CW: Pregnancy losses for the quoted toot.
I'll make a thread of my own experience with strangers commenting on my pregnant body below. It is opposite of the story (looking small instead of big) but carries the same message: do not comment on a pregnant person's appearance.
During my first #pregnancy I had a small belly. I didn't show until *very* late and even later I had a relatively small bump.
On an elective ultrasound during week 28 they found my baby was too small. That evening, a stranger who saw my belly asked me how far along I was, and when I told her, she was shocked and commented on what a small belly I had.
I did my best to hold my tears. My sadness. My fears. My partner was livid that she dared make such a comment.
(1/n)
Later that week I was diagnosed with suspected Intrauterine / Fetal Growth Restriction, aka: having a Small for Gestational Age baby.
I experienced similar feelings the author of the quoted toot talks about. Of that alienation you feel when something is not right with your pregnancy but everyone assumes it's a healthy one.
It is hard enough being pregnant, even when things go smoothly. So please, do not comment on someone's pregnancy look. You don't know what their reality is like (2/n).
In the end, my baby was born perfectly fine and just above the cut off line to be considered #SGA.
Now with my 2nd #pregnancy I have a huge belly. But just like last time I am struggling to gain weight, and I'm on the lower end of weight gain.
(In The Netherlands they don't monitor your weight during pregnancy but I kept an eye on it and same this time around.)
There's (basically) nothing I can do to avoid a small baby. When I got diagnosed the first time I met *zero* of the risk factors.(3/n)
When I originally got diagnosed with suspected Intrauterine Growth Restriction, all they told me I could do was wait. Wait and see if the baby grew. Wait and every week go to the hospital and see if I would need an induction. It was a horrible way to spend my third trimester ðŸ˜
I did some reading on the research, but had to keep it light to keep sane. I occasionally made a point to eat foods supposed to boost blood flow and what not.
#IUGR #Pregnancy (4/n)
With this #pregnancy I am determined to avoid any suggestions of a small baby. After my experience with an otherwise healthy pregnancy I am quite jaded on the protocols surrounding Small for Gestational Age babies #SGA.
But I am doing my best. For example, there's minor evidence that drinking pomegranate juice can help boost blood flow to the baby, so I'm drinking it daily (it's also one of the foods I tried back then).
I am stubborn that I'll have another perfect baby 😌 (5/5)
Maria Gatta
Mad B