LIKE YOU DID TO GET AWAY FROM THE WIERD FOLKS OF THE WORLD. I AM SURE THE GUY WAS HARMLESS AND PROBABLY JUST A LONELY OLD MAN THAT THINKS HE IS BEING HELPFUL. I BET HE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE STICKS SOMEWHERE THAT PEOPLE SAY ANY AND EVERYTHING THAT IS ON THEIR MINDS AND DON’T MEAN ANYTHING BAD. YOU BOTH TAKE CARE AND GET SOME REST. YOUR DAYS OF GOOD NIGHT SLEEP ARE GOING TO END SOON FOR SOMETHING SO WONDERFUL.
CATHY
Paul is right! I do have a hard time finishing up my grocery shopping when I see him. I always scan the registers to make sure the cashier I like is there and he is not! We do live in the sticks, and people are probably just trying to be friendly. Our neighbor described it best when she said that everybody knows everybody’s business and there’s nothing really private because they let you in on their business! Not too much time left for Lilly to come so my fears are starting to die down when it comes to this guy’s advice for labor and delivery!