Five things to NEVER say to a pregnant woman!

Maybe its just because I'm getting towards the end of this pregnancy or maybe its because its been raining here for 5 days straight and I'm getting cabin fever.  Or maybe this has been something I've been thinking about for a while but just never got around to posting it.  Either way, if you're pregnant or ever been pregnant, you've learned that some people say things to a pregnant chick they would never in 1,000,000 years consider saying to someone who is not pregnant.  Does pregnancy give people the green light to drop their internal filters??

Anyway, I've put together a list of 5 things you should never say to a pregnant lady.  And don't think its just me...most of these comments are things I've heard/read from other mommies-to-be in real life or on pregnancy message boards.

1.  Do not comment about how big/small a woman's bump looks.  Just like non-pregnant bodies are different, so are pregnant bodies.  No woman wants to hear "you're only 7 months, you look like you could pop any day now!"  And while you might think its a complement to say "you're only 7th months, you look so tiny!"  This implies that the mom-to-be isn't gaining enough weight and/or allowing her baby to grow properly.  Along these lines, don't ask how much weight she has gained.  And if you do, be prepared for her to ask you the same question right back.  Simply saying "Congratulations, you look great!" is all you need to do. 

2.  Do not share your own pregnancy/labor/delivery/recovery stories with a pregnant woman unless she asks to hear them.  Whether you had a good experience or a bad one, she doesn't really want to hear about it because chances are, her's will be completely different!

3.  Do not tell a pregnant woman that she will definitely deliver late.  First of all, how on earth could you know that??  And second of all, she doesn't want to hear that!!   (I may or may not have tried to will my baby out before this past Tuesday just to prove someone at work wrong)

4.  Unless you are an OB or a midwife, do not ask about the status of her cervix.  Would you ever consider asking a woman how dilated/effaced/thin her cervix is if she weren't pregnant?  If not, then what would make it okay to do when she's pregnant??  (and if so, then you have other problems that need to be worked out!)  I don't ask you about the status of your colon or any other body parts, do I?

5.  Lastly, and this is probably one of the most innocent questions but drives many pregnant women nuts, don't ask "so how are you feeling?" every.single.time you see her or talk to her!!!  I know it doesn't sound like a bad question and I'm sure you have the best of intentions when you ask it but for some reason its like fingernails on a chalk board to pregnant women.  I'm not sure exactly why.  Maybe its that it gets asked all...the...time.  Or maybe its because the person asking really wants to know how your pregnancy is going and not so much about how you are actually feeling.  Either way, this question can drive a pregnant woman totally nuts!  

So there you have it, my top 5 things to NEVER say to a pregnant woman.  And don't worry if you have said/asked me or someone else these things in the past...I guarantee that you weren't the first and won't be the last to do so.  Even with the hormones coursing through her body, she most likely will just smile politely and nod.