Hmmmm, Did You Do Something Different?

Ok, so here's a moral dilemma I've struggled with -- let me know what you guys think. Consider this a formal poll of your social practices.

When is it appropriate to comment on a woman's apparent pregnancy?
A. When and ONLY when it's verified, ie. you're in the room watching the baby come out of her.
B. Never.
C. When you've heard from someone else.
D. When she looks like she has a beer belly that you don't *think* was there before.
E. When you're her boyfriend and you haven't been getting any from her.

Ok, the reason I bring this up is that I ran into a casual acquaintance tonight. I asked her how she'd been and she said "Good, good. I, um, had a baby."

So NATURALLY I did the whole 'Ohmygosh!Congratulations!ThatisSOGREAT.Noway!' thing. To which she responded "Well, when I saw you back in June, I was seven months pregnant. And you didn't say anything! I left with my friend feeling sorry for myself because I thought you just thought I was fat." So then I had to explain to her my personal theory, ie. choice "A", listed above. Friends, if you are apparently with child, let me be the first to say you will NOT hear it out of me. Never will the words "Are you expeeeeeeeeecting?" fall from these lips.

I realize the margin of error on guessing wrong is probably very very small after a certain point. When the belly is past the boobs, you're pretty much good to go. My thing is to not comment until they (aformentioned Possibly Pregnant One) insist on making it conversation -- that, or if the labor pains strike on my watch. That's just me. I'm playing it safe. Hey, at least someone is.

2 comments:

crystal said...

i agree. i once was selling a woman a belly button barbell ('99) and i said "dont you have to take that out while your pregant?" her "i'm not pregant" *me BRIGHT red* i learned a hard lesson.

Anonymous said...

Yup. You're right. My best friend visited me and wore what looked like a maternity pant outfit. She said nothing about being pregnant and my first thought was "Oh, she's gained some weight." I said nothing about her appearance. When she announced her daughter's birth I was surprised she hadn't said anything about it beforehand.

That's a good rule, Lily. Just like my other rule that, if you see half of a couple without their partner, NEVER ask,"So, how's your wife/boyfriend/husband/girlfriend?" Because sometimes the reason the person isn't there is that the couple has split up. I figure if the reason is innocent, they'll tell me.