Customer thought I was pregnant!

[bookgirl]

Background: I work in a bookstore.

*I’m showing a (skinny but pregnant female) customer our pregnancy and childbirth section.*
SC: Wow. There are a lot of different ones go choose from.
Me: Yeah. *Points out some of the more popular ones*
SC: (Nods, serious) Which one are you using?
Me: I, uh, I just read dfmkjlk jslkjfdsjf... (mumbles and walks away)
*I go find my friend and coworker*
Me: Some lady just asked me which pregnancy book I'm using. She wants a recommendation.
CW:
I'll admit that I need to lose about 15 pounds, but in no way do I look pregnant! That was just mean, and rude, and made me feel like crap. I don't know if she was trying to be mean or if she was just a complete idiot. Either way, it still hurt.

[NateTheChops]

That seems like a popular one.

The question I used to get was, "Where is the town AA meeting being held?" or "Do you where they're holding Narcotics Anonymous?"

Like they took one look at me and assumed I knew where they were.

Welcome to the boards.

[trailerparkmedic]

What a bitch. I would have said some seriously terrible things to her.


to

[Flying Grype]

... Are there really people who think any woman with a tummy is pregnant? Someone reads too many fashion magazines.

A couple of years ago I had someone offer me a seat on the subway But I had a lot more weight on me than I do now (since I've been biking), and it all goes to my tummy when I do have it, and it was that time of the month so I was bloated on top of it all... I couldn't blame her.

[lupo pazzesco]

Yeah, I've gotten that a couple of times, myself. Once, when I was still a teenager, mom and i were standing in the checkout lane at a local grocery store, and some old hag walked up to me, proceeded to rub my belly and ask me when I was due!

[Retail Associate]

I made that assumption once with my niece-in-law. She's always been very thin so when I saw her in the store one day with a bit of a belly I, like an idiot, asked her when the baby is due. (I hadn't seen her in quite a while.)

She was obviously put-off and told me she wasn't pregnant but that she'd been having some 'female' issues that caused bloating. She was going to see her OB-GYN in a few days to see if she'd be needing a hysterectomy.

I felt so terrible and apologized!

But, as it turned out...after her visit to the docter she found out she was indeed pregnant and that she was about 4 - 5 months along.

Still, I no longer assume and I keep my big mouth shut!

[Stryker One]

Self Aware - NOT

I made that assumption once with my niece-in-law. She's always been very thin so when I saw her in the store one day with a bit of a belly I, like an idiot, asked her when the baby is due. (I hadn't seen her in quite a while.)

She was obviously put-off and told me she wasn't pregnant but that she'd been having some 'female' issues that caused bloating. She was going to see her OB-GYN in a few days to see if she'd be needing a hysterectomy.

I felt so terrible and apologized!

But, as it turned out...after her visit to the docter she found out she was indeed pregnant and that she was about 4 - 5 months along.

Still, I no longer assume and I keep my big mouth shut!

4-5 months pregnant and not a clue?!?

[Aethian]

One. I don't think she was trying to be mean or a idiot. We all say stupid things sometimes.

Two. Mom walked in to Doctor's office thinking she might be pregnant. Doc says she is having a baby now. As in right now...as in LABOR RIGHT NOW. I would have been 4 months premie if they hadn't sown her up and I gave them another month before I ripped stitches.

So yes it is possible to not know one is pregnant.

[zzapp the witch]

See, I was a bit of the opposite. On kid number 3 I got tired of people asking if I was pregnant when it was obvious I was, and getting lectures from people whose business it was none about how I was too young to have kids! (I was 24). I just started saying, "Nope, I'm just fat." My sister told me I was being a bitch, but after the umpteenth time of being told that 24 is too young to breed, and how I was a bad mom for breastfeeding, I just didn't care anymore.

It happens to everyone hon, when you're not pregnant, someone will think you are, and when you are, someone will tell you that you've really let yourself go and need to lose some weight.

[Amina516]

Theres a whole show called "I didnt know I was pregnant". On discovery health channel. Look it up for some interesting stories.

[telecom_goddess]

who on earth would say anyone was a bad mom for breastfeeding?

[zzapp the witch]

You come to a site like this and hear all sorts of improbable stories, and you still have to ask this question?

A lot of people who lectured me on how baby formula is more nutritious and my kids are going to grow up to be retarded/malformed/ADD/autistic/constantly sick/insert more idiocy after this slashy.

Trust me, I was surprised by all the negativity I received when people found out I intended to breastfeed on my first kid. My mom was my main support. All the whacko stories about the badness carried on through all 3 kids. People are nuts. I've been reduced to tears by busybody morons. I'm really, really good at ignoring people now.

[XCashier]

who on earth would say anyone was a bad mom for breastfeeding?

Nosy Nellies are always criticizing new mothers for how they're raising their children. If they're breastfeeding, they're scolded for "not giving baby what he/she needs"; if they're bottle-feeding, they're yelled at because "breast is best". There's been threads on Fratching on this very subject.

It's not just feeding, either; disposable vs cloth diapers, crib vs sleeping in mom's bed, sling vs stroller, any and every thing regarding raising a newborn. No wonder new moms are so stressed out.

[Magpie]

4-5 months pregnant and not a clue?!?

Baby doesn't start kicking until later, a lot of women don't show that much at that point, unless you were trying/know you have a hard time with your charts/otherwise suspect that you might be pregnant, I'm not sure why you would know at that point.

See, I was a bit of the opposite. On kid number 3 I got tired of people asking if I was pregnant when it was obvious I was, and getting lectures from people whose business it was none about how I was too young to have kids! (I was 24). I just started saying, "Nope, I'm just fat." My sister told me I was being a bitch, but after the umpteenth time of being told that 24 is too young to breed, and how I was a bad mom for breastfeeding, I just didn't care anymore.

You're not being reassuring! I already look like a teenager, and I figure I'll get lots of people thinking I'm too young, especially since most people on campus are younger than I am. Now to find out that people would think I'm actually too young... (I went through a lot of shock a couple of years ago when I realised that people my age with toddlers weren't necessarily having kids at a shockingly young age. Apparently I was wrong.)

As for the OP, 15 lb over is almost never enough to look pregnant unless you're tiny (which might be the case, in which case ignore this). The SC was just stupid enough to not realise that staff in a bookstore might know where books where without having used them themselves.

[Cassandra]

I stopped being embarrassed by the fact that I have a bit of a tummy on me and just turn that right on the person assuming I'm pregnant because of my tummy. I just look at them right in the eyes and tell them "no, I'm not expecting, I'm just fat." The look on the person's face is always priceless and they start apologizing like crazy. I don't let it get to me anymore. I know I have a tummy on me and I know that I could lose more than a few pounds. But I don't need anyone assuming anything about me.