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It is our national pastime - poking our noses in other people's personal business, as this list of actual 'advice' the author received during her 2nd pregnancy proves!
It is our national pastime – poking our noses in other people’s personal business, as this list of actual ‘advice’ the author received during her 2nd pregnancy proves!
When I was pregnant with my first child, I was bombarded with numerous tips and advice from my friends, relatives and other ‘well wishers’. Some of them were really helpful, whereas others were downright hilarious, and a few even offensive. I used to end up arguing with a few of them when they would tell me about what I should do and not do. The end result being an upset friend/relative and an upset me.
So, when I was pregnant again, I thought that the tips and advice will stop, as I was now an experienced mother. But no, it didn’t. So I chose to keep my mouth shut, and thank them instead, for their ‘wonderful advice’.
Let me take you through my journey of those three trimesters, and the ‘wonderful’ tips that I received. The answers I wished to give (but chose to go mute and smile) are in italics.
‘Oh my God! Pregnant again? Congrats anyway. Why so fast? You should have taken more rest.
Yes, why not? Why don’t you make all my life decisions? A burden less for me, eh?
Look she’s sleepy and drowsy all the time. Looks like you are having a boy this time too!
Ah, here come the old wives’ tales! Try looking after my older one while puking your guts out. Then we will see who is sleepy and drowsy! Ha!
Start eating more dear. You need to eat for two. We want a chubby baby!
I had heard this one last time too. How about you let me swallow my own saliva first?
Your elder one is so naughty. I think you should take as much rest as possible now. How will you manage otherwise? It’s going to be really tough.
Thank you for your ‘encouraging’ words. It won’t be tough. You don’t worry. You stay right next door, I’ll send my older one at your place for some time everyday. I’m sure you will help. Right?
You should start looking for a full time maid now. Things are going to get difficult as soon as the second one pops out!
Sure, the position is open. Are you interested?
I think your water broke. Your dress is wet from below. Let’s rush to the hospital. Hurry!
No, that’s not my water. There’s still a few weeks left. Don’t look at me like that. You didn’t let me go to the bathroom on time. Sorry, I couldn’t help it!
Oh my God! Your second one is also a boy. Now what? You always wanted a girl. Are you going to plan for a third one again?
Oh yes, I will. But not ‘Until the sun rises in the west and sets in the east’. What? Don’t stare at me like that. You’ve never heard it? Duh! This is a very famous dialogue that Daenerys Targarean tells her husband Khal Drogo in the Game of Thrones. Go binge watch it now and don’t claw on my brains!
Have you too received such pieces of advice in your pregnancy?
Published here earlier.
Image source: shutterstock
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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